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Bryan Murphy
Canada. USA. New Year’s Eve. What more can you ask for?
The winner of Group A at the World Juniors will be decided tonight, as the victor of the matchup between the two rivals will earn the top spot in the group and the No. 1 seed in the knockout stage. Both Canada and the United States are tied with seven points, having each won twice in regulation while suffering one overtime/shootout loss.
Team Canada is coming off a 3-0 win over Germany on Sunday. Dave Cameron’s team once again was stellar defensively, thanks to the performance in net by goalie Carter George. But the offensive struggles continued for the squad. Canada has just five goals in its last two games, which have come against Latvia and Germany, two countries that the home nation has historically handled with ease.
LIVE: Watch the 2025 World Juniors on Fubo (U.S. only)
Only two forwards have more than one point at the tournament for the Canadians — Easton Cowan, who leads the team with three, and Calum Ritchie with two. While the defense has yet to give up a goal at even strength, the scoring is a major issue for Canada, and it gets a big test against a USA team averaging six goals a game.
The Americans fell to Finland 4-3 in overtime on Sunday, dropping their first contest at the World Juniors. David Carle’s crew is headlined by potential 2025 No. 1 pick James Hagens, who leads the team in points with six through three games. He makes up a third of the top line for the defending gold medalists, along with his Boston College teammates Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard.
The winner of tonight’s rivalry game will earn the top seed in the group, and date in the quarterfinals with Switzerland, the fourth seed in Group B. The loser will finish either second or third in Group A.
If it’s Canada that loses, a regulation loss leaves them at seven points and the No. 3 seed, as Finland has eight points following today’s win over Latvia and would finish second. If Canada loses in overtime or a shootout and picks up a point, it has the head-to-head tiebreaker over Finland and would end up second, bumping the Finns to third.
Any loss for the United States, whether it be in regulation or overtime/shootout, would put the team in third. The Americans lost to the Finns, so Finland owns the tiebreaker.
The No. 2 seed in Group A is set to play Slovakia in the quarterfinals, who are the No. 3 seed in Group B. The No. 3 seed from Group A faces Czechia, who is the No. 2 seed in Group B.
The Sporting News is providing all the updates and highlights from the Canada vs. USA group play game at the 2025 World Juniors.
MORE: World Juniors standings, schedule, results
(All times Eastern)
USA 2, Canada 1
10:09 p.m.: GOAL! The United States retake the lead, as the power play comes through once again for the Americans. Cole Hutson dances all the way down behind the net, finds Danny Nelson in the slot, and he beats George over the blocker. It’s once again a one-goal lead for the USA with 15:38 remaining.
10:06 p.m.: Less than a minute after giving up the game-tying goal, the United States are heading to the power play. Sawyer Mynio gets his stick high to the back of the head for Ryan Leonard, and he is called for cross-checking. It’s a chance for the Americans to regain the lead.
USA 1, Canada 1
10:04 p.m.: GOAL! In the dying seconds of the power play, Canada gets on the board. Brayden Yager finds Bradley Nadeau at the dot for a one-timer, and the Hurricanes prospect makes no mistake, slamming it home. Canada ties it two minutes into the third.
10:01 p.m.: The third period begins in Ottawa. Canada starts with a power play after Ryan Leonard was given a roughing penalty at the end of the second period. It’s a massive chance for the home nation to knot this game up early in the third.
9:44 p.m.: Looks like Ryan Leonard was hit with a roughing penalty after the period ended. Canada will begin the third on a power play.
9:42 p.m.: The score remains 1-0 after another 20 minutes of play. The United States were unable to capitalize on any of their three power plays, while Canada could not beat Augustine on their chances at even strength. Shots on goal are 26-18 in favor of the Canadians.
9:41 p.m.: Immediately after the penalty expires, Canada gets a chance in close on Augustine, but the United States goaltender keeps it out. This has been by far the best Augustine has looked at the tournament, and he’s a massive reason why they remain up 1-0.
