FRISCO, Texas – The U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team (4-0-0-0) begins the knockout stage of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship today (April 30) as it faces Latvia in the quarterfinal round. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. local (8:00 p.m. ET) inside Comerica Center.
Today's game, and all Team USA games throughout the U18 Men’s World Championship, will broadcast live on NHL Network.
In 16 total quarterfinal games, the U.S. is 14-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L).
GAME STATS
GAME NOTES vs. LAT
LINES – COMING SOON!
Team USA wrapped up the preliminary round of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship with a 5-3 victory over Germany. The win kept the U.S. perfect in the group stage and finished atop Group B with an undefeated record.
Germany opened the scoring midway through the first period, but Team USA responded quickly when Asher Barnett (Wilmette, Ill.) knocked in a rebound from a Benjamin Kevan (Fairfield, Calif.) shot to tie it at 1-1. The back-and-forth continued into the second period, with Germany briefly reclaiming the lead. Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn.) answered with a power-play goal, his fourth of the tournament, assisted by Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.) and Cullen Potter (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Germany again pulled ahead during a goalmouth scramble, but the U.S. tied it up once more when Will Horcoff (Birmingham, Mich.) beat the German goalie off a pass from Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.), with another assist from Potter. Just over a minute later, Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) gave the U.S. its first lead of the night, stealing the puck and scoring on a shorthanded breakaway.
Gallant sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, finishing with two goals and being named Team USA’s Player of the Game. The U.S. controlled the third period, outshooting Germany 15-7 and 37-25 overall. Goaltender Patrick Quinlan (Kennett Square, Pa.) made 22 saves in the win.
ALL-TIME AGAINST LATVIA
Team USA holds an all-time record of 7-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) against Latvia in this tournament. The U.S. has faced Latvia in the quarterfinal round once before, taking the meeting, 13-3, on April 28, 2022. The U.S. has allowed more than one goal once and outscore Latvia overall, 61-8. Team USA has scored 7+ goals in all meetings. The all-time history between the two countries is below:
April 17, 2007 – USA 8, Latvia 0
April 21, 2013 – USA 7, Latvia 1
April 17, 2016 – USA 12, Latvia 1
April 23, 2019 – USA 7, Latvia 1
April 28, 2022 – USA 13, Latvia 3
April 20, 2023 – USA 7, Latvia 1
April 28, 2024 – USA 7, Latvia 1
Source: usahockey.com