After dropping its opening game 2-1 to Czechia on Monday, America’s U18 team bounced back with a 3-1 win over Finland at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton yesterday. Host Canada upped its record to 2-0 with a 5-1 victory over Slovakia to top Group A. Czechia leads Group B with a 2-0 record after beating Germany 7-3. Sweden pounded Switzerland 12-1 to get to five points after they beat Slovakia in overtime on Monday.
Team USA will face Germany today with the winner advancing to the semifinals. In other action, Czechia will take on the winless Finns; Canada will do battle with Sweden with the winner finish first on Group A (both teams have already earned spots in the semis); and winless Slovakia will meet pointless Switzerland, who have yet to earn a point.
There was one signing in the NHL on Tuesday with forward Carter Yakemchuk inking an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators. Yakemchuk went seventh overall in the 2024 Draft after producing 30 goals and 71 points with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen.