The U.S. Men's National Team faces Norway tonight in its sixth preliminary round game of the 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship here in Herning, Denmark. Puck drop is set for 4:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET) at the Jyske Bank Boxen and will be televised live in the U.S. exclusively on NHL Network.
This is the 19th meeting betwen the United States and Norway in Men's World Championship play. Through five games, the U.S. leads Group B with 13 points while Norway is in seventh place with two points.
THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
Team USA is the home team and will wear blue ... Yesterday's off day saw U.S. players and guests travel by bus to the coastal city of Aarhus ... The last time Team USA won its first five games in a Men's World Championship was 1933 ... Cam Atkinson and Nick Bonino skated together at Avon Old Farms (USHS) ... Patrick Kane leads the tournament in assists (9) and is third in points (12). He is one assist shy of the U.S. record for most assists in a single tournament, which is shared by Max Pacioretty (2012) and Craig Smith (2013), and four points back of the U.S. record for most points in a single tournament, which Richard Roberge set in 1962 with 16 ... Johnny Gaudreau's 19 career assists in tournament play is one shy of Craig Smith's U.S. record while he's five points away from Mark Johnson's U.S. record 33.
THE SERIES VS. NORWAY
The United States and Norway are meeting for the 19th time in tournament play. To date, the U.S. holds a 17-0-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) record against Norway. Team USA's only loss to Norway came on March 9, 1951, via a 3-0 shutout. The two teams last met in 2011, when current U.S. forward Chris Kreider (Boxford, Mass.) and Team USA edged Norway, 4-2.
FINAL ROSTER SET AT 25
The U.S. finalized its roster this weekend with the additions of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Nashville Predators forward Nick Bonino (Hartford, Conn.).
A three-time IIHF medalist, including two gold medals (2017 WJC, 2015 MU18) and one bronze medal (2016 WJC), McAvoy is playing on a U.S. Men's National Team for the second consecutive year and representing Team USA for the fifth time in IIHF world championship play. Bonino will be playing on a U.S. Men's National Team for the second time. Three years ago, he tallied two goals and two assists for four points as the U.S. Men's National Team claimed a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF Men's World Championship in Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic.
GROUP B SCENARIOS
Entering today's games, the U.S. is the lone team from Group B to have clinched its quarterfinal spot. A win in regulation will guarantee the U.S. finishes no worse than second. The top-four Group B finishers will meet Group A's top four in Thursday's quarterfinals, which will be split between Copenhagen & Herning.
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 |