Host Canada will start its title defence campaign at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship on 26 December against Czechia.
photo: Chris Tanouye / HHOF-IIHF Images
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has released the game schedule for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship that will take place from 26 December 2022 to 5 January 2023 in Halifax and Moncton, Canada.
Host and defending champion Canada will play in Group A with Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax and start into the tournament on 26 December at 19:30 local time against Czechia. Austria and Sweden will play the earlier game in Halifax at 14:30.
Group B at the Avenir Centre in Moncton includes the United States, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia. Finland and Switzerland will open the group on 26 December at 12:00 local time followed by the Latvia-USA game at 17:00.
The preliminary round will be played until 31 December with Canada-Sweden in Halifax and USA-Finland in Moncton as the New Year’s Eve games.
Click here for the full game schedule.
“The 2023 World Juniors will be an unforgettable celebration of hockey across the Maritimes, and we cannot wait to drop the puck on Boxing Day,” said Dean McIntosh, Vice-President of Events and Properties with Hockey Canada. “From the opening-day matchups to the rivalry games on New Year’s Eve, this year’s schedule is extremely competitive and will showcase the best under-20 hockey players in the world in a return to the tournament’s traditional holiday format.”
Halifax will also host two quarter-finals, both semi-finals, both medal games and the best-of-three relegation round. Moncton will host two of the quarter-final games on 2 January.
If qualified, host Canada will play the late quarter-final game in Halifax on 2 January at 19:30 and the late semi-final on 4 January at 19:30.
The tournament will conclude with the gold medal game on 5 January at 19:30.
The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will be broadcast by TSN and RDS in Canada and by numerous broadcasters from the other participating countries.
“Halifax and Moncton are great hockey cities that are both excited to enthusiastically welcome the ten participating teams this year,” said Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax. “We know that fans and volunteers will eagerly add the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship to their holiday calendars.”
“We are thrilled to proudly welcome the world and create an unforgettable hockey experience on and off the ice in both host cities,” said Dawn Arnold, mayor of Moncton. “One thing is certain: Moncton and Halifax’s strong history of hosting world-class sporting events and maritime hospitality will be at its best.”
Pre-competition games to be announced are planned for the participating teams with communities throughout southern New Brunswick and central Nova Scotia set to host games.
Nearly 50,000 fans entered the 2023 IIHF World Juniors Priority Draw. Should any inventory remain, tickets will go on sale to the public later in September.
Host and defending champion Canada will play in Group A with Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax and start into the tournament on 26 December at 19:30 local time against Czechia. Austria and Sweden will play the earlier game in Halifax at 14:30.
Group B at the Avenir Centre in Moncton includes the United States, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia. Finland and Switzerland will open the group on 26 December at 12:00 local time followed by the Latvia-USA game at 17:00.
The preliminary round will be played until 31 December with Canada-Sweden in Halifax and USA-Finland in Moncton as the New Year’s Eve games.
Click here for the full game schedule.
“The 2023 World Juniors will be an unforgettable celebration of hockey across the Maritimes, and we cannot wait to drop the puck on Boxing Day,” said Dean McIntosh, Vice-President of Events and Properties with Hockey Canada. “From the opening-day matchups to the rivalry games on New Year’s Eve, this year’s schedule is extremely competitive and will showcase the best under-20 hockey players in the world in a return to the tournament’s traditional holiday format.”
Halifax will also host two quarter-finals, both semi-finals, both medal games and the best-of-three relegation round. Moncton will host two of the quarter-final games on 2 January.
If qualified, host Canada will play the late quarter-final game in Halifax on 2 January at 19:30 and the late semi-final on 4 January at 19:30.
The tournament will conclude with the gold medal game on 5 January at 19:30.
The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship will be broadcast by TSN and RDS in Canada and by numerous broadcasters from the other participating countries.
“Halifax and Moncton are great hockey cities that are both excited to enthusiastically welcome the ten participating teams this year,” said Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax. “We know that fans and volunteers will eagerly add the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship to their holiday calendars.”
“We are thrilled to proudly welcome the world and create an unforgettable hockey experience on and off the ice in both host cities,” said Dawn Arnold, mayor of Moncton. “One thing is certain: Moncton and Halifax’s strong history of hosting world-class sporting events and maritime hospitality will be at its best.”
Pre-competition games to be announced are planned for the participating teams with communities throughout southern New Brunswick and central Nova Scotia set to host games.
Nearly 50,000 fans entered the 2023 IIHF World Juniors Priority Draw. Should any inventory remain, tickets will go on sale to the public later in September.