The 2025 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship provided fans with incredible action from April 23 through to May 3. Here are the Top 10 moments:
#1 How Swede it is! Canada overwhelms Sweden with a 7-0 victory to win the gold medal in back-to-back years, becoming only the second country to accomplish the feat. Balanced scoring from forwards and defencemen, exceptional goaltending and strong defensive awareness - this Canadian team had it all.
#2 Ben Kevan wasn’t one of Team USA’s top point-producers, entering the bronze medal game with three in the event. But he picked a great time to get his fourth and final point, scoring the overtime winner to give the United States a 4-3 win over Slovakia to claim bronze.
#3 Cole Reschny provided the heroics for Canada in its quarterfinal against Czechia, as he scored the game-tying goal in the second period and then won it in 3-on-3 overtime to send his team to the semis.
#4 Sweden wasn’t going to be denied. After losing to the Americans 6-3 in the preliminary round, the Swedes got their revenge in a 4-2 win when it counted, in the semifinal to advance to the gold medal game.
#5 Norway wins a wild relegation game, as Linys Trygg scores two in the penalty shot shootout and then he and his teammates watch their goaltender Felix Timraz-Westin stop Switzerland’s Lauro Peter to ice the win.
#6 Slovakia survives a wacky and wild final minute that sees Germany score with an extra attacker on the ice and just 38 seconds left to make it 3-2 Slovakia. Then, in the dying seconds of the game, German Rihards Griva’s shot just misses the net and Slovakia celebrates to escape with the win and a berth in the semifinals.
#7 Latvia dropped its eighth-straight game to Team USA in the quarterfinals but gave the Americans quite the scare. Down 3-0 and seemingly already out of the game, captain Daniels Serkins and Alberts Smits scored powerplay goals 49 seconds apart to get Latvia within one. Team USA won the game but the resolve of this Latvia group was impressive to see.
#8 Germany’s Dustin Willhoft scores a memorable penalty shot goal against Switzerland, as he provides a perfect delay and then rips a shot high blocker side past Jovin Trachsel
#9 Team USA had a lot of skill on display for its home fans in Texas. One of the top goals was scored by their top point getter LJ Mooney, a 5-foot-8 forward who pulled a Savardian Spinoarama to go around a Swiss forward and then move in and snap the puck over the shoulder of goaltender Jovin Trachsel. You won’t see many better goals than this one.
#10 When Eetu Orpana made a backhand pass in front of the net that was slammed home by Rasmus Pakarinen, Finland took a 4-2 lead over Latvia. But that moment capped a crazy 7:40 of hockey that saw the teams combine to score six goals. Entertaining? You bet.
#1 How Swede it is! Canada overwhelms Sweden with a 7-0 victory to win the gold medal in back-to-back years, becoming only the second country to accomplish the feat. Balanced scoring from forwards and defencemen, exceptional goaltending and strong defensive awareness - this Canadian team had it all.
#2 Ben Kevan wasn’t one of Team USA’s top point-producers, entering the bronze medal game with three in the event. But he picked a great time to get his fourth and final point, scoring the overtime winner to give the United States a 4-3 win over Slovakia to claim bronze.
#3 Cole Reschny provided the heroics for Canada in its quarterfinal against Czechia, as he scored the game-tying goal in the second period and then won it in 3-on-3 overtime to send his team to the semis.
#4 Sweden wasn’t going to be denied. After losing to the Americans 6-3 in the preliminary round, the Swedes got their revenge in a 4-2 win when it counted, in the semifinal to advance to the gold medal game.
#5 Norway wins a wild relegation game, as Linys Trygg scores two in the penalty shot shootout and then he and his teammates watch their goaltender Felix Timraz-Westin stop Switzerland’s Lauro Peter to ice the win.
#6 Slovakia survives a wacky and wild final minute that sees Germany score with an extra attacker on the ice and just 38 seconds left to make it 3-2 Slovakia. Then, in the dying seconds of the game, German Rihards Griva’s shot just misses the net and Slovakia celebrates to escape with the win and a berth in the semifinals.
#7 Latvia dropped its eighth-straight game to Team USA in the quarterfinals but gave the Americans quite the scare. Down 3-0 and seemingly already out of the game, captain Daniels Serkins and Alberts Smits scored powerplay goals 49 seconds apart to get Latvia within one. Team USA won the game but the resolve of this Latvia group was impressive to see.
#8 Germany’s Dustin Willhoft scores a memorable penalty shot goal against Switzerland, as he provides a perfect delay and then rips a shot high blocker side past Jovin Trachsel
#9 Team USA had a lot of skill on display for its home fans in Texas. One of the top goals was scored by their top point getter LJ Mooney, a 5-foot-8 forward who pulled a Savardian Spinoarama to go around a Swiss forward and then move in and snap the puck over the shoulder of goaltender Jovin Trachsel. You won’t see many better goals than this one.
#10 When Eetu Orpana made a backhand pass in front of the net that was slammed home by Rasmus Pakarinen, Finland took a 4-2 lead over Latvia. But that moment capped a crazy 7:40 of hockey that saw the teams combine to score six goals. Entertaining? You bet.