World Juniors 2016 Bronze Medal Game: USA vs. Sweden preview, tv schedule, lineups, game thread

After disappointing results in yesterday's semi-final games, Sweden and the USA will battle for bronze at the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Sweden traded chances with rival Finland in the first period of their semi-final matchup, taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but the final two periods were all Finland, with the host nation spending the majority of the remaining time in Sweden's end.

Goaltender Linus Soderström was able to hold the tournament's best offensive team to just two goals, despite the power-play chances skewed heavily against his team. Sweden never got a chance to gain a foothold in the final forty minutes, and fell by a 2-1 score.

The USA suffered a very similar fate, seeing their 1-0 lead evaporate with two quick Russian goals late in the second period. Unlike the game that had taken place earlier in the day, the US was all over Russia in the final frame, launching 13 shots on Ilya Samsonov, but was unable to tie the game.

The teams have a quick turnaround after crushing defeats that prevented them from getting their chance at gold. Instead, it will be a matter of which team will be able to get amped up for a game that they would rather not be playing.

It will be a rematch of a group-stage contest between the two nations. The score of that first game was close, with Sweden emerging with a 1-0 victory. The run of play went largely in USA's favour, however, and it was less a case of Sweden earning the win and more Soderström stealing the three points on the third day of the tournament.

Both teams will no doubt be mindful of that performance when the they go head to head once again, the US determined to not lose to Sweden for the second time at this year's event.

The teams that will fight for third place match up virtually identically across all statistical categories, with each having great special teams numbers, solid goaltending, and dangerous offensive talent throughout the lineup. If the teams both show up with a desire to leave with the bronze medal, it should be a very entertaining contest.

Puck drop is at 9:00 AM EST / 6:00 AM PST

You can watch the game on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, or streaming on TSN GO. You can listen to the game on the TSN radio network. The NHL Network will carry the game in the United States. Americans can stream the game via NBC Sports.