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Gameday: U.S. Closes Out Prelims With Belarus

By USAHockey.com, 04/23/18, 9:00PM EDT

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U.S. closes out preliminary round play with a 3:30 p.m. showdown with Belarus

The U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team faces Belarus this afternoon in its final 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. BELARUS

Belarus is 1-0-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) and right below the U.S.  for the third spot in Group A  following its 5-4 victory against Switzerland on Monday (April 23). Belarus started the tournament with an 8-3 loss to Canada and followed that with a 4-3 loss to Sweden. Forward Vladimir Alistrov leads the team offensively with six points (2-4-6). Goaltender Nikita Tolopilo has played in all three games and has earned a 5.46 goals-against average and .843 save-percentage. 

All-time, the U.S. is 7-0-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) against Belarus and has outscored them 61-8. All matchups have come in the preliminary round and the last tie came in 2003, putting the U.S. winning streak at five games. 

The two teams last met a year ago in the opening game of the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship. Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass/USAH NTDP) scored twice and Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich./USAH NTDP) stopped all 17 shots he faced as the U.S. earned a 7-0 victory over Belarus.

THINGS WORTH MENTIONING

Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla./USAH NTDP) currently ranks second in the tournament in points with seven (3-4-7) through three games ... Oliver Wahlstrom  is tied with three other players for the tournament lead in goals (4) through five days of competition ... The underage (2001 birth year) skaters (Cole Caufield, Hughes, Turcotte, York) have combined for 14 points through three games for Team USA ... The U.S. is averaging 43 shots per game through two games and is only allowing opponents to 28 shots per game ... The U.S. owns the top ranked power play and penalty kill units in the tournament ... The U.S. has earned two medals at the U18 Men's World Championship while on Russian soil. 

U18 MWC FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Three players have a combined four family members who have previously skated in or coached at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship.

Forward Jonathan Gruden's (Rochester, Mich./USAH NTDP) father, John, has served on coaching three U.S. coaching staffs at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship (2012, 2014 and 2016), helping guide the team to gold meals in 2012 and 2014 and a bronze medal in 2016. Forward Jack
Hughes' 
brother Quinn was a defenseman on last year's gold medal winning squad, finishing the tournament with  five points (1-4-5) and a +6 +/- rating. 

Defenseman Adam Samuelsson's (San Diego, Calif./USAH NTDP) two brothers Henrik and Philip both previously represented Team USA in the tournament. Philip was on the 2009 gold medal winning team and finished the tournament with three assists in seven games. Henrik was on the 2011 gold medal winning team and contributed one assist in six games. 

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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