U.S. Ousted at 2026 World Juniors

There will be no three-peat for the United States at this year's World Junior Championship. The U.S. was ousted tonight by Finland, 4-3, in overtime in a semifinal game in St. Paul. It was the second straight loss for the Americans, who also fell to Sweden, 6-3, on New Year's Eve in their final game of group play.

Ryker Lee (Michigan State) tied the contest late in regulation after Finland had taken a 3-2 lead on back-to-back goals. Cole Eiserman (Boston University) and Cole Hutson (Boston University) scored second-period goals for Team USA, which also got two assists from James Hagens (Boston College), and 21 saves in net from Nick Kempf (Notre Dame). Heikki Ruohonen (Harvard) scored a goal for Finland, which fell to the U.S. in last year's final in OT in Ottawa.

Finland will now face Sweden in one WJC semifinal, while Canada will take on Czechia in the other, both on Sunday. The bronze and gold medal games are scheduled for Monday.

ADDENDUM: Sweden won the gold medal over Czechia, while Canada took the bronze.

BC's Kreider Dealt to Ducks

Chris Kreider (Boston College) is finished playing for the New York Rangers. The veteran left wing waived his no-trade clause today, and has been dealt to the Anaheim Ducks after spending the last 12 full NHL seasons in Manhattan. New York received center Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round draft pick in return.

Kreider, 34, who was drafted 19th overall by the Rangers in 2009, has tallied 326 goals and 256 assists for 582 points in 883 career NHL regular-season games, all with the Rangers. He tallied a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22. He has also recorded 48-28—76 points in 123 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and helped New York to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

A 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Boxford, Mass., Kreider was a Hockey East All-Rookie Team and Hockey East Second Team selection in his three years at Boston College, where he helped the Eagles to both the 2010 and 2012 NCAA titles. He tallied 50-43—93 points in 114 career college games, and also recorded 10 power-play goals, 10 game-winning goals, and four short-handed goals with BC. 

In international play, he represented the U.S. at the 2010, 2011 and 2018 IIHF World Championships, and at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold at the 2010 WJC.

U.S. Wins Second Straight WJC Gold Medal

Teddy Stiga (Boston College) scored on a partial breakaway just over eight minutes into 3-on-3 overtime to lift the United States to a 4-3 win over Finland in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal game tonight in Ottawa.

Team USA overcame deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-1 to claim its second straight WJC gold medal and seventh overall, all of them coming since 2004. James Hagens (Boston College) recorded the first U.S. goal to forge a 1-1 tie in the first period, while Brandon Svoboda (Boston University) and Cole Hutson (Boston University) tallied second-period scores to tie the contest at 3-3 after 40 minutes of play.

Ryan Leonard (Boston College), who earned tournament MVP honors, had two assists on the night, while Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 21 saves in goal for the Americans. Hutson led all WJC scorers with three goals and eight assists for 11 points in seven games, while Leonard was third overall with 5-5—10 points and Augustine finished with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.

Czechia defeated Sweden, 3-2, in a shootout to claim the bronze medal. Next year's WJC will be contested in Minnesota, the first time it will be held in the U.S. since Buffalo in 2018.

U.S. Drops Swiss in WJC Quarterfinals

Fresh off a convincing 4-1 victory over host Canada in its last game of round-robin play on New Year's Eve, the United States moved closer to defending its gold medal status at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa with a 7-2 win today over Switzerland in the quarterfinal round.

James Hagens (Boston College) and Ryan Leonard (Boston College) each scored two goals for the Group A champion Americans, who also got 17 saves in goal from Hampton Slukynsky (Western Michigan) and three assists offensively from Gabe Perreault (Boston College).

The U.S. will now face Czechia in the WJC semifinals on Saturday. The other semifinal will match Sweden and Finland, with the winners to meet on Sunday for the championship.

ADDENDUM: Team USA defeated Czechia, 4-1, and will face Finland on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET (NHL Network) for the gold. Czechia will meet Sweden for the bronze.

USA Routs Germany in WJC Opener

Team USA is off to a good start at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

The United States routed Germany, 10-4, in its tournament opener today, as over a dozen American skaters recorded at least one point on the scoresheet. Cole Hutson (Boston University) set up five goals, while James Hagens (Boston College) scored two goals and assisted on two others. Gabe Perreault (Boston College) and Brodie Ziemer (Minnesota) scored twice apiece, with Perreault also adding an assist. Trey Augustine (Michigan State) stopped 18 shots for the Americans in earning the win.

The U.S. returns to WJC action on Saturday against Latvia.

ADDENDUM: Team USA topped Latvia, 5-1, before falling to Finland, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday.

