The Canadian National Junior Team, bolstered by big performances from its top players, continues to hold a 2-0 lead against the United States after two periods Sunday in Group B play of the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Strome connected for first-period goals and goalie Malcolm Subban has made 25 saves, including 15 in the second.

Canada was forced to kill a double-minor penalty to defenseman Griffin Reinhart for high sticking at 6:52 of the second. Ryan Hartman was fouled by Reinhart after the American forward established position down low in the Canadian end.

Canada's penalty killers did a fantastic job of keeping the U.S. players to the perimeter for much of four-minute advantage. When the puck did find a seam, Subban, who was credited with eight saves during the power-play, was there to shut the door.

The Canadian National Junior Team has taken a 2-0 lead over the United States through the first period of play between the North American rivals in Group B action of the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Canada goalie Malcom Subban made 10 saves and U.S. goalie John Gibson finished with nine.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring for Canada with his third goal of the tournament off a quick release from the inner right circle 7:13 into the period. Following an offensive-zone draw, Jonathan Huberdeau controlled the puck along the half-boards before feeding an uncovered Nugent-Hopkins, who ripped a shot that beat Gibson low to the blocker side.

The United States and Canada have met at least once in each of the last seven World Junior Championship events.

Among the 14 games since 2000, nine have been decided by one goal, five have gone to overtime, and two have ended in shootouts. There was a 1-1 tie in overtime in 2000.

Here are the lineups in advance of Sunday's anticipated matchup between Canada and the United States at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Canada lineup:

Jonathan Huberdeau - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Mark Scheifele

Jonathan Drouin-Ryan Strome-Nathan MacKinnon

Phillip Danault - Mark McNeill - Ty Rattie

Anthony Camara - Brett Ritchie

Scott Harrington - Dougie Hamilton

Xavier Ouellet-Griffin Reinhart

Morgan Rielly-Tyler Wotherspoon

Ryan Murphy

Malcolm Subban will get the start in goal; Jordan Binnington will serve as backup.

Yaroslav Kosov netted a hat trick in the third period and four other Russian players had two points as the Russians routed Germany, 7-0

The Russians have eight out of a possible nine points to temporarily hold first place in Group B. Russia frittered away perfection in the opening game of the tournament, defeating Slovakia in OT to take just two of the maximum three points.

Canada, with six points from two games, plays the United States on Sunday and can re-take first-place with a regulation win against the Americans. The Russians have Sunday off and then play Canada in what could be the deciding game of the group on Monday.

Canada forward JC Lipon has been suspended one game by the International Ice Hockey Federation and will have to sit out Sunday's game against the United States (4:30 a.m. ET, NHLN-US, TSN).

Lipon, a 2013 NHL Draft prospect, was assessed a major for a hit to the head/neck area and a game misconduct for a high hit on Slovakia's Tomas Mikus during Friday's game.

Canada will play Sunday with just 11 forwards, as Lipon joins Boone Jenner on the sideline. Sunday is the final game of Jenner's three-game suspension for a hit during a pre-tournament game against Sweden.

Now that the United States and Canada have played two preliminary-round games in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, here's a brief primer on what it all means.

The function of the preliminary round for each country is to establish seeding in each of the five-team groups, A and B. After a four-game schedule, the three teams with the most points at the end of Group play advance to the medal round at Ufa Arena beginning Jan. 2.

The first-place team earns an automatic bye into the semifinals, and the second- and third-place teams will play a crossover quarterfinal-round match with the winners advancing to the semis. The loser will play a placement game. The survivor of the semifinal round moves on to the gold-medal game, while the loser competes for bronze.

What does this setup mean for Canada and the United States?

Vladimir Tkachyov scored the decisive goal early in the third period and goalie Andrei Makarov made it stand behind a solid 41-save performance as the Russian National Junior Team scored a 2-1 victory over the United States on Friday in Group B action of the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Makarov, who was earning his first start in the tournament, made 15 saves in the third period and was named Russia's player of the game. U.S. goalie John Gibson was stellar in defeat with 28 saves.

The victory moves Russia into second place in Group B with five points (one regulation win, one overtime win). The United States, which will next face first-place Canada (six points) on Sunday, drops to third with three points.

The United States and Russia are all even after two periods of Friday's 2013 World Junior Championship matchup in Ufa, Russia.

Defenseman Jacob Trouba pulled the United States into a 1-1 tie when he ripped a slap shot from the point past Russian goalie Andrei Makarov 13:18 into the second. Alex Galchenyuk gathered the puck in the right circle before feathering a pass to Trouba at the point. Trouba's shot appeared to tip off the leg of Russian forward Daniil Zharkov, who went down to one knee to block the attempt.

The Russians played with much more energy in the early stages of the second, but the U.S. dictated much of the action in the end. The U.S. held a 17-11 edge in shots in the second and hold a 27-19 advantage for the game.

The Russian National Junior Team has gained the early edge on the United States in the opening period of its 2013 World Junior Championship matchup in Ufa, Russia, on Friday.

The host country opened a 1-0 lead just 2:42 into the first when Albert Yarullin one-timed a shot from the left circle off a pass from Nikita Nesterov on the power play. Nail Yakupov also assisted on the goal, which appeared to deflect off U.S. defenseman Jake McCabe in front before eluding goalie John Gibson.

Makarov, an undrafted free-agent signee of the Buffalo Sabres, made an extraordinary stop on John Gaudreau less than a minute before his team gained the lead. Gaudreau broke in 3-on-1 before taking a pass at the right post from J.T. Miller. Makarov slid to his left and denied the U.S. forward with a nifty toe save to keep the game scoreless.

Makarov made 10 saves and Gibson turned aside seven for the United States.

Here's the lineup the United States will employ against Russia in its second game at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Group B:

John Gaudreau - J.T. Miller - Rocco Grimaldi

Alex Galchenyuk - Sean Kuraly - Riley Barber

Blake Pietila - Cole Bardreau - Ryan Hartman

Mario Lucia - Vincent Trocheck - Tyler Biggs

Jimmy Vesey

Mike Reilly-Seth Jones

Shayne Gostisbehere-Jacob Trouba

Jake McCabe-Connor Murphy

Patrick Sieloff

John Gibson will start in goal, with Jon Gillies serving as the backup.