OTTAWA – USA is left searching for answers after losing 4-3 in overtime to Finland in their third game at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in their third of four preliminary-round games. Tuomas Uronen (VGK) scored the overtime winner on a 3-on-1 rush following two huge saves by Petteri Rimpinen to secure two standings points with the OT victory.

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Trey Augustine (DET) made 40 saves in the contest, but said after the game that he simply did not get enough of the puck on the shot that beat him for the OT game winner.

“That’s one I honestly wish I had back,” Augustine said after the game.

Rimpinen with the huge stop on one end, and then Uronen ends it going the other way!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/KVzaPyP4K9

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2024

Team USA’s offensive attack was stymied by disciplined neutral zone play by Finland, but miscues throughout the game seemed to really impact USA’s chances. On top of that, they couldn’t get their power play working and didn’t get enough out of their power play.

USA remains in first place in the group for now, with seven points in the standings, but could finish as low as third if beaten by Canada in regulation. That's going to be a big one in a few days. Now the U.S. gets a few days off to stew on this one and figure out how to dial it back up on New Year's Eve.

Let’s take a look at what happened and why USA is heading into their anticipated matchup on NYE against Canada with some real stakes now.

Scoring Summary

USA Goals by: Carey Terrance (ANA), Cole Hutson (WSH), Brodie Ziemer (WSH)

Key Stats

• 11:10 – Number of minutes logged by Zeev Buium (MIN) during the third period and OT.
• 0-for-10 – James Hagens’ (2025) numbers at the faceoff circle
• 35.48 – USA’s team faceoff percentage
• 0-for-4 – Team USA’s Power Play
• 15 – Saves by Trey Augustine in the third period

Team USA’s Stars Didn’t Always Play Like It

One of the biggest problems for Team USA was that their best players did not strongly impact the game. Two of the goals were scored by forwards on the bottom two lines and the third was scored by defenseman Cole Hutson (WSH).

USA was getting good shifts out of their third line and got a few looks at their fourth line. That said, the top line did get some Grade A opportunities with Gabe Perreault (NYR) hitting the post and cross bar on two separate breakaways that would have changed the game.

The individualistic plays through the middle of the ice proved costly and USA was having a hard time getting their second line out there late in the game. While the top line of Perreault, James Hagens (2025) and Ryan Leonard (WSH) were generating opportunities, they weren’t finishing.

Another player that has really seemed to struggle and not play close to his lofty top level is Zeev Buium (MIN). David Carle’s go-to defenseman is playing the minutes, but he hasn’t had the precision with his puck moving and hasn’t been shaking off opposing defenders enough.

When Carle was asked if he needed more out of Zeev, he said he needed more out of a lot of players. That said, Buium is playing major, major minutes, logging more than 28 in the game. The question is going to be if the load is too heavy for the DU blueliner, or perhaps more accurately, if the U.S. simply has to get more from the rest of a blue line that is a clear weak point of the team.

This team has enough good players to compete with anybody, but when the big guys aren’t going at their top level, the team looks a lot closer to average.

Neutral Zone A Danger Zone

USA’s puck management issues reared its ugly head once again as the American forwards and defensemen were too careless with the puck in neutral ice or when it came to getting out of their zone. Finland was cutting off routes, creating turnovers and putting USA on their heels.

Finland is as good as any team at making the neutral a tough place to get pucks through, but USA made it easier on them than they should have. Getting pucks out of the defensive zone and right back into the opponents’ hands is a good way to get burned and it happened a few times against Finland.

USA’s inability to win 50-50 pucks and win one-on-one battles against defenders is making it hard to get a consistent transition game going. When the other team is constantly turning you the other way, it’s near impossible to get into a rhythm. Finland is one of the best teams going at knocking teams off balance, but USA had a hard time really ever getting through that.

Carle has been critical of his team when they’ve tried to make too many plays through the opposing team instead of getting pucks deep and keeping it simple. The amount of turnovers near each blue line is really becoming a trouble spot.

