The Americans and Finns played for gold last year, and the teams met again a few days ago in an exhibition tilt in preparation for the 2026 World Juniors.
photo: Matt Zambonin/IIHF
The leadup to Christmas Eve was a busy time for the ten teams getting ready for the World Junior Championship in Minnesota. Every country played at least twice as coaches gave goalies a change to play while tinkering with line combinations and trying to figure out final cuts before the tournament gets under way on Boxing Day. Here’s an overview of what happened.
December 16 Switzerland vs. Minnesota State (at Mankato, Minnesota)
Jamiro Reber scored the tying goal for the Swiss with 17.2 seconds left in regulation, and Robin Antenen scored the shootout winner for the Swiss in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks. The game was played at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. Elijah Nuenschwander and Phileas Lachat shared the goaltending duties for the Swiss. MSU-M scored its only goal late in the first and maintained the lead for most of the rest of the game.
December 17 Sweden vs. Canada (at Kitchener, Ontario)
It had all the elements of a tournament game for Canada. Brady Martin, a 5th overall draft choice by Nashville last year, scored twice. Gavin McKenna, projected to be the number-one selection this year’s NHL Entry Draft, notched two assists. And, Carter George was nearly flawless in goal. Viggo Bjorck scored for the Swedes on a 5-on-3 power play. The game was played at a sold out Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
December 19 Germany vs. Finland (at Duluth, Minnesota)
Finland scored early and often, defeating Germany, 7-3, at UMD’s AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota. Teams combined for six goals in a wild opening period, the Finns getting four of that number. They got two more in the early part of the second to take control. After the three periods of regulation, teams played a 3-on-3 overtime period as part of their preparation. Max Westergard, who had scored in the third for Suomi, scored in the final minute of that OT. Linus Vieillard played the full game in goal for the Germans while Kim Saarinen played for the Finns.
December 19 Latvia vs. Czechia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
Max Curran scored 16 seconds into overtime to give Czechia a hard-fought 3-2 win over Latvia at the Sanford Center. After a goalless first period, the Czechs opened a 2-0 lead in a physical game, only to see the Latvians fight their way back into the game. They scored once later in the second and then tied the score early in the third. Mikus Vecvanags was strong in goal for the Latvians, stopping 27 shots and establishing himself as the team’s number-one goalie. Defender Adam Jiricek had two assists for the Czechs and was dominant on the blue line.
December 20 Sweden vs. Canada (at London, Ontario)
The Swedes avenged a 2-1 loss a few days ago by rallying to beat Canada, 4-2, in London, Ontario. The Canadians held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes but surrendered an early short-handed goal in the third and couldn’t stop the Swedes from adding two more for the win. Jack Berglund scored twice for the victors, who scored four times on only 16 shots on Jack Ivankovic. Canada’s coach Dale Hunter is also the coach of the OHL’s London Knights, but Canada's home-ice advantage didn’t mean anything to the Swedes at Canada Life Place.
December 21 Germany vs. United States (at Duluth, Minnesota)
Will Zellers and Will Horcoff each scored two goals to lead the 2024 and 2025 gold medallists to an easy 8-0 win over Germany at AMSOIL Arena. Shots favoured the U.S., 49-24. It wasn’t until the final minute of the first period that the Americans got going as they struck for two quick goals before the intermission. They added two late goals in the second after an early power-play goal, and scored three more times in the third. However, Trevor Connelly suffered an injury in the game that will force him to miss the tournament.
December 21 Switzerland vs. Denmark (at Rochester, Minnesota)
The Swiss came up with an impressive performance against newly-promoted Denmark, winning 6-1 at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Danes were held to just six shots on goal all game, including only three through the first 40 minutes. Lars Steiner, a projected first-round draft choice in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, led the way with two goals and an assist. He will be playing in his second World Juniors. The Danes have only one NHL draft choice in the tournament. Mads Kongsback-Klyvo was selected 112th overall by Florida in 2025.
December 21 Slovakia vs. Latvia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
Playing their first exhibition game, Slovakia shook off a sluggish start and defeated Latvia, 3-1, at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, where these two teams, along with Czechia, are preparing for the World Juniors. The Latvians went ahead 1-0 on a power play in the opening period, but Slovakia tied the game in the second on a Tobias Pitka goal and went ahead late in the third thanks to Tomas Chrenko. They added an empty netter to close out the scoring. Latvia lost for the second time, but on a positive note, they went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill and 2-for-8 on the power play in those games.
