MONTREAL — It was Team Finland that got in the way of Jack Hughes and Team USA in the U18 World Junior Championships in 2018, and it was Team Finland that got in the way of Hughes and Team USA in the U20 World Juniors — on a late third-period goal by Kaapo Kakko, no less — in 2019.
And it is Team Finland against which Hughes and Team USA will open their quest for the 4 Nations championship here Thursday, following Wednesday’s Team Canada-Team Sweden tournament faceoff.
“I lost the U20 and U18 finals to Finland, so I know first-hand how good their country is,” No. 86 said. “Obviously, everyone here has a lot of great NHL players, and they’re all good teams.
“It was so long ago, like six years ago. I haven’t put on a USA sweater in a long time, so to be able to play with the best of the best and play for the U.S., it should be a lot of fun.”
