RUSSIA VS. CZECH REPUBLIC

Day four of the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament starts with a matchup between undefeated Russia and Czech Republic, an 1-1 team, Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.

Russia enters the matchup after a 4-0 shutout of Finland on Wednesday, earning its first and only win of the tournament. The team’s four goals were scored by Vasili Podkolzin, Ruslan Iskhakov, Andrei Svechnikov and Ivan Morozov.

Czech is 1-1 after a  loss on Tuesday to Finland and a 6-2 win over Team USA Wednesday. The team scored six goals in its second game, four of which were courtesy of Matej Blumel, with the remaining two coming from Karel Plasek and Michal Kvasnica.

FINLAND VS. SWEDEN

Sweden and Finland enter Thursday’s game having both come off of a loss. Finland was shutout against Russia on Wednesday, 4-0. Finland’s record after two games is 1-1-0.  Sweden fell to Team USA on Tuesday, 5-1. Filip Hallander scored the lone goal for team Sweden in their opening game of the tournament.

During the Fall 2017 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament, Team Finland took home the gold and Team Sweden won silver. In their last match on November 12, Jonatan Berggren scored for Sweden, and Arttu Nevasaari scored for Finland. Lassi Thomson won the game for Finland with a goal in overtime.

Returning players for Team Finland include: goaltender Justus Annunen (B); forwards Kim Nousiainen, Konsta Hirvonen, Ville Petman, Jesse Moilanen, Kristian Tanus (C), Arttu Nevasaari (C), Lenni Killinen (B) and Patrik Siikanen (C); and defenseman Lassi Thomson, Juuso Ketola (C), Anttoni Honka, Mikko Kokkonen, Peetro Seppälä, and Toni Utunen (C).

Team Sweden brought 16 returners to USA Hockey Arena from their silver-medal winning team. Those included are goaltender Olof Lindbom (B); forwards Oskar Bäck (B), Filip Hållander (B), Nils Höglander, Samuel Fagemo (C), Jonatan Berggren (C), Linus Nässén (C), Lukas Wernblom (B) and Carl Jakobsson(C); and defensemen Fredrik Granberg (B), Filip Johansson (B), Axel Andersson (B), Nils Lundkvist (C), Simon Lundmark, Adam Ginning (B) and Linus Pettersson.