from Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News,

“There are certain games that come through where you don’t have to say a word to your players, they’re ready to go, This is one of them,” U.S. coach Bob Motzko said. “You walk through the locker room and there’s a different feel. It’s amped up. That’s what rivalries are all about. There’s a little juice in the air. You can just feel it.”

U.S.-Canada is big, anytime, anywhere. Now let’s amplify the setting. Instead of renewing the rivalry before some 20,000 fans, let’s open the live viewing opportunity to more than double that number. And let’s heighten the spectacle by playing in an outdoor setting within the confines of an NFL stadium. Now what do we have?

“It’s big enough indoor when it’s 20,000 fans,” Canadian forward Taylor Raddysh said. “I can’t even imagine double that or triple that.”

No imagination required. The next chapter of U.S.-Canada will be unlike any other as the rivals meet at 3 p.m. Friday in a World Junior Championship preliminary-round matchup at New Era Field. It marks the first time the International Ice Hockey Federation has taken a tournament game into the elements.

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The game is on the NHL Network and numerous TSN channels.