2025 World Junior Semi-Finals Preview: Final 4 Battle for Gold – The Hockey Writers – World Junior Hockey Championships

The 2025 World Youth Championship has entered the final four teams, and the Czech team became the biggest surprise when they defeated the Canadian team 4-3 in the quarter-finals. Like last year, four teams are in the semifinals this year, joined by the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Sweden vs. Finland (3:30 p.m.)

Sweden: Quarterfinal review
Finland: Quarterfinal review

The first semi-final of the tournament will feature two of the strongest teams from start to finish. Sweden's roster is filled with NHL draft picks and their all-around performance is outstanding. Led by Axel Sandin Pelica (Detroit Red Wings), Anton Wahlberg (Buffalo Sabers) and netminder Melk Thelin, the Swedish team is The only undefeated team in the tournament. Sandin Pellikka scored nine points in five games to win the tournament's Defensive Player of the Year award for the second straight year. Overall, the team's attack was outstanding, scoring 27 goals and being the best team in the tournament (36% goal scoring rate). But they are more than just an offensive team. They were stingy on defense as well. With the exception of a five-goal game against Switzerland on December 29, Thelin and the strong defense have not allowed more than two goals in any game.

Finland advanced to the semifinals against Sweden after losing 4-0 to Canada on December 26. They defeated a strong Slovak team 5-3 in the quarterfinals on January 2. (Detroit Reds, leading Wings) and Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders). Haltunen hasn't become the offensive force many thought he could be in the tournament, but he's still one of Finland's most potent forwards. Kiskinen bounced back to form throughout the tournament after a sluggish start and helped solidify the top six in the forward group. Their defense has also been stingy, with Petri Limpinen playing in all five games and being a rock on the field. The showdown between Sweden's power play and Finland's penalty kill (a tournament-high 94%) will be the decisive factor in whether a penalty occurs, as well as the goalkeeping battle between Trin and Limpinen.

favorite:Sweden
Players to watch: Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden), Melker Thelin (Sweden), Kasper Halttunen (Finland), Petteri Rimpinen (Finland)

USA vs. Czech Republic (7:30 p.m.)

USA: Quarterfinal review
Czech Republic: Quarterfinal review

In the second semi-final, the United States team and the Czech team launched an offensive battle. The only blemish on the U.S. team's record was an overtime loss to Finland on December 29. , leaving his mark on the event. He leads Team USA with Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals), who each scored eight points in the tournament. Defensively, the U.S. has slowly regained order after appearing shaky early in the game. The improvement starts in net, where Trey Augustin (Detroit Red Wings) rebounds after a poor start. Much like Sweden, Team USA's power play has been firing on all cylinders, scoring 33 percent of the time, which will be a challenging task if the Czechs are given a chance.

RELATED: Guide to the 2025 World Junior Championships

The Czechs have the best goal difference in the tournament and are as potent an attack as any other team. They are led by a handful of draft picks in Jakub Stancl (St. Louis Blues) and Vojtech Hradec (Utah Hockey Club). After defeating Canada in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, the Czech Republic will look to defeat another giant when they take on the United States. They'll need to play solid defense, and Michael Hrabal (Utah Hockey Club) will be relied on to keep Team USA at bay just like he did in the first four games. The Czechs have won just one match against the United States in the WJC since 2014 and are looking to turn around their fortunes against the Americans.

favorite: USA
Players to watch: James Hagens (USA), Ryan Leonard (USA), Jakub Stancl (Czech Republic), Michael Hrabal (Czech Republic)

Will we see a rematch in the final?

With four teams in the semifinals like last year, will Sweden and the U.S. make it to the finals in a repeat of last year's gold medal match (which the U.S. won)? Or will the Czech Republic, Finland or both change the landscape? It's safe to say that both games will be competitive, with both sides likely to win and both have a chance to get into a goalkeeper showdown.

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