Tight battles, an upset, and an important bounce-back victory — Day 4 of the 2025 World Junior Championship had it all.
The day began with a Group B clash between Sweden and Switzerland, culminating in a 7-5 win for the Swedes. With Sweden holding a commanding 6-1 lead heading into the third, the score suggested they were running away with the game. However, it was much more closely contested in reality, with both teams equally displaying their hardworking and physical styles. The crucial difference to that point was Sweden’s superior finishing ability, which tipped the scales in their favour. Then came the final 20 minutes of play, when the Swiss were able to take control and score four goals to tighten things up on the scoreboard.
Though Sweden ultimately secured the victory, Switzerland demonstrated their ability to compete, finishing the game with just one fewer shot on goal than their opponents (36-35). The contest also featured a significant chunk of special teams action, with 18 penalties assessed over 60 minutes — split evenly between the Swedes and the Swiss. And both countries capitalized effectively on the power play, each converting on 4-of-7 opportunities with the man advantage. With the game’s result, Sweden stays undefeated while Switzerland remains winless.
The second game of the day was another tightly contested matchup — arguably one of the most entertaining of the tournament so far. It also became just the second game of the tournament to extend beyond regulation. A back-and-forth affair between the United States and Finland ended in a stunning 4-3 overtime victory for the Finns, which many would consider an upset. Finnish forward Tuomas Uronen scored the overtime goal on a two-on-one sequence to secure two points for Finland in Group A. The defending champions earned one point with the loss.
The one-goal game marked the closest margin the U.S. has faced since their semifinal matchup with Finland in last year’s tournament, which the Americans won 3-2 in regulation. Sunday’s result also ended their 10-game winning streak that began in 2023, following their 6-2 loss to Canada in the semifinals that year and starting with an 8-7 overtime victory against Sweden for the bronze medal.
Next up on the schedule were Group B teams Czechia and Slovakia. The Czechs entered the game undefeated and ultimately stayed that way, picking up a 4-2 victory in which they never trailed. Czechia came out strong, netting two goals in the first period, including a shorthanded tally. Slovakia then managed to cut down their lead to one goal in the second, but Czechia responded with two more to help keep them at bay.
A potential turning point for Slovakia came in the third period when Czech forward Vojtech Cihar received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a hit from behind on Miroslav Satan — a play likely to catch the attention of the IIHF Disciplinary Committee. Just a minute later, Czechia was called for tripping, giving Slovakia a two-man advantage. Captain Dalibor Dvorsky capitalized with a power-play goal, cutting the deficit with five minutes left to spark some hope. However, Slovakia couldn’t muster any further offence from there.
Last, but certainly not least, was a primetime showdown between Canada and Germany. Canadian fans had been eagerly awaiting the matchup ever since the country’s 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia on Friday, curious to see how they would respond and if they could bounce back from the disappointing performance. And while Canada’s play may still not have fully met the high expectations surrounding them, they managed to secure a 3-0 shutout win over Germany, getting back to their winning ways.
Despite Canada’s flaws, the odds were stacked against Germany heading into this game, as the country has only beaten Canada once in 30 World Junior meetings — and that was all the way back in 1981. Canada’s victory ties them with the U.S. at seven points after three games, setting up a New Year’s Eve showdown between the two to determine the group winner.
Now, with the day’s summary out of the way, here’s a look at three star-worthy performances in Ottawa that deserve recognition.
3rd star: Both goalies from the USA-Finland game
A major contributor to this game’s excitement level was the stellar play of both goaltenders at their respective ends of the ice.
For the U.S., Trey Augustine made 40 saves on 44 shots for a .900 save percentage. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen, meanwhile, stopped 30 of 33 shots to earn the same save percentage.
The Finns held the Americans to their fewest goals of the tournament, with Rimpinen playing a pivotal role in that during his third consecutive start. He made highlight-worthy saves throughout the contest, including two breakaway stops and two crucial saves in overtime that eventually set the stage for Uronen’s game-winning goal.
Augustine, too, bailed out the U.S. in key moments, as he was peppered with the most shots on goal the team has encountered so far in the tournament. He was mostly a steady presence during high-pressure situations, particularly when his team found themselves trailing for the first time — a situation they’re not accustomed to. He did so all while lacking the full defensive support he probably should’ve been getting.
Rimpinen, 18, is undrafted to the NHL and currently plays for Kiekko-Espoo in Liiga, Finland’s top professional league. Augustine, 19, is a draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, chosen 41st overall by the club in 2023. He is in his second season at Michigan State University, where he currently has a .930 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average across 14 games.
2nd star: Oliver Bonk, Canada
This star is being awarded to Bonk, but perhaps the real credit should go to the person who decided to finally move him into the bumper spot on Canada’s power play.
Bonk, who plays the bumper position on the London Knights’ power play, showcased his comfort in the role by firing a one-timer to open the scoring against Germany. In Canada’s previous two games, Bonk had been playing the quarterback role on the power play.
The goal, set up by teammates Easton Cowan and Berkly Catton, ultimately stood as the game-winner, marking Bonk’s first-ever at the world juniors. It was especially meaningful as it came not only in his hometown but also in the same rink where his father, Radek Bonk, spent over a decade playing for the Ottawa Senators.
Bonk, 19, is a prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was drafted 22nd overall in 2023 and signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the team shortly after. In 24 games with the Knights this season, he has six goals and 15 assists for a total of 21 points.
1st star: Tom Willander, Sweden
Who doesn’t appreciate an offensive defenceman?
Swedish blueliner Tom Willander led his team with two goals in their game against Switzerland, also adding an assist to finish with three points, joining teammates Axel Sandin Pellikka and Felix Unger Sorum in that achievement. Having recorded an assist in each of Sweden’s previous two games, Willander is now up to five points on the tournament.
The 19-year-old’s two goals on Sunday both came on the power play and were nearly identical. The first opened the game’s scoring when Willander’s slapshot from the point soared over the shoulder of Swiss netminder Elijah Neuenschwander. The second was a wrist shot from the point that navigated through less traffic than the first, but once again found its way past Neuenschwander.
Willander followed that up with a secondary assist on Sweden’s next goal, scored by Victor Eklund, which extended the lead to five with seconds remaining in the second period.
Selected 11th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft, Willander is currently playing in his sophomore season at Boston University. He’s registered nine points (two goals and seven assists) in 16 games so far this year.
Honourable mentions:
• Switzerland forward Kimo Gruber’s performance on Sunday was acknowledged with player of the game honours and is receiving further recognition here. The undrafted 19-year-old recorded two points and an assist in Switzerland’s loss, playing a noticeable part in their attempt to rally back from a five-goal deficit in the third period.
His first goal came midway through the first, when his shot from the circle was deflected in by a Swedish defenceman, tying the game at 1-1 — the only time the score would be even. His second goal was the first of four that the Swiss would score in the third period, another of which he also assisted on.
• The German and Canadian netminders sure showcased their skills on Sunday, earning player of the game honours in the process. Germany’s Nico Pertuch, 19, made 33 saves on 35 shots, posting a .940 save percentage. While Canada has yet to show this roster can reach the offensive heights of past years, Pertuch’s performance was undoubtedly impressive, as he kept the Canadians to just one goal for most of the contest before they added two more in the third period.
On the other side, Canada’s Carter George earned his second shutout of the tournament — an impressive feat regardless of the opponent, especially since he’s the only netminder to have done so thus far. The 18-year-old, drafted 57th overall by the Los Angeles Kings this summer, plays for the Owen Sound Attack, where he holds a .905 save percentage and 3.49 goals-against average through 23 games this season.
