VANTAA, Finland – The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team is set for the quarterfinals of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship on Thursday (Jan. 9) against Slovakia.
Puck drop is set for 1:30 p.m. EET (6:30 a.m. ET) and can be viewed on NHL Network.
TODAY’S MATCHUP
Today’s tilt marks Team USA's quarterfinal game of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship. The U.S. enters the game with a 3-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record after defeating Japan, Sweden and Finland in the preliminary rounds to win Group A.
GAME NOTES
LINES
ALL TIME AGAINST SLOVAKIA
The U.S. has only met Slovakia in IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship play once before, holding a 1-0-0-0 record. The lone previous meeting was during the 2024 tournament in the preliminary round.
LAST TIME AGAINST SLOVAKIA
The U.S. last faced Slovakia on Jan. 7, 2024, in the first preliminary round game of the 2024 tournament, marking the only previous time the two teams have met. Six different players tallied a goal, including two scores from Caroline Averill, as the U.S. topped Slovakia, 7-1.
STICKNEY BREAKS TOURNAMENT RECORD
Goaltender Morgan Stickney has recorded 180 minutes of shutout hockey in the crease for Team USA. That sets a new IIHF single-tournament record for consecutive shutout minutes, which was previously 179:47 held by Team USA's Sidney Peters at the 2013 championship.
SHUTOUT STREAK
Team USA held its opponents scoreless for all three preliminary round games, 180 minutes of game play. It marks the first time since the 2013 tournament, which was also in Finland, that the U.S. kept its opponents off the score sheet during the preliminary round.
MOST SHUTOUTS FOR TEAM USA
Goaltender Morgan Stickney has recorded three shutouts in the tournament thus far, tying Alex Rigsby and Sidney Peters for the most career shutouts for Team USA at this tournament.
Source: usahockey.com