9:40 p.m.: Once again, the penalty kill comes through for Canada. It’s back to even strength with 1:30 left in the second period. The United States haven’t been able to take advantage of Canada’s lack of discipline in the second period, going 0-for-3 in the frame on the man advantage.
9:37 p.m.: Another penalty to Canada. It’s Sam Dickinson who is going off for holding Max Plante. The United States may have benefitted from the linesman being in the way and knocking Plante down as Dickinson was riding him against the board, but regardless, it’s another USA power play. Penalties are once again killing Canada.
9:35 p.m.: Luca Pinelli has a great chance for Canada after Augustine stops a Gavin McKenna shot, but he pushes the puck wide of the net. The Canadians’ offensive chances have been lacking the last few minutes due to the two penalties, but they get a close one there.
9:32 p.m.: The Canada penalty kill comes through again, but not without a few close encounters. The Americans got three shots onto George, but none could find the back of the net. Gabe Perreault arguably had the best look on the power play with time and space to shoot from the slot area, but he missed the net.
9:29 p.m.: Carson Rehkopf once again will sit in the penalty box for Canada. He trips Zeev Buium as the American defenseman attempted to dance around him. It’s the third power play for USA, and this one comes with 7:06 on the clock.
9:25 p.m.: Canada kills off the Rehkopf penalty, but not without a few close chances for the United States. The Americans’ puck movement resulted in a few shot attempts from in between the dots, but George stood tall to the task. It’s still 1-0 USA with under eight minutes left in the period.
9:20 p.m.: Carson Rehkopf whacks the stick away from Augustine after the USA goaltender lost it, and he gets called two minutes for interference. Canada was pushing the pace and getting chances in close on Augustine, but the momentum is nullified thanks to the undisciplined penalty.
9:18 p.m.: Gabe Perreault knocks the puck into the net from the crease, but there will be no goal for the USA. James Hagens played the puck with a high stick to get it close to George, and Perreault was the first player to touch the puck, resulting in an immediate whistle. It remains a 1-0 USA lead with 11:23 to go in the middle frame.
9:16 p.m.: The Canadians get a puck into the crease and try jamming away at it with Augustine on his back, but they can’t stuff it home. Second later, Hensler exits the box and it’s back to even strength.
9:15 p.m.: Gavin McKenna finds himself walking in all alone in the slot and whistles a shot towards the net, but it goes wide of Augustine. That’s not the player the United States want to give time and space to from that area.
9:13 p.m.: Canada gets its first power play of the game, as Logan Hensler gets his arm wrapped around Mathieu Cataford. He’ll sit two minutes for holding 5:14 into the second period.
9:12 p.m.: Canada has come out and gotten a few decent look through the first four minutes, but it’s been a lot of shots from the outside. It doesn’t help when Trey Augustine looks locked in for the USA.
9:05 p.m.: The second period is underway between Canada and the USA.
8:46 p.m.: After 20 minutes of play, it’s USA that holds an early 1-0 lead. That was an incredibly even, back-and-forth period with chances on both sides, but ultimately, the power play goal by Cole Hutson is the difference maker. The skating on both Canada and the USA stand out, as each side was flying up and down the ice. Shots on goal in the first favored Canada 11-5.
8:46 p.m.: To the surprise of no one, a massive scrum breaks out at the buzzer, and there will be penalties. Drew Fortescue gets two for roughing on the USA side, and Cole Beaudoin is hit with two minutes for roughing on the Canadian side. There is plenty of bad blood to go around between these two sides.
The first period ends in more rough stuff between Canada and USA.
1-0 USA after 20 minutes.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/4yHwXkqdRj
8:42 p.m.: Another post for the United States, this time off the stick of Ryan Leonard. After Canada failed on an odd-man rush at the other end, Teddy Stiga slid one to Leonard on a 2 on 1, and the USA captain ripped it off the iron. Back and forth we go in Ottawa.
8:38 p.m.: It’ll be Zeev Buium and Luca Pinelli who each get two minutes for roughing as a result of the scrum. It’ll remain 5 on 5 with 5:47 left on the clock. Buium has been particularly physical the last few minutes, as he’s still not happy from the Cowan hit to the head.
