Teddy Stiga (Boston College) scored 8:04 into three-on-three overtime as the U.S. National Junior Team erased a two-goal deficit and earned a 4-3 victory over Finland in the gold-medal game of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Sunday night at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ont.
It marked the first time in history that the U.S. has won back-to-back World Junior gold medals.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” said David Carle (Denver), head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team, in a statement. “They grew as a team, played for each other and ultimately accomplished something that has never been done by helping our nation win back-to-back gold medals in the World Juniors.”
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Finland’s Jesse Kiiskinen opened the scoring with a power-play goal from the slot at 7:13.
James Hagens (Boston College) found an equalizer for Team USA at 12:04, as he battled in front of the net to bang home a rebound chance following a shot from Team USA captain Ryan Leonard (Boston College).
Tuomas Uronen responded 59 seconds later with a goal from the top of the right circle to give Finland a 2-1 lead.
U.S. netminder Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 11 saves in the opening stanza, including a stellar blocker save on a broken play in front just 1:12 into the contest.
Emil Pieniniemi extended Finland’s lead to 3-1 on a wrister from the right circle at 4:52 of the middle period.
Brandon Svoboda (Boston University) fired a shot from the point that deflected off a Finnish defender and found the back of the net with 2:22 remaining. Max Plante (Minnesota Duluth) and Cole Hutson (Boston University) assisted on the tally.
Hutson tied the contest with 28.7 seconds left in the second frame as he gathered a pass from Leonard and fired a shot from the slot that beat Finnish netminder Petteri Rimpinen on the glove side.
The U.S. outshot Finland 15-4 in the second period.
A scoreless third period led to overtime, as Augustine and Rimpinen combined for 16 saves in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Stiga secured gold for the U.S. with his first goal of the tournament at 8:04 of the overtime frame, as he cashed in through the five-hole on a breakaway opportunity set up by a stretch pass from Zeev Buium (Denver).
Augustine finished with 21 saves to pick up his 12th career win in the World Juniors, tops all-time among American netminders.
NOTES: Stiga was named U.S. Player of the Game … Leonard, who finished the tournament with 10 points (5g, 5a) was named tournament MVP … Leonard, Hutson and Gabe Perreault (Boston College) were named to the Media All-Star Team … Leonard earned the Directorate Award as the Best Forward in the Tournament …. Team USA outshot Finland 40-24 … The U.S. did not have a power-play opportunity in the contest, while Finland went 1 for 1 … Team USA won its seventh gold medal in the IIHF World Junior Championship, with the previous six coming in 2024, 2021, 2017, 2013, 2010 and 2004.
