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2018 MWC Gameday: U.S. Faces Host Denmark In Exhibition Game

By USAHockey.com, 05/01/18, 7:30AM EDT

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Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. local/2:30 p.m. ET

The U.S. Men's National Team faces host Denmark tonight in its lone exhibition game prior to the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship here in Herning, Denmark. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET) at the KVIK Hockey Arena, home of the Herning Blue Fox hockey organization.
    The U.S. and Denmark, which will meet in Team USA's second game of the preliminary round on Saturday (May 5), have met six times previously in the world championship. Team USA has a 4-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) series advantage. 
    The United States enters the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship seeking its 12th tournament medal and first since 2016, when it claimed a bronze medal. All-time, the U.S. has won gold once (1933), silver four times (1950, 1939, 1934, 1931) and bronze six times (2015, 2013, 2004, 1996, 1952, 1949).    

THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
Forward Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills, Mich.) joined Team USA this morning in Herning, Denmark ... Players and staff of Team USA flew in over the weekend before conducting practices the last two days ... The U.S. Men's National Team roster currently sits at 23 ... Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) was named captain of Team USA on April 9 ... Fourteen players have skated for a U.S. national team and have combined to win 24 medals in IIHF World Championship play ... While nine U.S. players will be making their debuts in an IIHF event, three have previously skated for a U.S. select team ... Jeff Blashill (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) is serving as head coach for the second straight year ... At the 2017 IIHF Men’s World Championship, Team USA skated to a fifth place finish with a 6-0-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) mark after tying a U.S. record with six consecutive wins in the preliminary round en route to finishing atop Group A.

THE SERIES VS. DENMARK
The last meeting between the two teams came a year ago at the 2017 IIHF Men's World Championship where Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton
Keller 
(St. Louis, Mo.) netted a hat trick and current U.S. forward Anders Lee (Edina, Minn.) scored twice for Team USA's first victory of the 2017 tournament.

TEAM USA IIHF HISTORY AT A GLANCE
Entering the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship, the United States holds a 194-12-8-203-35 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) all-time record in world championship play. The U.S. has won a total of 11 medals in the event, winning gold once (1933); silver four times (1950, 1939, 1934, 1931) and bronze six times (2015, 2013, 2004, 1996, 1952, 1949).

TRIO OF 2015 BRONZE MEDALISTS HEADLINE RETURNEES 
Three players on the 2018 U.S. Men's National Team roster helped the United States to a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF Men's World Championship in Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic, including forwards Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) and Anders Lee (Edina, Minn.) and defenseman Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio). 
    The trio, along with forward Johnny Gaudreau (Salem, N.J.), all skated for 2018 U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jeff Blashill at last year's IIHF Men's World Championship. 
    Additionally, goaltender Keith Kinkaid (Farmingville, N.Y.) and forwards Cam Atkinson (Riverside, Conn.), Chris Kreider (Boxford, Mass.) and captain Patrick Kane have all skated for a U.S. Men's National Team previously.

SIX POISED FOR INTERNATIONAL DEBUTS
Six players, including goaltenders Scott Darling and Charlie Lindgren; defensemen Alec Martinez and Jordan Oesterle; and forwards Blake Coleman and Brian Gibbons will be making their international debuts at the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship. Additionally, defensemen Nick Jensen and Neal Pionk as well as forward Derek Ryan will be skating in an International Ice Hockey Federation tournament for the first time after previously skating on U.S. select teams.

U.S. Roster

U.S. Homepage

Tournament Website


U.S. Schedule

Date Opponent Round Result Location
Tues., May 1 Denmark Exhibition W, 3-2 KVIK Hockey Arena
Herning, Denmark
Fri., May 4 Canada Preliminary W, 5-4 (SO) Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Sat., May 5 Denmark Preliminary W, 4-0 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Mon., May 7 Germany Preliminary W, 3-0 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Thurs., May 10 Latvia Preliminary W, 3-2 (OT) Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Fri., May 11 Korea Preliminary W, 13-1 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Sun., May 13 Norway Preliminary W, 9-3 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Tues., May 15 Finland Preliminary L, 2-6 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Thurs., May 17 Czech Republic Quarterfinals W, 3-2 Jyske Bank Boxen
Herning, Denmark
Sat., May 19 Sweden Semifinals L, 0-6 Royal Arena
Copenhagen, Denmark
Sun., May 20 Canada Bronze-Medal Game W, 4-1 Royal Arena
Copenhagen, Denmark

2018 Men's Worlds News