What’s at stake for Canada in U.S. game at world juniors

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After Finland defeated Latvia on Tuesday afternoon, Canada was staring at multiple playoff-round scenarios entering its much-anticipated New Year’s Eve game with the U.S.

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A win Tuesday night, whether in regulation, overtime or a shootout, would give Canada first place in the Group A standings and a date with the Swiss in Thursday’s quarterfinal.

A loss in regulation would leave Canada in third spot with a tough quarterfinal match-up against the loser of the 5 p.m. battle between Sweden and Czechia for first in Group B.

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A loss in overtime or a shootout would nudge Canada ahead of Finland into second place.

Both teams would have eight points, but the tiebreaker would go Canada’s way because of its opening-game victory over the Finns.

Winding up second would have Canada playing Slovakia in the quarterfinal.

“Every day is a new day,” winger Tanner Howe said when asked what Dave Cameron’s message was at Tuesday’s morning skate. “We’ve got to go out every day like it’s another challenge.

“We’ve got a challenge tonight against the U.S.A. We’ve just got to go out there and focus on our game, and I think we’ll be good.”

Canada has 34 wins and three ties in 49 meetings and has outscored the Americans 197-139 at the world juniors. But in the last 10 showdowns, both teams have five wins.

Canada also has an 8-4 record in the 12 New Year’s Eve clashes. The Americans won the last one, 3-1, in 2016, then beat the Canadians again five days later in a 5-4 shootout to win gold at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

“It’s always a close game,” said Howe. “It’s two really good teams every year. To be a part of this now is pretty cool.”

Usually close, but not always.

Canada pounded the U.S. 6-2 in the semifinals of the 2023 world juniors, the last time they played each other.

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