Team USA Gameday: Slovakia

JVR and the U.S. National Junior Team are primed to take on the Slovaks this afternoon in a game that earns the winner the right to take on the ever-dangerous Team Sweden. Coming off a 7-4 loss to the Canadians in which they blew a 3-0 first period lead, Team USA is looking to come out hard at the start and maintain that dominance in this semi-final match up. The US hasn't played the Slovaks in the WJC since 2007, when they handily won 6-1 on a 2 goal performance by Patrick Kane as well as goals from Jack Johnson, Eric Johnson, Peter Mueller, and one James van Riemsdyk. Reimer, who didn't have a point in Wednesday's loss to the Canada, needs to have a strong game for the Americans to advance to the Quarter Finals.

The brackets are now set for the run to the finals with the U.S., Slovakia, and Sweden on one side and Canada, Russia, and the Czech Republic on the other. It's going to take three wins for the young Americans to upset the Canadians for the first time since 2004. Today is the first step in that progression - in a game the U.S. can win if they have the same start they did on Wednesday but never take their foot off the gas.

And James van Riemsdyk gets a hat trick. Let's got Team USA!