Six Eagles Named to 2025 WJC Team

A half-dozen Boston College Eagles have been named to the final U.S. roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (NHL rights): 

D Drew Fortescue (NY Rangers)

D Aram Minnetian (Dallas)

F Teddy Stiga (Nashville) 

F Ryan Leonard (Washington)

F James Hagens

F Gabe Perreault (NY Rangers)

Hagens is projected to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft next summer. 

Leonard has been named U.S. team captain, according to USCHO.com. This season's WJC will be contested from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa, after the U.S. won the gold medal in last year's tournament in Sweden.

USA Wins 2024 World Juniors

Exactly 20 years after winning its first-ever gold medal in the competition, the United States is again king of the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Issac Howard (Michigan State) scored two goals, and Gabe Perreault (Boston College) notched a goal and two assists as the U.S. broke open a two-all game with four answered scores Friday in a 6-2 win over host Sweden in the gold medal game of this year's event. Trey Augustine (Michigan State) made 24 saves in net to help the Team USA win its sixth WJC gold medal ever, and first since 2021 when it defeated host Canada.

The Americans, who finished with a perfect 7-0-0 record in this year's tournament, advanced to the title game following a 3-2 victory over Finland in the semifinal round on Thursday. Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) tallied the decisive power-play goal late in regulation after Team USA fought back from a 2-0 first-period deficit, while Augustine made 21 stops. Gauthier tied for the tournament scoring lead with 12 points, on two goals and 10 assists, while Howard led all WJC goal scorers this year with seven goals in all.

Sweden made it to the final after downing Czechia, 5-2, in the semifinals. Czechia then won the bronze medal after defeating Finland, 8-5, earlier Friday. Next year's WJC is scheduled to be held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for the first time since 2009.

USA Rolling with Two More Wins at WJC

The United States improved to 3-0-0 at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden with today's 4-3 shootout victory over Czechia. 

Isaac Howard (Michigan State) scored a goal in regulation, and then added the decisive goal in the extra session to lift Team USA to the victory. Ryan Chesley (Minnesota) and Will Smith (Boston College) also tallied in regulation for the U.S., while Jacob Fowler (Boston College) picked up the win in goal after making 20 saves.

The day before, the U.S. posted a 11-3 rout of Switzerland, powered by a first-period hat trick from Jimmy Snuggerud (Minnesota). Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) and Frank Nazar (Michigan) recorded four assists apiece, while Gavin Brindley (Michigan) scored two goals and set up another, and Fowler had 21 stops.

Team USA will complete group play in this year's WJC on Sunday against Slovakia.

U.S. Tops Norway in 2024 WJC Opener

The United States got off to a solid start at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden on Tuesday, with a 4-1 victory over Norway in the opener for both teams.

The U.S. got two goals from Gavin Brindley (Michigan) and 22 saves from Trey Augustine (Michigan State) in the win. Isaac Howard (Michigan State) and Jimmy Snuggerud (Minnesota) also scored for the Americans.

Team USA returns to WJC pool play on Thursday against Switzerland.

2024 U.S. World Juniors Roster Finalized

The United States squad that will compete in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship has been finalized.

Boston College leads the way with seven players on this year's American edition, while Michigan and Minnesota will supply four skaters apiece. Other NCAA schools represented on this year's U.S. roster include Bemidji State, Boston University, Denver, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin. There are also three players from the Ontario Hockey League. The full roster can be found here.

This season's WJC will be contested from Dec. 26, 2023 to Jan. 5, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Team USA's group this year includes Czechia, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland. The U.S. is coming off a bronze medal finish earlier this year in Canada.

Canada Tops U.S. in 2023 World Junior Semifinal

The United States skated out to an early two-goal lead against host Canada tonight, but couldn't maintain the advantage in a 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship semifinal tonight at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Canada responded with a half-dozen unanswered goals over the last 49-plus minutes to rout Team USA, 6-2, and will now face Czechia tomorrow night for the gold medal.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota) and Kenny Connors (UMass) staked the Americans to a 2-0 lead just past the halfway point of the opening period, but Canada came back with one goal in the first stanza, three scores in the second, and two more in the third to win going away. Adam Fantilli (Michigan) notched a goal and an assist for the Canadians, who were outshot, 45-37. Michigan State commit Trey Augustine stopped 31 shots in net for the Americans, who had two goals disallowed due to interference with Canada's goaltender.

The U.S., which won gold at the 2021 WJC in Edmonton, will now face Sweden for the bronze medal on Thursday afternoon. Canada is seeking its second straight WJC gold medal, and 20th overall, after winning last season's re-scheduled competition in Edmonton in August.

ADDENDUM: The U.S. earned bronze with an 8-7 win over Sweden, while Canada claimed gold by edging Czechia, 3-2. Both games were decided in overtime.

Canada Wins 2022 WJC Title in OT

Kent Johnson (Michigan) got the golden goal for Canada. 

Johnson, 19, an assistant captain for Canada, put home own rebound just over three minutes into 3-on-3 play in overtime to lift Canada to a 3-2 victory and the gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place in Edmonton. 