8:36 p.m.: Trey Augustine makes a stop for the USA, and bodies go flying all over the crease as the whistle blows. The intensity has ramped up since Cowan’s crosscheck to the back of Buium’s head, and I would expect it only to get more amplified as the game goes on. We’ll see what penalties come from this.
Things are getting chippy between Canada and USA early!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/FHeIwBseaz
USA 1, Canada 0
8:33 p.m.: GOAL! Cole Hutson opens the scoring for the United States, sniping a shot off the post and in. He has been sensational for the USA at this tournament, as the power play strikes for the Americans. There was not much traffic in front of George, who loses his shutout streak, and it’s 1-0 USA with 6:58 remaining in the first.
COLE HUTSON DOES IT HIMSELF 🔥
1-0 USA.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/1xn9B2lDgq
8:31 p.m.: We have our first penalty of the game as Sam Dickinson gets his stick into the feet of Teddy Stiga, who was flying towards the net. USA to the power play with 7:40 to go.
8:30 p.m.: Zeev Buium is incensed on the USA side after Easton Cowan cross-checks him in the back of the head. Cowan was very lucky that went uncalled.
8:28 p.m.: There’s 9:10 left in the first period, and the United States has just two shots on goal. You can say what you want about Canada’s subpar offense at this tournament, but the defense and goaltending has been outstanding, and is off to another stellar start.
8:24 p.m.: Easton Cowan and Ryan Leonard mix it up going to the benches, and both will sit two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct with 11:17 to go.
8:22 p.m.: The USA comes inches away from opening the scoring, but it remains scoreless with 12 minutes to go. Cole Hutson turns on the jets in the neutral zone to get in alone on Carter George, he beats the goaltender’s glove, but not the iron, as it rings off the crossbar and stays out.
8:19 p.m.: Neither side has looked particularly crisp through the first four minutes and change. It’s been back-and-forth, but both teams are turning the puck over and missing passes.
8:11 p.m.: Puck is down and Canada vs. USA is on. First place in Group A will be decided soon.
7:46 p.m.: For Canada, the offense has to be better. There’s no sugarcoating it — the lack of scoring so far is concerning for the Canadians. The team is built to win low-scoring games, and it’s going to be hard to contain the USA offense. With that said, Canada has not allowed a goal at even strength, and if anyone can shut down the dynamic United States’ team, it’s the Canadian back end and goaltending.
7:30 p.m.: The stars to watch on the United States side are the trio of James Hagens, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. The top line consisting of Boston College teammates has been a force for David Carle’s squad so far, Hagens in particular. The 2025 draft prospect has six points in three games, leading the way for the defending gold medallists.
7:08 p.m.: Here are the lines for the two sides. Carter George is expected to be in net for Canada, while Trey Augustine has the anticipated nod for the United States.
Lines for Canada vs. USA. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/hpOY4JkSbI
7 p.m.: The last time these two teams faced was in the semifinals of the 2023 World Juniors. Canada defeated the United States 6-2 en route to a gold medal at the competition in Halifax. While Canada has a significant edge all time, owning 34 wins in 49 meetings, the two sides have split the last 10 games.
6:45 p.m.: First place in Group A is on the line tonight. The winner of USA vs. Canada takes the top spot, and will face Switzerland, the fourth seed in Group B. If it’s the United States that lose in any fashion, they end up as the No. 3 seed. The Canadians need at least one point in order to finish as the No. 2 seed, otherwise a regulation loss drops them to the No. 3 seed.
Canada vs. USA will air on TSN in Canada and NHL Network in the U.S.
Viewers can also stream the game on the TSN app in Canada and Fubo in the U.S.
STREAM:Watch 2025 World Juniors with Fubo (free trial)
Canada vs. USA will start at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 31. The game is being played at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, the home of the Senators.
It marks the final game for both teams at the 2025 World Juniors. The winner of the contest will finish as the top seed in Group A and secure a No. 1 seed in the knockout stage.
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Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.
