The Kingston Frontenacs forward, who hails from Kerava, came down the right side on an odd-man rush and scored high to the glove side at 1:46. The Finns have won twice since falling 4-0 to Canada in their opener.

The U.S. finishes off its preliminary round run with a New Year’s Eve battle against Canada, which also has a game against Germany on Sunday night. Finland confronts Latvia earlier on 31 December at the Canadian Tire Centre.

This was a well-contested battle featuring multiple lead changes. Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen made his third consecutive start, while the U.S.’s Trey Augustine returned after ceding place to Hampton Slukynsky in the 5-1 win over Latvia. Both netminders performed admirably as final shots favoured Finland 44-33.

The U.S., the defending champions from 2024 (Gothenburg), are looking to medal for the third straight year. They also claimed bronze in 2023 (Halifax). The Finns are in the midst of a small drought. They haven’t won gold since 2019 (Vancouver) or any medal since 2022’s silver (Edmonton).

It was an entertaining atmosphere as the Ottawa crowd of 16,433 serenaded the archrival Americans with boos and chants of “Let’s go, Finland!”

The Americans came out with speed. Cole Eiserman, the all-time leading goal-scorer in U.S. National Team Development Program history (127), tested Rimpinen twice from close range inside the first two minutes. Eiserman was in a snarly mood as he also took the game’s first penalty for boarding in the Finnish zone.

Finland drew first blood at 9:50 on a shorthanded goal. Trevor Connelly, carrying the puck through the neutral zone, turned it over to Joona Saarelainen, who sent Arttu Alasiurua back the other way. He ripped a wrist shot over Augustine’s glove.

Around the 13-minute mark, with Finland shorthanded again, Alasiurua undressed the U.S. defence with a great move and cut in alone on Augustine. However, the Karpat Oulu attacker couldn’t beat the goalie’s glove with a backhander.

At 14:20, Terrance scored his second goal of these World Juniors on a solo dash from his own blue line, snapping a shot from the hash marks past Rimpinen.

Defenceman Cole Hutson gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead at 1:45 of the second period, zinging a perfect shot high to the short side from the left faceoff dot. Hutson, who had five assists in the opening 10-4 win over Germany, is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens blueliner Lane Hutson.

The Finns made it 2-2 at 4:09 with a power play marker just 12 seconds into a Joey Willis slashing minor. From the slot, Jesse Kiiskinen deflected in Emil Pieniniemi’s long drive. This was Finland’s first goal with the man advantage in Ottawa.

Julius Miettinen put Finland up 3-2 at 9:19, as Kasper Halttunen stickhandled deftly in the right faceoff circle before dishing the puck to the Everett Silvertips forward for a laser under the cross bar.

 

Rimpinen stoned U.S. speedster Oliver Moore with his glove on a shorthanded break to preserve the one-goal lead with under six minutes left in the middle frame. About two minutes later, Gabe Perreault had the Finnish goalie beat with a deke to the forehand, but put the puck off Rimpinen’s right post.

In the third period, a fired-up Brodie Ziemer tied it up for the U.S. at 3:26, converting Teddy Stiga’s sneaky cross-crease feed. Tension mounted, as U.S. captain Ryan Leonard drew boos after exchanging shoves with Rimpinen.

Finland’s last win over the U.S. was 1-0 in the 2020 quarter-finals on Joonas Oden’s third-period goal and Justus Annunen’s 30-save shutout. The U.S. won the next three games, including a 3-2 victory in the 2024 semi-finals on Cutter Gauthier’s power play goal with under four minutes left.