CALGARY -- Canada will open the 2016 world junior championship against the United States on Boxing Day, rather than face its biggest rival on New Year's Eve.
Canada versus the U.S. became a New Year's Eve tradition after that matchup on that date each of the past three years.
Instead, next year in Helsinki the Canadians will finish the preliminary round against Sweden on Dec. 31.
Canada will also face Denmark on Dec. 28 and Switzerland on Dec. 29.
Four quarter-final games will be played Jan. 2, the semifinals Jan. 4 and the gold- and bronze-medal games Jan. 5.
Canada snapped its gold-medal drought this past January by beating Russia at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
