Group A Preliminary Games
9 AM ET: Denmark vs USA
The USA is coming off of a huge 10-1 win over Switzerland and will be looking to cement their spot in second place with a win here. They should be considered the heavy favourites. I would expect Brandon Halverson to get the start after playing the final 32 minutes against the Swiss. For Denmark, they have qualified for the quarter finals but will look to put up a good fight as they prepare for the next round, likely Russia. The game will be shown on TSN 1/3/4/5 and RDS in Canada.
1 PM ET: Canada vs Sweden
Canada doesn’t have much to play for, except to get some momentum going. They are likely stuck in third but looking to get into the quarter finals on a high note. I would expect Mackenzie Blackwood to start for the second straight game. For Sweden, they already clinched top spot in Group A and are coming off a win against Denmark. They will likely want to go through the group stage undefeated and send a message to the defending gold medalists. The game will be on TSN 1/3/4/5 and RDS in Canada. It can be streamed on TSN GO. NHL Network in the US will show the game on tape delay starting at 3:30 p.m.
Group B Preliminary Games
7 AM ET: Russia vs Slovakia
Russia is a win away from clinching top spot in Group B and a date with the Danes. They are coming off of a day off and should be considered the favourites against a Slovak team that collapsed against Finland yesterday. The Slovaks had an early 2-0 lead but fell 8-3. Slovakia is likely stuck in fourth place in Group B and look to face the Swedes in the quarter final. The game will be on TSN2 and RDS2 in Canada.
11 AM ET: Finland vs Czech Republic
This game is probably the most important of the day. The winner of this game likely finishes second in Group B but the Czechs can finish first with a regulation win and a Slovakian regulation win against Russia. Both teams had big wins yesterday, and will be looking to continue their momentum. The winner likely faces Canada and the loser the United States so we’re up for a great quarter final round regardless. Jesse Puljujärvi, who is draft eligible this year, leads the entire tournament in scoring. The game will be on TSN2 and RDS2 in Canada.
