USA Hockey World Junior Championship Page

MADISON, Wis. – The 23-man U.S. National Junior Team is set and four Wisconsin men's hockey players will be representing their country at the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship.
 
The event runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic. Team USA will play its entire preliminary round in Ostrava.

Sophomore defenseman K'Andre Miller (Minnetonka, Minnesota) a silver medalist with Team USA in 2019, headlines the Badger contingent that includes fellow sophomore defenseman Ty Emberson (Eau Claire), as well as freshmen forwards Cole Caufield (Stevens Point) and Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Illinois).

Among the Badger highlights during the selection camp, Miller captained Team USA during a pre-tournament game on Sunday against Sweden, while Caufield tallied four goals in USA's 7-1 win against Germany on Monday. Emberson also scored in the Germany contest.

The United States has medaled in four consecutive World Junior Championships (2019-silver, 2018-bronze, 2017-gold, 2016-bronze) for the first time in U.S. history, with MIller last year, and former Badgers Trent Frederic (2018) and Luke Kunin (2017) helping the cause.

The Americans have captured four gold medals in tournament history, which officially began in 1977, and in all four instances, the team captain or head coach were Wisconsin Badgers. Mike Eaves served as team head coach in 2004 during Team USA's first gold medal, while Derek Stepan captained the 2010 team, Jack McCabe captained the 2013 squad and Luke Kunin directed the 2017 group to gold. 

The four Badgers taking part are the most in a single World Junior Championship since 1984 , when Tony Granato, Jim Johannson, Gary Suter and Marty Wiitala all skated for Team USA. It marks the fourth time that four Badgers have skated in a World Junior Championship, with 1983 (Tony Granato, Jim Johannson, Tim Thomas, Ernie Vargas) and the 1980 teams (Lexi Doner, Pat Ethier, Tod Lecy, Brian Mullen) boasting four Badgers.

All-time, 55 Badgers have played in the World Junior Championship prior to this year's event..

This year, all U.S. games will broadcast live on NHL Network, including its tournament opener against Canada on Dec. 26. The gold medal game takes place on Jan. 5.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE FOR USA (GROUP B):

• Game 1: Canada, Dec. 26 (Noon CT)
• Game 2: Germany, Dec. 27 (Noon)
• Game 3: Russia, Dec. 29 (Noon)
• Game 4: Czech Republic, Dec. 30 (Noon)
• Gold Medal Game – Jan. 5 (Noon)