World Junior Championship roundup: U.S. tops Czechia, faces Finland for title | NHL.com

Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT) — Benjamin Rautiainen (2025 draft eligible) scored a power-play goal at 9:22 of overtime and Finland advanced to the gold-medal game of the World Juniors for the first time since 2022.

Finland will play the winner of the second semifinal, between the United States and Czechia, in the championship game at Canadian Tire Centre on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN).

Rautiainen was stationed along the goal line on the right side of the Sweden zone, and his shot along the ice went under the pads of goalie Melker Thelin (Utah Hockey Club).

“I just saw that the goalie is standing so I try to shoot to the five-hole as hard as I can,” Rautiainen said.

Emil Hemming (Dallas Stars) had a goal and an assist for Finland, and Jesse Kiiskinen (Detroit Red Wings) and Arttu Alasiurua (2025 draft eligible) also scored. Konsta Helenius (Buffalo Sabres) had four assists and Petteri Rimpinen (2025 draft eligible) made 43 saves.

“It’s an unreal feeling,” Finland defenseman Aron Kiviharju (Minnesota Wild) said. “Can’t really describe the feelings in any words. We did a [heck] of job there to get the win tonight. It wasn’t easy. I think we played really well for the first two periods but in the third we were just trying to survive.”

Otto Stenberg (St. Louis Blues) scored two goals for Sweden, and Wilhelm Hallquisth (2025 draft eligible) also scored. Thelin made 31 saves.

Sweden will play the losing team from the second semifinal in the bronze-medal game Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN).

“I told the players right after the game, ‘Right now, for two hours, you can be disappointed, but then we need to have a meeting at the hotel and regroup,'” Sweden coach Magnus Havelid said. “It was a bit disappointing, but we will play in the bronze-medal game tomorrow, and that’s a good feeling. So we need to come together tonight and regroup.”

Stenberg made it 1-0 at 1:22 of the second period. He lifted the stick of Finland defenseman Emil Pieniniemi (Pittsburgh Penguins) at center ice and took off on a 2-on-1 with Victor Eklund (2025 draft eligible). Stenberg kept the puck and scored from the left side.

Hemming tied it 1-1 at 4:32. As a Finland power play was ending, Hemming passed to Helenius below the goal line, skated to the net, and scored off the return pass.

Kiiskinen scored a power-play goal 13:28 to put Finland ahead 2-1, tapping in a backdoor pass by Topias Hynninen (2025 draft eligible).

Sweden allowed a tournament-high eight power-play goals.

Stenberg tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 18:07, when his one-timer from the right face-off circle deflected off the glove of Finland defenseman Veeti Vaisanen (Utah Hockey Club) and past Rimpinen.

Finland went ahead 3-2 when Arttu Alasiurua scored on a net drive at 19:39.

Hallquisth tied it 3-3 at 11:32 of the third period when his point shot trickled between Rimpinen’s right arm and body.

Sweden got a power play during overtime when Jessi Nurmi (New York Islanders) was called for high-sticking at 2:26. But Rimpinen, who has earned the nickname “Showtime,” made three saves.

“Once again, Mr. Showtime was doing his job to help us win this type of game,” Kiviharju said. “We showed our resilience and kept going and waited for our opportunity.”