The defending champion United States can reach the final in back-to-back years for the first time in its history at the world junior hockey championship.
But first it will need to get past the team that prevented it from getting a medal in 2022.
Saturday’s semifinals opponent is Czechia, which defeated the USA in the quarterfinals three years ago. Since then, the Americans have won a bronze (2023) and gold medal (2024). Czechia won a silver and bronze the past two years.
The winner of Saturday’s game (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network) will face Finland in Sunday’s gold-medal game. Finland beat Sweden 4-3 in overtime in the early semifinal.
The United States and Czechia have played 27 times in tournament history, with the USA winning 17 times. Czechia reached this year’s semifinals by knocking off host Canada 4-3 in Thursday’s quarterfinal. The USA routed Switzerland 7-2 with Boston College’s Ryan Leonard and James Hagens each scoring twice.
Follow along for Saturday’s game action and highlights from the world junior hockey championship semifinals:
Captain Ryan Leonard was very visible in that period. He made a great pass on Gabe Perreault’s goal and had two chances by driving the net. Shots are 9-7 USA. The Americans will have 24 seconds left in their power play when the second period starts.
U.S. captain Ryan Leonard is in all alone and Michael Hrabal makes a leg save. Czechia’s Adam Zidlicky is called for roughing and the USA goes on a power play.
Czechia forces a U.S. turnover and Jakub Stancl ties the game at 9:28. It’s his sixth goal of the tournament.
The Boston College line strikes. Ryan Leonard charges into the offensive zone and makes a pass while falling to Gabe Perreault, who beats Michael Hrabal for a 1-0 lead at 3:14 of the first period.
Captain Ryan Leonard is called for interference. He’s wearing a full shield after taking a puck off the face in the last game. The USA kills it off. Adam Jecho hits the post.
This winner faces Finland in Sunday’s gold-medal game.
USA’s Trey Augustine vs. Czechia’s Michael Hrabal
Finland survives an onslaught from Sweden in the third period and overtime to win on a Benjamin Rautiainen bad-angle goal. It was Finland’s second power-play goal of the game after being the second worst in the tournament with the man advantage heading into the game. Konsta Helenius, a Buffalo Sabres first-round pick, had three assists.
Finland has won five games in a row, including against the United States. Goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every minute of the tournament and made 43 saves against Sweden.
USA-Czechia is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET in Ottawa.
Benjamin Rautiainen scores from a bad angle on the power play for a 4-3 win. The Finns will advance to the gold-medal game against the USA-Czechia winner. Sweden will play for bronze.
Sweden’s Tom Willander is called for holding with 1:20 left in overtime. Finland hits the crossbar.
Jesse Nurmi is called for high-sticking. 4-on-3 play. Finland kills it off. Three shots for Sweden.
Sweden and Finland play a lot of one-goal games and that will be the case again.
The puck seemed to be in Finland’s end the entire third period. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen was solid, but would probably like that Sweden third-period goal back. The game is heading to overtime. Ten minutes of sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime and a shootout, if necessary.
Sweden’s dominant play pays off. Wilhelm Hallquisth’s innocent-looking shot from the point sneaks through Petteri Rimpinen. Score is 3-3 with 8:28 left.
Finland up 3-2. Shots are 12-1 Sweden.
Emil Pieniniemi is called for cross-checking. Sweden’s power play has already connected once in his game. Finland’s tournament-leading penalty killing unit kills it off.
Sweden outshooting Finland 8-1 early in the third period.
Finland leads 3-2.
After a tentative first period, the teams ramp up their scoring chances in the second period. Sweden’s Otto Stenberg scores twice, but Finland takes the lead on Arttu Alasiurua’s goal in the last minute. Finland’s struggling power play connects and one Finnish goal is overturned. Finland outshoots Sweden 20-10 in the period.
Arttu Alasiurua drives to the net and puts Finland up 3-2 with 20.8 seconds left in the second period.
