Team USA is a back-to-back champion for the first time at the world junior hockey championship.
It took a major rally against Finland on Sunday in Ottawa to make it happen.
Outplayed in the first period and trailing 3-1 early in the second period, the USA took advantage of a Brandon Svoboda fluke goal that deflected off a Finnish player and a skilled goal off the rush by Cole Hutson to tie the game before the second intermission.
Teddy Stiga then scored on a breakaway at 8:04 of overtime for a 4-3 victory and a second consecutive gold medal at the under-20 tournament.
Finland, which had won five in a row coming into Sunday’s game, received silver medals.
The USA went undefeated last year in winning gold. This year, the Americans lost 4-3 in overtime to Finland in the preliminary round. But they turned around that score in the title game and will enter next year’s tournament in Minnesota as back-to-back defending champions.
Captain Ryan Leonard was named tournament MVP. He played the last two games with a full shield after taking a puck off the face in the quarterfinals. He had two assists in the gold medal game, a goal and an assist in the semifinal and five goals and five assists for the tournament.
Czechia defeated Sweden 3-2 in a 14-round shootout to win a second consecutive bronze medal.
Here are highlights from the medal games at the world junior hockey championship:
Teddy Stiga breaks in alone and scores the winner. It was his first goal of the tournament for a 4-3 victory and back-to-back gold medals for the USA.
He stops a Zeev Buium one-timer and a Ryan Leonard breakaway.
The USA is outshooting Finland 34-22 in the game.
Finland beat the USA 4-3 in overtime in the preliminary round. Tuomas Uronen scored the winning goal in that game.
There will be a 15-minute intermission, then they will play 3-on-3 overtime for 20-minute periods until someone scores. This is the second game of the day that went to overtime after Czechia beat Sweden in a shootout for the bronze medal.
Still 3-3. Trey Augustine stops a shot by Tuomas Uronen.
Still 3-3.
Petteri Rimpinen stops the U.S. captain on his charge to the net.
Score is 3-3.
If Finland controlled the first period, the USA controlled the second part of the second period. They get a Brandon Svoboda fluke goal that goes off a Finnish defender and a high-skilled goal by Cole Hutson to tie the game. Hutson and Ryan Leonard have two points apiece.
Cole Hutson ties the game with 28.7 seconds left in the second period. Hutson shows his speed and mobility after taking a pass from Ryan Leonard. Nice moves. Better shot.
He circles to the blue line and fires a long shot that deflects in off a Finnish player. USA down 3-2 with 2:22 left in the second period.
Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard work a give-and-go, but Petteri Rimpinen stops Buium and the rebound goes out of play.
They’re up 18-17, but still trail 3-1.
USA starts to get some more chances. Petteri Rimpinen loses his goalie stick, but Finland is able to clear.
Two U.S. players collide, which creates space for Finland’s Emil Pieniniemi to skate into the right faceoff circle and rip a shot to Trey Augustine’s blocker side at 4:52 of the second. This is the USA’s first two-goal deficit of the tournament.
Finland leads 2-1.
Finland comes out with the lead after controlling play for most of the period. Its once-struggling power play connects again. The USA doesn’t get much of a sustained attack and is outshot 13-8. A positive: The Boston College line connects after being shut out in the teams’ meeting in the preliminary round.
Tuomas Uronen beats Trey Augustine from the right faceoff circle at 13:03 for a 2-1 lead less than a minute after the USA tied the game. He had scored the overtime winner against the USA in the preliminary round.
USA had been outplayed for much of the game, but captain Ryan Leonard takes a shot and James Hagens finesses the rebound over a diving Petteri Rimpinen. Score is 1-1.
Jesse Kiiskinen scores from between the faceoff circles for a 1-0 lead. He has a goal in six consecutive games. Finland scored the first goal against the USA in the preliminary round, too.
Max Plante is called for hooking. Finland scored two power-play goals against Sweden in the semifinals.
Finland getting the better chances so far.
Winner gets gold. Loser gets silver.
USA’s Trey Augustine vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen
When is USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game?
The United States and Finland will play for gold at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, though the game start might be delayed because of the length of the bronze medal game.
How to watch USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game
Both games will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
How to stream USA vs. Finland world juniors hockey game
Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.
Goalies: Trey Augustine, Michigan State; Sam Hillebrandt, Barrie Colts
Defensemen: Zeev Buium, Denver University; Drew Fortescue, Boston College, Aram Minnetian, Boston College
Forwards: Ryan Leonard, Boston College; Oliver Moore, University of Minnesota; Danny Nelson, Notre Dame; Gabe Perreault, Boston College; Carey Terrance, Erie Otters
The USA has 16 wins and 19 losses at the world juniors vs. Finland. They also tied once. One of those losses was Finland’s 4-3 overtime win this year in the preliminary round.