Johnson's game-winning goal came shortly after Finland had nearly scored the winner at the other end, but the puck was knocked out of the air and away from the Canadian goal line. Finland had to settle for the silver medal, its first in WJC play since 2001, after last winning gold in 2019. Sweden defeated Czechia, 3-1, earlier in the day to win the bronze medal.

Finland outshot Canada, 30-29, on the evening. It also weathered six Canadian power plays, including five in a row at one point, and scored two third-period goals to tie the contest after trailing, 2-0, after 40 minutes of regulation. 

It was Canada's second WJC title in three years, after it fell to the U.S. in the 2021 gold-medal game, which was also held in Edmonton. Canada added to its record haul with its 19th WJC title overall since the tournament officially began in 1977.

Johnson finished the WJC, which had been postponed and rescheduled from December due to COVID/Omicron concerns, with three goals and six assists for nine points in seven games, while leading all WJC participants with 43 shots on goal. He turned pro earlier this year after completing his second and final season at Michigan, where he helped the Wolverines to the 2022 Big Ten tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four. In two seasons in Ann Arbor, he tallied 17-47—64 points, then recorded three assists in his first nine NHL games this spring with Columbus, which drafted him fifth overall in 2021.

Next year's WJC will again be held in Canada, in Halifax and Moncton, starting in late December before carrying over into January.

U.S. Eliminated at 2022 World Juniors

The United States will not repeat as IIHF World Junior champions. 

Following four wins in four preliminary group-play games, Team USA fell to the Czech Republic (Czechia), 4-2, in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday night in Edmonton, and was eliminated from medal contention.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota) and Carter Mazur (Denver) scored for the Americans, but three Czech goals in-between which spanned the first and second period proved to be the difference. The U.S. also had to kill off two five-minute power plays in the third period, while trailing by two goals at the time. 

Czechia finally iced the contest on an empty-net tally with 32 seconds remaining in regulation, after U.S. goaltender Kaidan Mbereko (Colorado College) had been pulled for an extra attacker. Mbereko finished with 20 saves on the night.

Team USA, which had outscored its opposition by a 22-4 margin through its first four games, was seeking to win consecutive WJC gold medals for the first time ever, having claimed gold in 2021 in Edmonton. The Czechs will now play host Canada, a 6-1 winner over Switzerland last night, in the semifinals.

2022 World Junior Championship Canceled

The remainder of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta, Canada has been cancelled due to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, following the third game forfeiture in the past two days. 

The 10-team WJC was scheduled to run through Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer. Participating this year were Austria, host Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

It is the first time in 44 years, according to sportsnet.ca, that the world's premiere men's hockey under-20 tournament will not crown a champion. The U.S. won last year's event in Edmonton, besting Canada by a 2-0 score in the gold medal game.

Canada, U.S. Win 2022 WJC Openers

Both Canada and the United States got off to winning starts at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta on Sunday.

Powered by a hat trick from defenseman Owen Power (Michigan), host Canada began matters with a 6-3 victory over the Czech Republic. The top draft choice in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Power scored two power-play goals, and is the first Canadian defenseman to ever score three goals in a single WJC contest. 

The U.S., the defending WJC champion, opened up the new tournament by edging Slovakia, 3-2. Matthew Knies (Minnesota), Matthew Samoskevic (Michigan) and Landon Slaggert (Notre Dame) scored goals for Team USA, while goaltender Drew Commesso (Boston University) finished with 23 saves.

The Americans will now take on Switzerland in Red Deer on Wednesday, while Canada will face off with Austria in Edmonton later that same day.

ADDENDUM: Team USA has forfeited its game to Switzerland, after two American players tested positive for COVID, which forced a mandatory team quarantine. According to IIHF.com, "the result of the game will be recorded as a 1-0 win for Switzerland by forfeit in accordance with the IIHF Rule Book." The U.S. is tentatively scheduled to play Sweden on Thursday.

BU's Zegras Makes NHL Debut

On the day that America celebrated the 41st anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice" and the third anniversary of "The Deke", a recent World Junior Championship gold medalist and tournament leading scorer from the U.S. made his NHL debut.

Former NCAA forward Trevor Zegras (Boston University) suited up for the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night and finished with two shots on goal and a plus-one rating in just over 13 minutes of ice time in a 4-3 loss to the host Arizona Coyotes. The Ducks squandered a 3-0 lead they had built into the second period.

Zegras, 19, led all players in the 2021 World Juniors in scoring with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in seven games, as the U.S. won the gold medal. He had four goals and nine points in eight outings for San Diego (AHL) in his first professional action following the WJC, before being summoned to Anaheim.

