What's at stake for Canada in New Year's Eve clash with U.S. at world juniors

A win, 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.

Published Dec 31, 2024  •  2 minute read

Tanner Howe, seen with the puck against Germany in a world juniors game on Dec. 29, 2024, in Ottawa, said the U.S. game is another challenge for Team Canada. 'We've just got to go out there and focus on our game, and I think we'll be good,' Howe said. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis /Getty Images

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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