Ottawa, Canada — All eyes will be on this high-profile showdown between two nations which have combined to win five straight gold medals in the IIHF World Junior Championship, and seven of the last eight gold medals overall dating back to 2017.
The result of the game will have significant consequences. If the game is won in regulation time, the winning team will earn the top seed in Group A.
A team losing in regulation could end up as the third seed in Group A and be forced to play either Czechia or Sweden in the quarterfinals – assuming Finland defeats Germany in their final round-robin game and ends up no worse than second in the group.
Surprisingly, like Team Canada, the U.S. power play hasn’t been as dominant as expected. Both teams have only managed to scored twice with the man advantage. Canada is two-for-13 on the power-play while the Americans are two-for-11. Winning the special-teams battle is going to be crucial on Tuesday night and for the rest of the tournament.
USA Players to Watch:
James Hagens, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, leads the Americans with six points. He plays on a line with Boston College teammates Ryan Leonard and New York Rangers draft pick Gabe Perreault (2G-2A 19:19). Defenseman Cole Hutson also has six points. He's the brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. The USA hadn't announced their starting goalie. Michigan State's Trey Augustine has made two starts (1-0-1) and Western Michigan's Hampton Slukynsky is 1-0.
Rangers draft pick Drew Fortescue is also on the Team USA roster and will be one for Blueshirt fans to watch as well.
Betting Odds:
- Canada Moneyline: -125
- USA Moneyline: -112
- Puck Line: Canada -1.5 (+175), USA +1.5 (-250)
- Game Total: 6.5 (Over -154, Under +115)
How to Tune In
The USA and Canada will play at 8 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The game will be aired on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.