Special Teams Struggled 

USA power play should be a strength of the team, but they had a hard time getting into a rhythm as well. There were a lot of miscues that led to them going 0-for-4. USA’s power play is now 2-for-11, which just isn’t good enough for a team with this many weapons.

On top of that, the U.S. gave up a shorthanded goal and a power play goal. That ends up being part of the difference in the game. Special teams favored Finland and that made a difference in the end.

Forecheck Was Non-Existent

When USA plays well down low, they win. When they forecheck and attack, they win. They didn’t have much of a forecheck beyond what their third and fourth lines were bringing.

The trio of Oliver Moore (CHI), Teddy Stiga (NSH) and Brodie Ziemer (BUF) created a goal thanks to strong presence down low, outnumbering pucks and making quick decisions in close proximity to the net.

Not being able to establish any pressure up front was a real trouble spot for Team USA. It allowed Finland’s defensemen to stretch the ice quickly and comfortably, putting USA’s own defense on their heels. It’s not a great look for USA to be outskated by Finland, but it seemed that was the case.

Finland Brought It

You've got to give credit to Finland for making plays when they needed to and playing disciplined through the neutral zone. The guy who deserves much of the praise is Petteri Rimpinen, who has been awesome in this tournament. He was massive in the game, making 30 saves including two massive ones in OT just before the winner.

USA had a few breakaways, and some quality chances, but he made a lot of the easy stops and a few that you wouldn't expect. Captain Aron Kiviharju said that they call him Showtime in the dressing room and did he ever show it today.

Finland being the better team on the rush was also not something I expected, but when they outnumbered pucks and got numbers up, they were having success. They were able to dictate the pace of the game more. That was impressive.

Player Notes

Trey Augustine, G (DET) 

The expectations for Trey Augustine for this tournament were so high and now I wonder if they were too high. He has allowed four goals in each of his starts. That has not happened all season at Michigan State. He has gotten a piece of several of the pucks that have leaked through him. That’s been surprising.

Augustine rarely struggles in two straight starts. That said, he was USA’s best player in the third period and I thought had settled in. He was pretty furious at himself for letting the OT winner in after getting his glove on it. The glove side has looked like anz issue in this tournament and teams are trying to pick at it on him.

Brodie Ziemer ties things up for #TeamUSA early in the third 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/PmToJpQ2WT

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 29, 2024

Brodie Ziemer, RW (BUF)

Ziemer scored on a nice net-front play for a hard-work goal that was created by his linemates. Driving the net and being disruptive in the middle is important. Ziemer gives USA a high-motor player who can do the things down-low that are necessary to help a team win. 

Adam Kleber, D (BUF)

After not playing the first game and getting limited minutes in the second game, Adam Kleber was in USA’s top four today and played well. He keeps it simple and doesn’t allow much to get behind him. He’s got size and mobility and I felt like he made good reads. He played over 19 minutes in the game and was steady, finishing with a plus-two rating. Kleber gives you very little offensively, but if he defends adequately that helps.

Carey Terrance, C (ANA)

Carey Terrance was another player that plays the right way and the way USA needs to play to win hockey games. He was excellent on the PK, blocking shots and scored a beautiful goal to get USA back on track. He plays with impressive speed, gets in more physically and was among the better fore-checkers. He'll be a critical piece in these tight games.

Carey Terrance evens things up for #TeamUSA 🇺🇸#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/84GsmLdZ9o

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 29, 2024

Team USA World Junior Championship Schedule

Thurs., Dec. 26

• USA 10, Germany 4

Sat., Dec. 28

• USA 5, Latvia 1

Sun., Dec. 29

• USA 3, Finland 4 (Shootout)

Tues., Dec. 31

• USA vs. Canada, 8:00 p.m. ET

Thurs., Jan. 2

• Quarterfinal & Relegation Games, Times TBD

Sat., Jan. 4

• Semifinal Games, Times TBD

Sun., Jan. 5

• Bronze Medal Game, Time TBD
• Gold Medal Game, Time TBD

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