Team USA Opens World Juniors Against Germany

(Ottawa, Ontario) — The United States opens the World Junior Hockey Championship with a preliminary round game today (Thursday) against Germany in Ottawa.

The U.S.is the defending gold medal-winning team and features nine Minnesotans on the roster. Golden Gopher skaters Oliver Moore of Mounds View and Brodie Ziemer of Chaska are joined by St. Cloud State’s Colin Ralph of Maple Grove and Austin Burnevik of Blaine.

In addition, Minnesota-Duluth teammates Max Plante of Hermantown and Adam Kleber of Chaska are on the U-S squad. Wisconsin’s Logan Hensler of Woodbury, Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson of Maple Grove, and Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky of Warroad finalize the nine Minnesotans on the team.

Wild prospect Zeev Buium from the University of Denver is also on the American roster.

The Americans went 2-0 in pre-tourney games in Canada since Saturday, beating Slovakia and Finland. Today’s game faces off at 2:30 PM.