BOSTON — For the fourth time, Team USA will face off against the Major League Lacrosse all-stars in a world championship year. In the fifth contest in Boston, the Americans are facing more pressure than usual.

After losing in the gold medal game four years ago, Team USA is under new leadership and going in a positive direction. The U.S. will have its final tune-up before leaving for Israel by competing in the MLL All-Star Game on June 28 at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass. MLL announced details of the game Tuesday at a press conference at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston.

The vibe around the U.S. team seems to indicate this one means a little bit more.

After falling to Canada four years ago in the title game, there’s more intensity and a greater sense of urgency around this group. Playing against their peers in June is only going to add to that atmosphere.

“It’s always there. It’s always in the background,” said Lance Basler, general manager of the U.S. national teams program. “Having won nine of the 12 championships, it’s the expectation. That’s something we want to strive for.”

That goes for the MLL side as well. Several players likely to be in the game either competed to make the U.S. roster or were not invited to tryouts, making the competition one that’s not emotionless.

“Their intensity and focus going into the game — maybe they weren’t asked to try out or almost made the final team — they’re going to be trying their best,” Team USA attackman Rob Pannell said. “They’re going to want to prove they could have been on that team as well.”

The all-star game also will be the first major MLL event under new MLL commissioner Sandy Brown, who spoke at the press conference Tuesday just a short block away from MLL headquarters. Afterward, he stressed the importance of working with US Lacrosse.

“It’s imperative,” he said. “Having a partnership with US Lacrosse allows us to be able to grow our league and hopefully we can grow US Lacrosse. Whether it’s US Lacrosse, the NLL, or FIL, it’s very important that we are all working together. It’s about the game and growing it together, and we have the unique opportunity to do that.”

The league hasn’t yet decided where the game will be made available to watch. The world championship also could affect how many games U.S. players participate in during MLL season.

The last two times the U.S. and MLL all-star teams faced off, albeit with different athletes, it was a one-goal game, which proved how small the gap could be between the nation’s chosen 23 players and the next tier who star for their MLL teams.

The U.S. won 18-10 in 2006 with Kevin Cassese earning MVP honors, 13-12 in 2010 with Brendan Mundorf earning MVP honors and 10-9 in 2014 with Rob Pannell being named the MVP. Pannell went on lead the U.S. team in scoring that summer and was named the outstanding attackman as the U.S. won silver in Denver, falling to Canada in the championship game.

“For us at USA, we know it’s not going to be an easy task,” Pannell said of facing the MLL all-stars. “It was a one-goal game in 2014. I’m not going to say it’s going to be again this year, but it’s going to be a great game.”

The game will be part of a four-day training camp for the U.S. team in the New England region, and takes place a little over a week before the teams departs for Israel for the 2018 Federation of International Lacrosse Men’s World Championship. A record 48 nations will compete in the world championship from July 12-21 in the coastal city of Netanya, Israel.