The schedule for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Tลinec, Czechia has been released, with the host nation opening the tournament against rivals Russia, while defending champion Finland opens their defence against border rival Sweden.
Group A, playing at the Werk Arena in Tลinec, features the 2019 champions Finland, along with Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and the surprising Kazakhstan. The opening tilt will feature the top two contenders in the group, as Sweden is still riding a 48-game preliminary undefeated streak at the World Juniors, while the Leijonat are riding high from their stunning victory in Vancouver one year ago. The Swiss, the surprising fourth place finishers from Vancouver, will again look to play spoiler, while Slovakia and Kazakhstan will certainly look to surprise as well.
Group B, from the Ostravar Arรฉna in Ostrava, includes the host Czechs, Russia, Canada, newly-promoted Germany and the United States. Team USA will look to avenge their heartbreaking silver medal finish in 2019, while Canada looks to regain in the medal round after failing to medal in front of their home crowd. The Czechs will obviously want a strong performance in front of the home crowd, while the Russian will be looking to break Czech hearts on enemy ice, and the Germans will want to be the spoilers of the group.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
GROUP A – ๐ซ๐ฎย ๐ฐ๐ฟย ๐จ๐ญ ๐ธ๐ฐย ๐ธ๐ช |
GROUP B – ๐จ๐ฆย ๐จ๐ฟย ๐ฉ๐ชย ๐ท๐บย ๐บ๐ธ |
Thursday, 26 December | |
๐ฐ๐ฟ Kazakhstan vs. Switzerland ๐จ๐ญ ๐ซ๐ฎย Finland vs. Sweden ๐ธ๐ช |
๐จ๐ฟ Czechia vs. Russia ๐ท๐บ ๐จ๐ฆ Canada vs. United States ๐บ๐ธ |
Friday, 27 December |
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๐ฐ๐ฟ Kazakhstan vs. Slovakia ๐ธ๐ฐ | ๐ฉ๐ช Germany vs. United States ๐บ๐ธ |
Saturday, 28 December | |
๐ซ๐ฎ Finland vs. Slovakia ๐ธ๐ฐ ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland vs. Swedenย ๐ธ๐ช |
๐จ๐ฟ Czechia vs. Germany ๐ฉ๐ช ๐จ๐ฆ Canada vs. Russia ๐ท๐บ |
Sunday, 29 December | |
๐ซ๐ฎ Finland vs. Kazakhstan ๐ฐ๐ฟ | ๐ท๐บ Russia vs. United States ๐บ๐ธ |
Monday, 30 December | |
๐ฐ๐ฟ Kazakhstan vs. Sweden ๐ธ๐ช ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland vs. Slovakia ๐ธ๐ฐ |
๐จ๐ฆ Canada vs. Germany ๐ฉ๐ช ๐จ๐ฟ Czechia vs. United States ๐บ๐ธ |
Tuesday, 31 December | |
๐ธ๐ฐ Slovakia vs. Swedenย ๐ธ๐ช ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland vs. Switzerland ๐จ๐ญ |
๐ฉ๐ช Germany vs. Russia ๐ท๐บ ๐จ๐ฆ Canada vs. Czechia ๐จ๐ฟ |
Thursday, 02 January | |
Quarterfinal: A1 vs. B4 Quarterfinal: B1 vs. A4 Relegation Game #1 |
Quarterfinal: A2 vs. B3 Quarterfinal: B2 vs. A3 |
Saturday, 04 January | |
Semifinal #1 Semifinal #2 Relegation Game #2 |
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Sunday, 05 January | |
Goldย Medal Game Bronze Medal Game Relegation Game #3 (if necessary) |
The IHLC champion for the tournament will be confirmed likely in the preliminary lead-up to the tournament, but the contenders will emerge at this summer’s National Junior Evaluation Camp, to see who will carry the crown into the “Land of the Bohemian crown.”
Photo Credit: 2015 World Ice Hockey Championship – IIHF – HHOF – IOC