World Championship Preview

The 2018 IIHF World Hockey Championship will have a New York Islanders flavor to it when the puck drops on Friday.
Seven Islanders are representing their countries at Worlds this year, playing some more hockey before starting their offseason training.
Here's what you need to know about the annual international tournament and how to follow the Islanders.

Schedule Breakdown:
Preliminary Round May 4-15
Quarterfinals: May 17
Semifinals: May 19
Bronze Medal Game: May 20
Gold Medal Game: May 20
Tournament Breakdown:
Sixteen countries are divided into two groups of eight and will play a preliminary round game against the seven teams in their group.
Group A:
Austria
Belarus
Czech Republic
France
Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Switzerland
Group B:
Canada
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Korea
Latvia
Norway
USA
The top four teams in each group will advance to a crossover playoff, beginning on May 17.

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TEAM USA:

Islanders: Anders Lee
Anders Lee is participating in his third World Championships and is the Isles lone American representative. Lee previously won a bronze medal in 2015 and scored eight points (5G, 3A) in eight games last season.
Lee was the leading American goal scorer in the NHL this past season, but Team USA features some top talent in Johnny Gaudreau and Patrick Kane. Lee faces off against five of his Islanders teammates when Team USA opens the tournament against Canada on Friday.
Preliminary Schedule (all games broadcast on NHL Network in the US):
Friday May 4: USA 5, CAN 4 (SO)
Saturday May 5: USA 4, DEN 0
Monday May 7: USA 3, DEN 0
Thursday May 10: Latvia 10:15 a.m. et
Friday May 11: Korea 2:15 p.m. et
Sunday May 13: Norway 10:15 a.m. et
Tuesday May 15: Finland 6:15 a.m. et
Full Roster

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TEAM CANADA:

Islanders: Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Pulock
Five Islanders are representing Team Canada at the World Championship this year. Eberle is the only one with any previous Worlds experience, suiting up for Canada for the sixth time - winning gold in 2015 - while Barzal, Bailey, Beauvillier and Pulock are making their Worlds debuts.
Barzal, Beauvillier and Eberle already play on a line for the Islanders and could potentially play together for Canada. Bailey started Canada's pre-tournament game against Latvia on Connor McDavid's wing. Beauvillier scored the game-winning goal in Canada's pre-tournament game.
Preliminary Schedule (all games broadcast on TSN and TSN.ca in Canada):
Friday May 4: USA 5, CAN 4 (SO)
Sunday May 6: CAN 10, KOR 0
Monday May 7: CAN 7, DEN 1
Thursday May 10: Norway 2:15 p.m. et
Saturday May 12: Finland 2:15 p.m. et
Monday May 14: Latvia 2:15 p.m. et
Tuesday May 15: Germany 10:15 a.m. et
Full Roster

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TEAM GERMANY

Islanders: Dennis Seidenberg
Dennis Seidenberg is the lone Islander on Team Germany. Germany is coming off a silver medal performance at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, though Seidenberg was with the Islanders as NHL players didn't participate in the winter games.
Seidenberg has a host of international experience and is participating in his fifth World Championship. Seidenberg was named "Top Defenseman" at last year's Worlds with eight points (1G, 7A) in eight games.
Preliminary Schedule:
Friday May 4: DEN 3, GER 2 (SO)
Sunday May 6: NOR 5, GER 4 (SO)
Monday May 7: USA 3, GER 0
Wednesday May 9: Korea 10:15 a.m. et
Saturday May 12: Latvia 12:15 p.m. et
Sunday May 13: Finland 2:15 p.m. et
Tuesday May 15: Canada 10:15 a.m. et (TSN, TSN.ca)