This time, the tournament’s top power play connects. Otto Stenberg scores on a one-timer that deflects in off a Finnish player. Score is 2-2.
With Herman Traff in the penalty box for holding, Jesse Kiiskinen tips in a Topias Hynninen shot for his fifth goal of the tournament. Konsta Helenius picks up his second point of the game with a secondary assist. Score is 2-1 Finland.
Captain Axel Sandin-Pellika loses control of the puck and is called for tripping 17 seconds into the power play.
Emil Hemming trips Otto Stenberg. Sweden has the tournament’s power play. Finland has the best penalty kill.
Finland’s Aron Kiviharju scores from a bad angle, but Sweden challenges for offsides. After a long review, the goal is overturned. Still 1-1.
Emil Hemming scores from near the left faceoff circle after a pass from Konsta Helenius. It happens a second after the Finns’ power play expires. Score is 1-1.
Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking, though it was a sell job by the Finnish player.
After Sweden is pinned in its zone to start the period, Otto Stenberg starts a 2-on-1 break. He rips a shot over Petteri Rimpinen’s shoulder for a 1-0 lead.
Still scoreless.
Finland had the better play early, but Sweden gets a few chances off the rush later. Not a lot of good scoring opportunities. Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen gets a glove on Anton Wahlberg’s shot. Shots are 10-10.
Finland has a 6-2 lead in shots halfway through the first period.
Back to even strength. Game still scoreless.
Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking. Finland has the second-worst power play of the tournament. Sweden has the second-worst penalty kill.
The winner goes for gold on Sunday. The loser plays for bronze.
Sweden’s Melker Thelin vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen
This is one of the bigger rivalries in international hockey. “We live next to each other, so I guess a little bit of hatred, if you could say that, comes from there,” Swedish captain Alex Sandin-Pellika told TSN.
Sweden and Finland will play at 3:30 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The United States and Czechia will play at 7:30.
Both semifinals will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.
United States: The Americans won a gold medal last year. They have brought back 10 players and coach David Carle. Returnees Leonard and Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson are tied for the team lead with four goals. So is Hagens, a front-runner for the top pick in the 2025 draft. Hagens and Boston University defenseman Cole Hutson have a team-high eight points. Boston College’s Gabe Perreault, the linemate of Leonard and Hagens, has seven points. The United States has the second-best power play at the tournament.
Czechia: Czechia won bronze last year. Forwards Eduard Sale and Jacob Stancl are tied for the team lead with five goals. Sale, a Seattle Kraken first-round pick who plays in the American Hockey League, has two game-winners. Stancl and Vojtech Hradec have a team-high eight points. Czechia has a slightly better penalty kill than the USA.
Sweden: Sweden won silver last year. Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellika, a Detroit Red Wings first-round pick, is the tournament’s top remaining scorer with nine points. He and forward Anton Wahlberg have four goals. Victor Eklund, the brother of the San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund, is eligible for the 2025 draft. Sweden has the tournament’s top power play.
Finland: Finland lost to Czechia in last year’s bronze-medal game. Forward Jesse Kiiskinen has a team-best four goals and five points. Goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every game, including a victory against the USA, and has a 2.00 goals-against average. Finland has the tournament’s top penalty kill and second-worst power play.
The United States, Sweden, Finland and Czechia were in last year’s semifinals, but the matchups are different this year. The USA beat Finland 3-2 and Sweden beat Czechia 5-2 in 2024.
Dec. 26
Dec. 27
Dec. 28
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
Dec. 31
All times Eastern
Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)
Jan. 4
Jan. 5
The 2026 tournament will be held in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. This will be the United States’ first time hosting since it was held in Buffalo in 2018.
The International Ice Hockey Federation, which runs the hockey tournament, has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class. They are former NHL players Zdeno Chara, Henrik Lundqvist, Frans Nielsen and David Vyborny, former women’s Olympians Kim Martin-Hasson and Vicky Sunohara, plus former Finnish Ice Hockey Association president Kai Hietarinta.
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