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 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:
Final: Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
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 four 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.
Finland wins in overtime
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.
Finland goes on power play
Sweden’s Tom Willander is called for holding with 1:20 left in overtime. Finland hits the crossbar.
Sweden goes on power play
Jesse Nurmi is called for high-sticking. 4-on-3 play. Finland kills it off. Three shots for Sweden.
Overtime underway
Sweden and Finland play a lot of one-goal games and that will be the case again.
End of third period: Sweden 3, Finland 3
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 ties it up
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.
Midpoint of third period
Finland up 3-2. Shots are 12-1 Sweden.
Sweden goes on power play
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 controlling play
Sweden outshooting Finland 8-1 early in the third period.
Third period underway
Finland leads 3-2.
End of second period: Finland 3, Sweden 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.
Finland takes lead
Arttu Alasiurua drives to the net and puts Finland up 3-2 with 20.8 seconds left in the second period.
Sweden ties game
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.
Finland takes lead
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.
Sweden penalty ends power play
Captain Axel Sandin-Pellika loses control of the puck and is called for tripping 17 seconds into the power play.
Sweden goes on power play
Emil Hemming trips Otto Stenberg. Sweden has the tournament’s power play. Finland has the best penalty kill.
Finland goal is overturned
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.
Finland ties game
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.
Finland goes on power play
Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking, though it was a sell job by the Finnish player.
Sweden takes lead on Finland
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.
Second period underway
Still scoreless.
End of first period: Sweden 0, Finland 0
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 outshooting Sweden
Finland has a 6-2 lead in shots halfway through the first period.
Sweden kills penalty
Back to even strength. Game still scoreless.
Finland goes on power play
Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking. Finland has the second-worst power play of the tournament. Sweden has the second-worst penalty kill.
Sweden-Finland semifinal underway
The winner goes for gold on Sunday. The loser plays for bronze.
Sweden-Finland goaltending matchup
Sweden’s Melker Thelin vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen
Sweden-Finland semifinal is first
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.
When is world juniors hockey semifinals?
Sweden and Finland will play at 3:30 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The United States and Czechia will play at 7:30.
How to watch world juniors hockey semifinals
Both semifinals will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
How to stream world juniors hockey semifinals
Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.
Today’s world juniors hockey games
Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 p.m.; NHLN, TSN
USA vs. Czechia players: What to know
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 vs. Finland: What to know
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.
World juniors semifinal matchups
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.
World juniors schedule
Dec. 26
Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0
Dec. 27
Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)
Dec. 28
Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1
Dec. 29
Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0
Dec. 30
Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)
Dec. 31
Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1
World juniors hockey playoff round
All times Eastern
Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)
Sweden 3, Latvia 2
United States 7, Switzerland 2
Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Czechia 4, Canada 3
Jan. 4
Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 p.m.; NHLN, TSN
Jan. 5
Finland vs. USA-Czechia winner, 3:30 p.m., NHLN, TSN
Sweden vs. USA-Czechia loser, 7:30 p.m., NHLN, TSN
Where is next year’s world junior hockey championship?
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.
IIHF names Hall of Fame Class of 2025
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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