Detroit Red Wings on Todd McLellan’s impact 1 year in: Worst to first
Detroit Red Wings Todd McLellan, Ben Chiarot & Alex DeBrincat, Dec. 23, 2025 in Detroit.
The United States is perfect in its attempt for a three-peat at the world junior hockey championship as the level of competition ramps up with each game.
That continues on Wednesday, Dec. 31 when the USA (3-0) faces Sweden (3-0) in the final preliminary round game with the top seed in Group A on the line before the quarterfinals begin on Jan. 2.
The USA has already beaten Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia. They have been without top defenseman Cole Hutson since midway through the Switzerland game after he was hit by a puck and left the ice on a stretcher. He won’t play on Wednesday and remains day-to-day.
The Americans also faced adversity in the Slovakia game, overcoming a 2-0 deficit to pull off a wild win.
USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates on the USA vs. Sweden world junior championships game. Follow along:
Leo Sahlin Wallenius is called for interference. Sweden kills the penalty. Less than nine minutes left.
Sweden moves the puck around well, and Ivar Stenberg scores with one second left on the two-man advantage. USA kills off the rest of the second penalty. Sweden 6, USA 3
AJ Spellacy is called for an illegal check to the head of Sweden’s Lucas Pettersson, who was shaken up on the play.
Luke Osburn skates off the ice after being checked into the referee. He’s also called for delay of game for putting the puck over the glass. He’s able to serve the penalty.
Teddy Stiga scores on a deflection 16 seconds into the power play. LJ Mooney and Ryker Lee get the assists. Sweden 5, USA 3
Lucas Pettersson is called for interference.
5-2 Sweden. If this holds up, the Swedes would win Group A and face Latvia.
Nick Kempf is in net for the third period.
Not a good period by the USA and a great one by Sweden. The Swedes showed a lot of speed in that period and didn’t let up after the USA cut its deficit to 3-1. Eddie Genborg and Lucas Pettersson scored twice in the period. But the USA got a late goal and trail by three heading into the third period.
Brady Knowling stops Lucas Pettersson on a breakaway, preventing him from getting a hat trick.
Will Zellers scores his fifth goal of the tournament. Sweden’s Love Harenstam stops James Hagens’ initial shot and Brodie Ziemer’s rebound but can’t stop Zellers. Sweden 5, USA 2
Sweden connects again on the power play. Eddie Genborg scores his second man-advantage goal of the game. Sweden 5, USA 1
Logan Hensler is called for interference
The USA turns over the puck and Lucas Pettersson skates down the ice and scores from almost the same as he did on the third goal. Sweden 4, USA 1
Goalie Love Harenstam is called for embellishment. He falls exaggeratedly after Will Zellers makes light contact.
Score is 3-1 Sweden. Shots are 15-15.
The USA gets several chances late in the power play and the puck comes back to Chase Reid, who scores on a snap shot. Sweden 3, USA 1
Eric Nilson is called for tripping. The USA scored its lone two power play goals of the tournament in the last game against Slovakia.
Sweden gets a second consecutive goal off the rush. Lucas Pettersson scores on a perfect shot from the right faceoff circle. Sweden 3, USA 0
Eddie Genborg takes a pass from Liam Danielsson and beats Brady Knowling, who nearly got over in time. The puck goes in and out so fast that it wasn’t called a goal right away. Sweden 2, USA 0
Ryker Lee is called for goaltender interference.
Love Harenstam has made a couple saves off his mask in this game.
1-0 Sweden.
USA had a few flurries and Ryker Lee was stopped in front after stealing a puck, but Sweden played pretty well defensively to keep the U.S. off the scoreboard. USA goalie Brady Knowling, 17, also played well. Sweden’s goal went in off a U.S. defenseman’s skate. Shots are 10-10.
Sweden’s Casper Juustovaara gets a good bounce when his pass through the crease goes in off USA defenseman Logan Hensler’s skate at 9:17. This is the second consecutive game in which the USA has allowed the first goal. Sweden 1, USA 0
USA hits the post. Shots are 3-3.
Goalie matchup is USA’s Brady Knowling, a 17-year-old, vs. Sweden’s Love Harenstam.
What channel is USA vs. Sweden world juniors hockey game 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 is USA vs. Sweden world juniors hockey game today?
Date:Â Wednesday, Dec. 31
Time:Â 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time)
The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time) at the Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the home of the Minnesota Wild.
World juniors USA vs Sweden: How to watch, stream
Time:Â 6 p.m. ET on Wedneday, Dec. 31
Location:Â Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
TV:Â NHL Network
Streaming: Fubo and certain levels of Sling TV carry NHL Network.
Today’s world juniors hockey schedule
All times p.m. ET
Dec. 31
- Switzerland 3, Slovakia 2: Loris Wey and Mike Aeschlimann scored power-play goals after Tobias Tomik received a double minor for high sticking in the first period. Kevin Haas’ second period goal ended up being the game-winner as Slovakia scored twice in the last 13 minutes. Switzerland finishes third and Slovakia fourth in Group A. The Swiss will face the Canada-Finland loser and Slovakia will face the winner.
- Czechia 4, Latvia 2: Vaclav Nestrasil had a goal and an assist as Czechia moved up to second in Group B. They would fall back to third if Finland beats Canada in the late game.
- USA vs. Sweden, 6
- Canada vs. Finland, 8:30
The 17-year-old plays for the U.S. National Team Development Program.
The USA and Sweden are meeting for the 38th time in the tournament. The Americans have won 19 times to Sweden’s 17, with two ties. The U.S. has won seven of the last 10 games and beat Sweden 6-2 in the 2024 gold-medal game.
USA forward Plante will miss the Sweden game with an undisclosed injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.
Hutson, who has been out since the Switzerland game after he was hit in the head by a shot, has been ruled out of the Sweden game. He remains day-to-day.
Will Zellers leads the USA with four goals and six points. He has the game-winning goal in the first three games. James Hagens (Bruins), AJ Spellacy (Blackhawks) and Brodie Ziemer (Sabres) have four points apiece.
Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell has three goals and five points. He was drafted No. 3 overall in 2025. Viggo Bjorck, eligible for the 2026 NHL draft, also has three goals. Ivar Stenberg, who’s challenging to be the top of the draft, has a goal and two assists.