US Forfeits World Junior Game After 2 Players Test Positive

United States' Mackie Samoskevich (11) celebrates his goal against Slovakia with his teammates, during an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game in Red Deer, Alberta, on Dec. 26, 2021. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

RED DEER, Alberta—The U.S. was forced to forfeit its game at the world junior championship against Switzerland on Tuesday after two players tested positive for the coronavirus.

Those positive COVID-19 test results led to a mandated team quarantine. The U.S. as a result was unable to play Tuesday under tournament rules.

“We’re extremely disappointed, especially for our players,” U.S. national junior team general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said in a statement. “We’re operating an ever-changing landscape, and that’s very challenging. We’ve followed the tournament protocol from the outside and will continue to do everything we can to ensure players have the opportunity to compete at the world junior championship.”

The International Ice Hockey Federation said the team’s quarantine status will be evaluated later to determine the status of the Americans’ next game scheduled for Wednesday against Sweden. Switzerland was awarded a 1–0 victory over the U.S. from the forfeit.

The U.S. is the defending champion at the tournament for the world’s best men’s hockey players under age 20. The U.S. beat Slovakia 3–0 Sunday night in its first preliminary round game.