IN BRIEF : U.S.-U.S.S.R. Hockey Match Set

The Soviet Union, favored to pick up where it left off after winning the Winter Olympic tournament last year, takes on a young but experienced United States team Saturday in the opening round of the World Ice Hockey Championships.

The Soviets haven’t lost to the United States since the 1980 Winter Olympics, the “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid, N.Y. In the last three Worlds, they have outscored the U.S. by a combined 37-7 score in four games.

The Soviets, who lost the last world championship to Sweden two years ago in Vienna, have yet another advantage going into the opener against Team USA. Except for rebel defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, who was recalled to the team late last month after being axed after an argument with national Coach Viktor Tikhonov earlier in the season, the Soviets have been together all season long.

They’re playing a U.S. team that wasn’t formed until a week ago. In its only exhibition before the championships, the U.S. team was beaten 9-3 Wednesday by Finland.