Zegras, from Bedford, N.Y., spent the 2019-20 season with BU, notching 11-25—36 points and a team-high 43 penalty minutes in 33 contests in his lone collegiate campaign,  He was selected ninth overall by Anaheim in the 2019 NHL Draft after prepping with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan.

U.S. Wins 2021 WJC Title

Alex Turcotte (Wisconsin) deflected home a shot midway through the first period tonight, and Trevor Zegras (Boston University) put in a rebound early in the second stanza to lift the United States to a 2-0 win over host Canada in the gold medal game of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta.

Spencer Knight (Boston College) finished with 34 saves for the Americans in recording his third shutout of the tournament, and earned U.S. Player of the Game accolades. Zegras, who also assisted on Turcotte's goal, finished as the event's top scorer with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, and was named tournament MVP as the U.S. won its first WJC title since 2017, and fifth overall.

Team USA was guided this year by head coach Nate Leaman (Providence), who became the third American head coach to win a WJC gold medal and an NCAA championship in his career. 

Other NCAA-trained members of this year's USA title team included Matthew Boldy (Boston College), Matthew Beniers (Michigan), Brett Berard (Providence), Bobby Brink (Denver), Brendan Brisson (Michigan), Cole Caufield (Wisconsin), Sam Colangelo (Northeastern), Brock Faber (Minnesota), John Farinacci (Harvard), Drew Helleson (Boston College), Ryan Johnson (Minnesota), Tyler Kleven (North Dakota), Jackson LaCombe (Minnesota), Patrick Moynihan (Providence), Jake Sanderson (North Dakota), Landon Slaggert (Notre Dame), Logan Stein (Ferris State), Henry Thrun (Harvard) and team captain Cameron York (Michigan). 

Devon Levi (Northeastern) made 19 stops for 2020 champion Canada, which had outscored its WJC opponents this year by a 41-4 count prior to the gold medal game. Also on Canada's roster with NCAA experience were Alex Newhook (Boston College) and Dylan Holloway (Wisconsin).

Finland, the 2019 WJC champion, defeated Russia, 4-1, earlier on Tuesday in the bronze medal game to place third this year. Canada will host next year's event in both Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

U.S. To Play Canada for 2021 WJC Gold

Arthur Kaliyev broke a 3-3 tie with just 76 seconds remaining in regulation, and the U.S. National Junior Team held on the rest of the way for a 4-3 victory over Finland in a semifinal game tonight at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta.

Alex Turcotte (Wisconsin), assisted by Kaliyev, staked Team USA to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, before Finland responded just over a minute later to tie the score. The Americans then got second-period goals from John Farinacci (Harvard) and Matthew Boldy (Boston College) in the second stanza to take a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes. Finland then knotted matters once more, on two goals less than five minutes apart in the final frame, which set the stage for Kaliyev's late heroics.

Spencer Knight (Boston College) made 33 saves for the Americans, who will now face WJC host and defending champion Canada on Tuesday night (9:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network) in the gold medal game. Canada advanced to this year's championship contest with a 5-0 win over Russia on Monday, with Alex Newhook (Boston College) notching the game-winning goal for the Canadians. Russia and Finland will also meet tomorrow, in the bronze medal match.

U.S. Ousts Slovakia, Reaches WJC Semifinals

The U.S. National Junior Team is headed to the semifinal round of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Americans outlasted Slovakia, 5-2, in a quarterfinal round match on Saturday evening in Edmonton, Alberta.

Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal for Team USA in the second period, before Slovakia eventually cut the American lead to 3-2. John Farinacci (Harvard) then scored his second goal of the evening on a wrap-around with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, to make it 4-2, before Matthew Beniers (Michigan) salted matters away with a late empty-net goal.

Arthur Kaliyev also scored for the U.S., which got 16 saves in net from Spencer Knight (Boston College), and two assists apiece from Bobby Brink (Denver) and Trevor Zegras (Boston University). The Americans will now face Finland, a 3-2 quarterfinal winner over rival Sweden, in a WJC semifinal-round game on Monday.

U.S. Shuts Out Sweden to Win Group B

The U.S. National Junior Team set itself up for Saturday's quarterfinal round with its third straight shutout at the IIHF 2021 World Junior Championship in Edmonton, Alberta. The Americans blanked Sweden, 4-0, on New Year's Eve to finish first in Group B and also complete the round robin portion of the event with three regulation wins and a loss.

Trevor Zegras (Boston University) scored once and tallied two assists against Sweden, while Alex Turcotte and Ryan Johnson (Minnesota) notched the other U.S goals. Spencer Knight (Boston College) turned aside all 27 shots he faced for his second straight WJC shutout, as the Americans closed out the calendar year with three consecutive victories in the tournament. The U.S outshot Sweden, 37-27, and has now outscored its opposition, 22-0, in its last three WJC outings after beginning the tournament with a 5-3 loss to Russia on Christmas night.

Team USA will now face Slovakia on Saturday night (10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network).