By USA Hockey, 08/02/25, 8:30PM EDT
MINNEAPOLIS – The final day of games at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase were played here today at Ridder Arena. Finland defeated Sweden, 3-1, while Canada won a 6-2 decision over the U.S.
The event serves as an evaluation for athletes seeking to make their respective national teams for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, set for Dec. 26, 2025, through Jan. 5, 2026, in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Below are recaps from the two games.
Finnish netminder Petteri Rimpinen made a trio of stellar saves with 8:35 remaining in the first, as he first slid across his crease to deny a one-timer before corralling the follow-up chances near his net.
Heikki Ruohonen opened the scoring for Finland with a power-play goal with 2:27 to go, as he tapped in a rebound chance after a shot from Aatos Koivu.
Roope Vesterinen scored Finland’s second power-play goal of the game 1:23 into the second, deflecting a shot from Daniel Nieminen past Swedish netminder Carl Axelsson.
Jack Berglund got Sweden on the board on the power play with 6:05 to play in the period, as he deflected a pass from Melvin Fernström past Rimpinen.
Sascha Boumedienne nearly tied the contest for Sweden with 2:20 remaining in the third, but his wrister from the right faceoff circle hit the post.
Rimpenen, who finished the game with 26 saves, stood tall in the final moments of the game, making several key saves to keep his team ahead by one. Vesterinen sealed 3-1 victory for Finland with an empty-net goal with :05 remaining.
Canada got out to a 1-0 lead 3:44 into the game with Marek Vanacker’s power-play goal.
Canada extended its lead with 6:33 to play in the middle frame, as Malcom Spence poked a pass from Jake O’Brien home.
Goaltender Caleb Heil (Victoria, Minn.) denied a two-on-one opportunity at 13:59 to keep the U.S. within two.
Ryker Lee (Wilmette, Ill.) beat Canadian netminder Joshua Ravensbergen with a spinning shot with 1:40 to go, but his chance hit the post. Team USA outshot Canada, 13-7, in the second stanza.
Ben Kindel extended Canada’s lead 4:24 into the third, scoring on a scrum in front of Heil’s net.
Team USA scored with 4:31 left in regulation, as Cullen Potter (Minneapolis, Minn.) fired a wrister from the slot past Ravensbergen’s glove.
Ben Kevan (Fairfield, Calif.) brought the U.S. within one :47 later, as he corralled a pass from Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) in the slot and found the back of the net with a wrist shot with 3:44 remaining.
Michael Hage and Michael Misa scored empty-net goals for Canada, while Jake O’Brien added another tally to account for the 6-2 final.
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