OTTAWA - A back-to-back hockey champion will represent the United States when Minnesota hosts the next World Junior Championship.
United States repeats as world junior hockey champion, defeating Finland in overtime
Teddy Stiga’s OT goal means the U.S. will be defending back-to-back titles when the tournament is played in the Twin Cities in 2026.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 6, 2025 at 5:57AM
Teddy Stiga scored on an overtime breakaway Sunday, giving the United States a 4-3 victory over Finland and a second consecutive world juniors gold medal.
Stiga took an outlet pass from Wild draft pick Zeev Buium at the Finland blue line and broke in before slipping a shot under the pad of goalie Petteri Rimpinen for his first goal of the tournament.
“I think I saw their guy kind of slow up, so I skated by him and Zeev had a nice sauce pass,” Stiga said. “I kind of lost it behind the Finnish player so almost lost it in the corner, but luckily recovered it ... and I don’t really remember scoring. I just shot the puck, honestly.”
The United States will go for three in a row in 2026 in Minnesota. The tournament will be played in Xcel Energy Center and at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
“We’re really proud of the fact that we’re able to win back to back and be the first team to do that in USA Hockey history, but I think for us it’s keeping on this path and making sure that we continue to raise the bar and have that standard,” U.S. coach David Carle said.
Cole Hutson had a goal and an assist, Ryan Leonard had two assists and Trey Augustine made 21 saves for the United States, which won back-to-back world juniors tournaments for the first time.
It is the seventh championship for the U.S. in the past 21 years (2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2024).
Finland dominated the first period Sunday and led 2-1, and it added to its lead on a goal by Emil Pieniniemi in the second period, before the United States pushed back.
Hutson tied it with with 29 seconds left in the second period, with a shot off the post after Leonard rushed the puck into the zone. Buium also got an assist.
Just 1:53 earlier, Brandon Svoboda scored for the United States, assisted by Max Plante, a Hermantown High School product who plays in college for Minnesota Duluth.
The United States dominated the second period, outshooting Finland 15-4, and in regulation the U.S. led in shots 34-22.
Jesse Kiiskinen and Tuomas Uronen scored for Finland in the first period, on each side of a goal by the United States' James Hagens.
The U.S. and Finland also went to OT in the preliminary round, the Finns winning 4-3.
Beyond Plante and Buium, the U.S. roster included eight other athletes from Minnesota. Center Oliver Moore (Mounds View) and forward Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson) play for the Gophers. Defenseman Adam Kleber (Chaska) plays for Minnesota Duluth. Forward Austin Burnevik (Blaine) and defenseman Colin Ralph (Maple Grove) play for St. Cloud State.
Other Minnesotans are Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson (Maple Grove), Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler (Woodbury), and Western Michigan goalie Hampton Slukynsky (Warroad).
The Associated Press and NHL.com contributed to this report.
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