Hilary Knight on final Olympics
4x Olympic hockey medalist Hilary Knight shares her mindset ahead of her fifth and final Olympics, celebrating her journey and Team USA’s strength.
Sports Seriously
The USA’s quarterfinal ouster means the world junior hockey championship will have a new champion for the first time since 2023.
Sweden gained a chance to win for the first time since 2012 when it defeated Finland in the early semifinal 4-3 in a shootout. Draft-eligible Ivar Stenberg had a goal and assist and Chicago Blackhawks draft pick scored the shootout winner.
The Swedes’ opponent will be Canada or Czechia, who are facing off in the night game in what has become a big rivalry.
The Czechs have ousted Canada in the playoffs the past two years and Canada knocked off Czechia in the 2023 final. Canada won the team’s preliminary round meeting 7-5 but forgot to do a handshake line and Porter Martone patted a Czech player on the behind after he scored an empty net goal.
USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates on Sunday’s world junior championships semifinals. Follow along:
He’s slashed on a breakaway. Hage is tripped by the goalie on the shootout attempt, so he goes again. He tries the same move, but is stopped. Still 2-2.
Zayne Parekh scores. It’s the defenseman’s 11th point of the tournament. There’s still power play remaining. Canada 2, Czechia 2
Petr Sikora is called for slashing and Tomas Poletin is called for delay of game. Two-man advantage for 1:39:
After being outplayed early in the period, Canada is started to press. Shot counter is not moving, however.
Michal Orsulak stops Tij Iginla in tight. Porter Martone tries to go for the rebound and is wrestled to the ice.
He won’t return to the game, TSN reports. Big loss for Canada.
The Czechs pin Canada in its own end and the puck eventually comes to Adam Titlbach, who gives Czechia its first lead of the bench. Czechia 2, Canada 1
Czechia has a carryover power play, but it’s over. Canada’s Brady Martin is not on the bench, per TSN.
Their first meeting at the tournament featured 12 goals. This is more of a defensive battle. But the action picked up late as Canada’s Tij Iginla and Czechia’s Max Curran swap goals. Canada’s Brady Martin is shown grimacing on the bench after a collision.
Jett Luchaenko is called for cross-checking after he’s shoved into Czech goalie Michal Orsulak. Jack Ivankovic stops Adam Novotny twice and the power play will carry over into the second period.
Curran is left alone in front and he scores off a rebound of a Tomas Galvas shot. Canada 1, Czechia 1
The Canadians look dangerous on the power play. Michael Hage has a great chance. Later, Michael Misa feeds Tij Iginla for the opening goal at 15:14. Canada 1, Czechia 0
Tomas Poletin is called for goaltender interference. Canada has the best power play in the tournament.
Defensive battle so far. Czechia leads 3-2 in shots.
Goalies are Canada’s Jack Ivankovic vs. Czechia’s Michal Orsulak.
Czechia ousted Canada the last two years in the quarterfinals. Canada beat Czechia in the 2023 gold-medal game.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Canada and Czechia will play in the second semifinal to determine the other gold-medal game opponent.
Sweden is heading to the gold medal game for the second time in three years.
Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell scores to send Sweden to the gold-medal game. They’ll play the Canada-Czechia winner.
Jack Berglund scores to extend shootout.
Victor Eklund and Jasper Kuhta stopped
Ivar Stenberg and Emil Hemming stopped.
Anton Frondell stopped. Matias Vanhanen scores. 1-0 Finland
Sweden’s Viggo Bjorck stopped as is Finland’s Leo Tuuva.
They’re scraping the ice again.
Five-round shootout, then sudden death rounds if tied.
Sweden kills the penalty so we’re heading to a shootout.
There’s 32 seconds left in the power play.
Viggo Bjorck is called for slashing. Finland won last year’s game on an overtime power play.
Petteri Rimpinen stops Viggo Bjorck for another time on an overtime breakaway. How the shootout works at world juniors
There’s 4:32 left. Good chances on either side.
It’s 10 minutes of 3-on-3 sudden death before a shootout, if needed.
For the second year in a row, a Finland-Sweden semifinal is going to overtime after Joona Saarelainen ties the game for Finland. The Finns won last year and they also beat the USA 4-3 in overtime in their last game at this year’s tournament. How overtime works at world juniors
Tied 3-3.
