The United States and the Czech Republic are meeting for the 14th time in IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship history with the U.S. leading the all-time series, 10-1-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L). These two countries have met in the quarterfinals four times, with the U.S. taking three of four contests including last year’s 7-2 victory in Lucerne, Switzerland on April 23, 2015.

In that game, Team USA jumped out to a 4-0 advantage after first period goals from Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.), Michael Floodstrand (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Luke Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo.). The Czechs scored the lone goal of the second stanza, but Matthews, Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.) and Kunin added markers in the third to soundly defeat the Czech Republic. The United States held the Czechs to just 14 shots on net.

Team USA has owned the series as of late, having won the past 11 meetings. The only Czech Republic victories have come in 2001 (5-4 OT) and 2002 (1-0). The U.S. and Czech Republic are just two years removed from the 2014 gold-medal game in which the United States won, 5-2, in Finland. Team USA has outscored the Czech Republic, 56-23, and has shutout the Czechs four times in the all-time series.