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Gameday: U.S. Faces Switzerland in U18s Preliminary Round

By USAHockey.com, 04/19/18, 9:45PM EDT

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Opening face off set for 3:30 p.m. local (6:30 a.m. ET)

The U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team faces Switzerland this afternoon in its second preliminary round matchup in Group A play at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship here in Magnitogorsk, Russia. Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. local and 6:30 a.m. ET and will be televised in the U.S. live on NHL Network.

MATCHUP VS. SWITZERLAND

Switzterland is coming off a 3-1 loss to Sweden in its opening preliminary round game on Thursday afternoon at Metallurg Ice Rink. Kyen Sopa picked up the lone goal for Switzerland in the loss and goaltender Luca Hollenstein made 30 saves on 33 shots. 

All-time, the U.S. is 8-0-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) against Switzerland and has outscored them 39-13. The two teams last met a year ago in the quarterfinals of the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship, its first-ever playoff round matchup. Josh Norris (Oxford, Mich./University of Michigan) scored the game-winning goal with 3:17 left in regulation for Team USA in the 4-2 victory. U.S. goaltender Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich./University of Notre Dame) earned his fifth victory of the tournament by making 15 saves on 17 shots.

In preliminary matchups, Team USA is 7-0-0-1 against Switzerland and has outscored them 35-11. 

The United States has only lost 18 preliminary round games and has only lost one preliminary round game to Switzerland ...  Team USA will be led by Mattias Samuelsson (Voorhees, N.J./USAH NTDP) who will serve as team captain while Ty Emberson (Eau Claire, Wis./ USAH NTDP), Patrick Giles (Chevy Chase, Md./ USAH NTDP), Jonathan Gruden (Rochester, Mich./ USAH NTDP) and Jake Pivonka (Naperville, Ill./ USAH NTDP) will serve as alternate captains ... Team USA has two returning players, Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y./USAH NTDP) and Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass./USAH NTDP) from last year's gold-medal team and both scored in the tournament opener.

HUGHES STARTS WITH A BANG

Forward Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla./USAH NTDP) started the 2018 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship by recording three points (1-2-3) and in Team USA's 6-4 loss to Canada on Thursday night. The 2001 birth year forward's three points leave him tied for second in points in the tournament after day one. 

PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF

Forwards Joel Farabee and Oliver Wahlstrom started their second appearance for Team USA in the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship by each scoring goals in the tournament opener, with Wahlstrom collecting two.

The duo helped the U.S. claim its tournament record 10th gold medal in last year's tournament in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia. 

In last year's tournament Farabee saved his best game for last as he recorded two goals, including the eventual game-winner, in Team USA's 4-2 victory against Finland in the gold-medal game. He earned Player of the Game honors for his efforts. The New York native finished the tournament tied for sixth on the team in scoring with six points (3-3-6). 

Wahlstrom finished last year's tournament tied with Max Gildon (Plano, Texas/University of New Hampshire) for the team lead in goals with four in seven games. Wahlstrom scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Team USA's final preliminary round victory (USA, 5-1) against Sweden.

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U.S. Schedule

Date Opponent Round Time (Local/ET)/Results Location Television
Sun., April 15 France Exhibition W, 15-0 Traktor Ice Rink
Chelyabinsk, Russia
NHL Network
Thurs., April 19 Canada Preliminary L, 4-6 Metallurg Ice Rink
Magnitogorsk, Russia
NHL Network
Fri., April 20 Switzerland Preliminary W, 8-5 Metallurg Ice Rink
Magnitogorsk, Russia
NHL Network
Sun., April 22 Sweden Preliminary L, 1-3 Metallurg Ice Rink
Magnitogorsk, Russia
NHL Network
Tues., April 24 Belarus Preliminary W, 8-0 Metallurg Ice Rink
Magnitogorsk, Russia
NHL Network
Thurs., April 26 Russia Quarterfinals W, 5-1 Traktor Ice Rink
Chelyabinsk, Russia
NHL Network
Sat., April 28 Czech Republic Semifinals W, 4-1 Traktor Ice Rink
Chelyabinsk, Russia
NHL Network
Sun., April 29 Finland Gold Medal Game L, 2-3 Traktor Ice Rink
Chelyabinsk, Russia
NHL Network

2018 U18 Men's Worlds News