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Team USA and Team Canada to face off in World Junior Championships semifinals

2011 IIHF World U20 Championship - Day Five

of the United States of Germany during the 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship game between United States and Germany on December 30, 2010 in Buffalo, New York.

Rick Stewart

It’s the game that will be the one everyone will remember from this year’s World Junior Championships. That’s not just North American bias here, it’s the truth. Team USA and Team Canada will clash for the first and only time at this year’s tournament tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. after Team Canada downed Team Switzerland 4-1 in the quarterfinals. The winner of the game goes on to play for the gold medal.

It’s an odd juxtaposition for these two teams as they’ve virtually swapped roles from last year’s tournament. This year, Canada had to deal with a loss to Sweden in the preliminary round that forced them into the quarterfinals rather than getting a bye into the semifinals the way the United States did.

Canada failing to get the bye ensured that the only way the USA and Canada would face each other would be before the medal round of the tournament and sure enough, that’s where we’re at now. While the two teams have equal amounts of talent at forward and defense, the difference between their goaltending is stark and very much in favor of the United States.

The Americans will run with Dallas’ 2010 first round pick Jack Campbell. Campbell was the goalie for last year’s gold medal winning team and he’s looked much stronger this year. Being another year older and a bit more savvy in goal has turned him into a stud in this tournament. In four games, Campbell has won all four games and has put up stunning numbers with a 1.03 goals against average and a .957 save percentage.

Canada’s tandem of Coyotes prospect Mark Visentin and Oilers prospect Olivier Roy have had their problems but Visentin has, so far, proven himself to be the better of the two but not in a way that has given Canadian fans a lot of confidence. Visentin will get the start against the United States tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. The game might not be head-to-head for the gold medal, but this game features the tournament’s two best teams and with the crowds being decidedly more pro-Canada the audience dynamic should be fascinating.