The United States struck first with a goal from forward Jeannie Wallner at 11:30 in the opening period, but Japan knotted it up 44 seconds into the second with a Remi Koyama score. With less than seven minutes to play, forward Hinata Corazon Lack gave Japan the lead before the United States pulled its goalie, allowing forward Akane Shiga to capitalize on the open net in the waning seconds.

“It was a long trip and we only spent two practices together but we still performed very well,” said Japan Head Coach Yujiro Nakajimaya. “I am very proud of them.”

The win marks Japan’s third win over the United States in as many games, with the win streak dating back to the 2019 Krasnoyarsk World University Games. Four years ago in Russia, Japan defeated the United States 2-1 in the country’s first and last games of the tournament on the way to capturing a bronze medal.

“We were showing them the Lake Placid medals and I said ‘I’ve seen this color before, bronze, but I want to see silver or gold.’ They said, ‘No, we don’t want bronze again, either.’ So I think we are on the same page,” said Nakajimaya.

Japan will try to keep its momentum going Friday at 4:30 p.m. when it takes on Canada in Maxcy Hall. The U.S. will shift focus to its game against the Czech Republic tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Maxcy Hall, which takes the ice after defeating Great Britain 13-0 in its opening matchup.

Japan and the U.S. seek to advance from Pool A, which consists of Japan, Canada, Slovakia, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and the United States. The top two teams will join the two highest-seeded teams from Pool B in the semifinals to be played at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena at the famed Olympic Center, the site of the “Miracle on Ice.”

The semifinals are slated for Jan. 20, with the finals taking place on Jan. 21 and airing live on ESPNU.