Otto Stenberg and Eduard Sale go again in the 14th round. Sale scores on a backhander to give Czechia the bronze and three consecutive medals at the world junior hockey championship. Sweden finishes out of a medal a year after winning silver.
Sweden’s Otto Stenberg and Czechia’s Eduard Sale score. Still tied.
Sweden shooting first.
Jakub Stancl hits the post.
Sweden now shooting first.
Czechia’s Jakub Stancl and Sweden’s Axel Sandin-Pellika score in the second round.
It’s five rounds in international hockey before sudden death. Sweden elects to go second.
Czechia’s Eduard Sale has a couple good chances, but Marcus Gidlof stops him.
Sweden will go to overtime for the second game in a row. Not much action in the third period. They’ll play 10 minutes of 3-on-3 overtime, then a shootout, if necessary.
Sweden picking up play. Czechia goalie Michael Hrabal gets his glove on a deflection.
When Sweden was trailing Finland on Saturday, it played a dominant third period. With the score tied in this game, both sides are playing a tight defensive game. Not many chances out there. Still 2-2.
Score tied 2-2.
It will be held in Minneapolis-Saint Paul from Dec. 26, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026. The ceremonial passing of the puck took place in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.
Pretty evenly played period. Czechia’s Eduard Sale scores after a turnover and Sweden’s Felix Unger Sorum sets up David Edstrom for a second goal. Shots are 11-10 Sweden in the period.
David Edstrom scores his second goal of the game with a deflection for a 2-2 tie with 4:20 left in the second period. Felix Unger Sorum gets his second assist of the game.
Linus Eriksson’s pass goes right on the stick of Czechia’s Miroslav Holinka. He finds Eduard Sale alone in front and he roofs a backhander for his sixth goal of the tournament. 2-1 Czechia.
Score is 1-1.
Czechia scores on its first shot, then Sweden controls play, thanks to three power plays. A Czechia deflection goes just wide in the last seconds. Shots are 9-5 Sweden.
Czechia’s Jiri Felcman is in the penalty box for charging. David Edstrom scores on a rebound to tie the game 1-1. Axel Sandin-Pellika gets the secondary assist for his 10th point of the tournament.
Sweden has the second-best power play in the tournament. They generate two shots, but Czechia kills the penalty.
Jakub Stancl remains hot with his seventh goal of the tournament. The Czechs pass the puck around well on the power play and Stancl scores on a one-timer at 3:47 for a 1-0 lead. A Swedish defender got his stick on the puck but it snuck through to Stancl.
Michael Hrabal is back in net for Czechia but Marcus Gidlof is starting for Sweden. He has played one game in the tournament, beating Kazakhstan. Melker Thelin had played in Saturday’s semifinal loss to Finland.
Today’s world juniors hockey games
Czechia 3, Sweden 2 (SO)
United States 4, Finland 3 (OT)
USA vs. Finland players to watch
United States: The Boston College line of Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and James Hagens has combined for 25 points. Leonard has a team-best five goals. Perreault and Boston University’s Cole Hutson have a team-best nine points. Hagens (eight points) is considered the top prospect in the 2025 NHL draft.
Finland: Draft-eligible goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every minute and has a 2.12 goals-against average. Forward Jesse Kiiskinen has a five-game goal streak. Forward Konsta Helenius has seven assists.
This year’s medal games are a rematch of the 2024 semifinals. The USA beat Finland 3-2 and Sweden beat Czechia 5-2 last year.
The USA has won six goal medals: 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2024.
Finland has won five gold medals: 1987, 1998, 2014, 2016 and 2019.
The USA has won 15 medals: six gold, two silver and seven bronze.
Finland has won 17 medals: five gold, five silver and seven bronze.
Sweden vs. Czechia players to watch
Sweden: Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellika has nine points. Forward Otto Stenberg scored twice against Finland.
Czechia: Forward Jakub Stancl has a tournament-best six goals.
World juniors schedule
Dec. 26
Dec. 27
- Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
- Finland 3, Germany 1
- Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
- Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)
Dec. 28
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
- Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
- Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)
Dec. 31
World juniors hockey playoff round
All times Eastern
Jan. 2Â (quarterfinals)
Jan. 4
Jan. 5
- Bronze-medal game:Â Czechia 3, Sweden 2 (SO)
- Gold-medal game:Â USA 4, Finland 3 (OT)
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