December 22 Slovakia vs. Czechia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
It was an odd ending to a tight game at the Sanford Center. With the score tied 1-1 in overtime, Slovakia pulled goalie Leo Henriquez about one minute into the sudden-death 3-on-3. And while they controlled the puck for the next 90 seconds, they couldn’t get a shot. The Czechs finally got the puck, and Max Curran scored into the empty net off an Adam Benak pass. Benak had wowed the crowd late in the second period when he nearly scored a lacrosse goal. Early in the third, he set up Tomas Poletin for the tying marker. Lukas Tomka had opened the scoring for the Slovaks midway through the second on a power play.
December 23 Finland vs. United States (at Duluth, Minnesota)
AMSOIL Arena was host to a re-match of the 2025 gold-medal game, and again the U.S. came out on top, this time by a 3-1 score in front of 5,141 enthusiastic supporters. Teams also played a trial overtime period, but neither scored in the 3-on-3, 5-minute period. Will Horcoff tied the game in the first after Heikki Ruohonen opened the scoring for Finland at 7:01. Max Plante got the go-ahead goal, which turned out to be the game winner, later in the second, and they added an empty netter late in the third.
December 23 Denmark vs. Canada (at Mankato, Minnesota)
The Danes felt the full brunt of Canada’s offence in this game, a 13-2 whipping at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Shots were 50-10 for the victors. The game was actually tied, 1-1, early in the first, but after Jett Luchanko made it 2-1 on a power play later in the period, it was all Canada thereafter. Gavin McKenna had two goals and five points for the Canadians, and Porter Martone and Zayne Parekh each had four points. William Bundgaard and Mads Kongsback-Klyvo scored for Denmark.
December 23 Switzerland vs. Sweden (at Rochester, Minnesota)
Sweden handled Switzerland to the tune of 7-3 in the final exhibition game of the World Junior Championship at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Swedes’ lineup included a whopping 17 NHL draft choices from 2024 and 2025. The Swiss scored 25 seconds after the opening faceoff, but Eddie Genborg tied it 12 minutes later, and it was all Sweden after that. They added four goals in the second and cruised to victory.
December 16 Switzerland vs. Minnesota State (at Mankato, Minnesota)
Jamiro Reber scored the tying goal for the Swiss with 17.2 seconds left in regulation, and Robin Antenen scored the shootout winner for the Swiss in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks. The game was played at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. Elijah Nuenschwander and Phileas Lachat shared the goaltending duties for the Swiss. MSU-M scored its only goal late in the first and maintained the lead for most of the rest of the game.
December 17 Sweden vs. Canada (at Kitchener, Ontario)
It had all the elements of a tournament game for Canada. Brady Martin, a 5th overall draft choice by Nashville last year, scored twice. Gavin McKenna, projected to be the number-one selection this year’s NHL Entry Draft, notched two assists. And, Carter George was nearly flawless in goal. Viggo Bjorck scored for the Swedes on a 5-on-3 power play. The game was played at a sold out Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
December 19 Germany vs. Finland (at Duluth, Minnesota)
Finland scored early and often, defeating Germany, 7-3, at UMD’s AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota. Teams combined for six goals in a wild opening period, the Finns getting four of that number. They got two more in the early part of the second to take control. After the three periods of regulation, teams played a 3-on-3 overtime period as part of their preparation. Max Westergard, who had scored in the third for Suomi, scored in the final minute of that OT. Linus Vieillard played the full game in goal for the Germans while Kim Saarinen played for the Finns.
December 19 Latvia vs. Czechia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
Max Curran scored 16 seconds into overtime to give Czechia a hard-fought 3-2 win over Latvia at the Sanford Center. After a goalless first period, the Czechs opened a 2-0 lead in a physical game, only to see the Latvians fight their way back into the game. They scored once later in the second and then tied the score early in the third. Mikus Vecvanags was strong in goal for the Latvians, stopping 27 shots and establishing himself as the team’s number-one goalie. Defender Adam Jiricek had two assists for the Czechs and was dominant on the blue line.