Joona Saarelainen scores on a rebound of an Arttu Valila shot with 5:59 left to tie the game.
Sweden on power play because of earlier call on Leu Tuuva. Sweden gets three shots but Finland kills it off. Petteri Rimpinen robs Jack Berglund.
Ivar Stenberg is called for tripping. Finland 0-for-2 so far. Finland gets chances but power play ends when Leo Tuuva is called for slashing.
3-2 Sweden. Winner goes to the gold-medal game. Loser plays for bronze.
Two more strange goals in that period. Finland ties it up on a Sweden own goal and Sweden goes ahead after Petteri Rimpinen gets his stick stuck in the mesh after making a save. Shots are 20-15 Finland.
The Finns hit the crossbar and two Swedish players break their sticks as Finland applies pressure late in the period. But Swedish goalie Love Harenstam dives out to cover the puck.
Petteri Rimpinen is out of position with his stick stuck in the mesh after he make a save on Eddie Genborg. Genborg then banks in the puck off the goalie. Another strange goal in this game. Ivar Stenberg gets an assist for his second point of the game. Sweden 3, Finland 2
It’s an own goal as the puck comes off the glass and Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij puts it in off his goaltender as he tries to clear. Finland’s Jasper Kuhta get credit for the goal. Sweden 2, Finland 2
Draft-eligible Ivar Stenberg scores through a screen on a delayed penalty. Sweden 2, Finland 1
Score is tied 1-1.
The start of the game was nearly disastrous for Finland. Goalie Petteri Rimpinen misplayed a puck for a Sweden goal at 36 seconds. Then Sweden went on a power play 16 seconds later. Finland killed that off and settled down. They got a tying goal with 3:34 left in the period. Finland-Sweden games tend to be tight, and that’s the case again. Finland leads in shots, 11-7.
Atte Joki takes a pass atop the right faceoff circle, gets into better position and beats a screened Love Harenstam for the tying goal. Sweden 1, Finland 1
Felix Carell is called for delay of game for putting the puck over the glass. Sweden kills it off. Finland gets two shots and lead 8-4 in shots for the game.
Casper Juustovaara is called for slashing. Sweden kills it off.
Heikki Ruohonen is called for tripping at 52 seconds. Finland gets a big kill, allowing no shots.
Linus Eriksson flips a shot toward the net and it goes in at 36 seconds as Petteri Rimpinen appears to misplay it. Sweden 1, Finland 0
Sweden’s Lucas Pettersson is missing the game because he’s ill.
It’s Sweden’s Love Harenstam vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen in net.
What channel is Sweden vs. Finland and Canada vs. Czechia world juniors hockey semifinals today?
TV channel:Â NHL Network
Livestream: Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers, or Sling TV.
Watch world junior championships on Fubo
What time are Sweden vs. Finland and Canada vs. Czechia world juniors hockey semifinals today?
Date:Â Sunday, Jan. 4
Time:Â 4:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. ET (3:30 and 7:30 local time)
The Sweden-Finland game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET and Canada-Czechia will start at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the home of the Minnesota Wild.
World juniors hockey semifinals: How to watch, stream
Time:Â 4:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 4
Location:Â Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
TV:Â NHL Network
Streaming: Fubo and certain levels of Sling TV carry NHL Network.
World junior championships semifinals today
Jan. 4
All times p.m. ET
Sweden’s power play is connecting at 45% in the tournament, second only to Canada (47%).
Blackhawks No. 3 overall pick Anton Frondell has five goals and seven points. Forward Jack Berglund (Flyers) and defenseman Alfons Freij (Jets) also have seven points. Forward Ivar Stenberg is expected to be a top draft pick in June. He has two goals and five points at the tournament.
Forward Heikki Ruohonen (Flyers) has two goals and six points. So does defenseman Lasse Boelius (Ducks). Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen (Kings) has played every minute of the tournament.
Sweden and Finland played in the 2025 semifinal, and Finland skated off with a 4-3 overtime victory. Benjamin Rautiainen scored the winner from a bad angle on the power play. Konsta Helenius, a Buffalo Sabres first-round pick, had four assists in the game.