GAME DAY: The 2017 U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team opens the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s Under-18 World Championship today, January 7, against Russia at 9:30 a.m. ET at PSG Arena in Zlin, Czech Republic. The match-up will be streamed live at u18worldwomen2017.iihf.com.

USA vs. RUSSIA: The U.S. and Russia are meeting for the eighth time at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship. Team USA holds a perfect 7-0-0-0-record against the Russians with the last meeting taking place on January 9, 2016, where Team USA blanked Russia, 6-0, in the preliminary round of the 2016 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. The U.S. has outscored Russia 62-2 overall.

IIHF U18 WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: The 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship is currently in its 10th year after the inaugural tournament was held in Calgary in 2008. Subsequently, the event was held in Fussen, Germany, in 2009, Chicago in 2010, Stockholm, Sweden, in 2011, Zlin, Czech Republic in 2012, Heinola, Finland in 2013, Budapest, Hungary in 2014, Buffalo, New York in 2015 and St, Catharines, Ontario in 2016.

The tournament features eight teams divided into two groups. Group A consists of Canada, Russia, Sweden and United States, while Group B features Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and Switzerland. The teams will play round-robin within their groups, with the group winner advancing to the semifinal round. Teams finishing second and third in each group will face off in the quarterfinals, while the fourth-place teams will play in the relegation round.