The U.S. National Under-18 Team will see its first action at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's Under-18 World Championship today when it faces Germany in a pre-tournament game. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. EDT in Vierumaki, Finland.

"Our main goals tonight include getting our groups together and working on systems and special teams," said head coach Danton Cole. "It's been a couple of weeks since our last game, so it'll be nice to get that intensity back."

Following the game, Team USA will stay one more night in Vierumaki before traveling to Lappeenranta, one of two host cities for the tournament, and the site of Group B games. Imatra will host Group A.

"We've had a nice experience in Vierumaki so far," said Team USA captain and defenseman Louie Belpedio (Skokie, Ill.). "The rink is on the premises here, within walking distance, and there's a place we can play badminton and basketball in our free time. It's really brought the team together."

This is the first contest for either team heading into the main tournament. In other pre-tournament games Switzerland plays Russia and Sweden plays the Czech Republic in Imatra, while Canada faces Denmark and Finland faces Slovakia in Lappeenranta.

Last year, Germany placed eighth at the U18 World Championship. The Germans finished with a record of 1-0-0-4, scoring 12 goals and giving up 26. Their lone win came against Slovakia, 6-3, on April 22, 2013.

The tournament officially opens on April 17 and Team USA's matchup is against Switzerland at 8 a.m. EDT in Lappeenranta, Finland. All games will be broadcast on FASTHockey, free of charge.

Coming into this year's tournament, Team USA carries an all-time record of 5-0-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) versus Germany. The U.S. has outscored Germany 28-10 in those meetings. Germany's last win versus the Americans came in 2001, while Team USA most recently defeated the Germans, 7-4, on April 19, 2011, in Crimmitschau, Germany.

In that meeting, New Jersey Devils prospect Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) scored two goals and added an assist on his way to being named best player for the U.S. Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.), now playing at the University of North Dakota, had one goal and one assist, as did New York Rangers prospect J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio.). Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stopped 24 shots in the victory.

• Defenseman Louie Belpedio will serve as captain of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. Forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.) and Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) were selected as alternate captains.
• Team USA will be led by Danton Cole, serving as head coach at his second IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship. Cole is currently in his fourth season as one of two head coaches at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Twenty players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey's NTDP. Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Mich.) skated this season for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League. Alex Nedeljkovic (Parma, Ohio) played for the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers.
• Team USA's roster includes 20 players born in 1996 and two from the 1997 birth year. Forward Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.), born Sept. 17, 1997, is Team USA's youngest player, while Nedeljkovic, born Jan. 7, 1996, is the oldest.
• Eleven different states are represented on the roster. New York leads the way with five skaters, while Minnesota boasts four.
• The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record 10-consecutive medals, including back-to-back golds in 2005-06 and four-straight gold medals from 2009-12; three silver medals (2004, 2007, 2013); and one bronze medal (2008).
• Team USA's seven gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship history. The event began in 1999. Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002.
• The U.S. will play in Group B alongside the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland. Group A consists of Canada, Germany, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden.
• Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with the #U18Worlds tag.
• For additional coverage, visit the NTDP Facebook page and follow @USANTDP on Twitter.