December 20 Sweden vs. Canada (at London, Ontario)
The Swedes avenged a 2-1 loss a few days ago by rallying to beat Canada, 4-2, in London, Ontario. The Canadians held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes but surrendered an early short-handed goal in the third and couldn’t stop the Swedes from adding two more for the win. Jack Berglund scored twice for the victors, who scored four times on only 16 shots on Jack Ivankovic. Canada’s coach Dale Hunter is also the coach of the OHL’s London Knights, but Canada's home-ice advantage didn’t mean anything to the Swedes at Canada Life Place.
December 21 Germany vs. United States (at Duluth, Minnesota)
Will Zellers and Will Horcoff each scored two goals to lead the 2024 and 2025 gold medallists to an easy 8-0 win over Germany at AMSOIL Arena. Shots favoured the U.S., 49-24. It wasn’t until the final minute of the first period that the Americans got going as they struck for two quick goals before the intermission. They added two late goals in the second after an early power-play goal, and scored three more times in the third. However, Trevor Connelly suffered an injury in the game that will force him to miss the tournament.
December 21 Switzerland vs. Denmark (at Rochester, Minnesota)
The Swiss came up with an impressive performance against newly-promoted Denmark, winning 6-1 at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Danes were held to just six shots on goal all game, including only three through the first 40 minutes. Lars Steiner, a projected first-round draft choice in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, led the way with two goals and an assist. He will be playing in his second World Juniors. The Danes have only one NHL draft choice in the tournament. Mads Kongsback-Klyvo was selected 112th overall by Florida in 2025.
December 21 Slovakia vs. Latvia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
Playing their first exhibition game, Slovakia shook off a sluggish start and defeated Latvia, 3-1, at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, where these two teams, along with Czechia, are preparing for the World Juniors. The Latvians went ahead 1-0 on a power play in the opening period, but Slovakia tied the game in the second on a Tobias Pitka goal and went ahead late in the third thanks to Tomas Chrenko. They added an empty netter to close out the scoring. Latvia lost for the second time, but on a positive note, they went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill and 2-for-8 on the power play in those games.
December 22 Slovakia vs. Czechia (at Bemidji, Minnesota)
It was an odd ending to a tight game at the Sanford Center. With the score tied 1-1 in overtime, Slovakia pulled goalie Leo Henriquez about one minute into the sudden-death 3-on-3. And while they controlled the puck for the next 90 seconds, they couldn’t get a shot. The Czechs finally got the puck, and Max Curran scored into the empty net off an Adam Benak pass. Benak had wowed the crowd late in the second period when he nearly scored a lacrosse goal. Early in the third, he set up Tomas Poletin for the tying marker. Lukas Tomka had opened the scoring for the Slovaks midway through the second on a power play.
December 23 Finland vs. United States (at Duluth, Minnesota)
AMSOIL Arena was host to a re-match of the 2025 gold-medal game, and again the U.S. came out on top, this time by a 3-1 score in front of 5,141 enthusiastic supporters. Teams also played a trial overtime period, but neither scored in the 3-on-3, 5-minute period. Will Horcoff tied the game in the first after Heikki Ruohonen opened the scoring for Finland at 7:01. Max Plante got the go-ahead goal, which turned out to be the game winner, later in the second, and they added an empty netter late in the third.
December 23 Denmark vs. Canada (at Mankato, Minnesota)
The Danes felt the full brunt of Canada’s offence in this game, a 13-2 whipping at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Shots were 50-10 for the victors. The game was actually tied, 1-1, early in the first, but after Jett Luchanko made it 2-1 on a power play later in the period, it was all Canada thereafter. Gavin McKenna had two goals and five points for the Canadians, and Porter Martone and Zayne Parekh each had four points. William Bundgaard and Mads Kongsback-Klyvo scored for Denmark.
December 23 Switzerland vs. Sweden (at Rochester, Minnesota)
Sweden handled Switzerland to the tune of 7-3 in the final exhibition game of the World Junior Championship at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Swedes’ lineup included a whopping 17 NHL draft choices from 2024 and 2025. The Swiss scored 25 seconds after the opening faceoff, but Eddie Genborg tied it 12 minutes later, and it was all Sweden after that. They added four goals in the second and cruised to victory.