The United States claimed back-to-back titles at the IIHF Ice Hockey U20 Men’s World Championship by beating Finland 4-3 the 2025 final after overtime in Ottawa, Canada on Sunday (5 January 2025).
The sides were deadlocked on 3-3 after regulation time before a Teddy Stiga goal in overtime gave the US their seventh overall title at the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Finland, looking for their sixth gold medal, had struck the first blow with Jesse Kiiskinen sending the puck into the back of the net seven minutes into the contest.
But the US recovered the status quo five minutes later with James Hagens pouncing on a Petteri Rimpinen save to get his name on the scoresheet.
Finland reclaimed their lead less than a minute later courtesy of a Tuomas Uronen goal for a 2-1 advantage heading into the second period.
The Finns doubled their lead (3-1) five minutes into the second third before the US recovered to level late in the period.
Brandon Svoboda ignited the US fightback with his goal in the 38th minute before Cole Hutson scored the equaliser (3-3) with less than half a minute on the clock in the second period.
Neither of the sides could break the impasse in the third, leaving them level after regulation time and sending the contest into a sudden death 3-on-3 overtime.
Stiga ended the stalemate eight minutes into overtime, beating the goalkeeper for a 4-3 victory to set off the US celebrations.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” said US coach David…
