In a captivating clash between hockey powerhouses, Finland stunned the defending champion United States with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa. The capacity crowd of 16,433 at Canadian Tire Centre was treated to an instant classic as Tuomas Uronen emerged as the overtime hero for the Finns.
Uronen’s Overtime Heroics
The dramatic finish came just 1:46 into the extra frame as Uronen, a standout for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, burst down the right side on a rush and ripped a shot high to the glove side of American goaltender Trey Augustine. The Michigan State netminder, who made 29 saves in a losing effort, had no chance on the perfectly placed shot that sent the pro-Finland crowd into a frenzy.
I saw an opening and just let it rip. To score an overtime winner against the Americans in a game like this, it’s an unbelievable feeling.
– Tuomas Uronen
A See-Saw Affair
The back-and-forth battle saw the teams trade goals throughout regulation. The U.S. opened the scoring early in the first period through Carey Terrance of the OHL’s Erie Otters, but Finland responded quickly with goals from Jesse Kiiskinen and Julius Miettinen to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
In the second, Boston University’s Cole Hutson evened things up for the Americans, only to see Arttu Alasiurua restore Finland’s slim advantage less than two minutes later. The Finns carried the 3-2 lead into the final frame.
The Americans refused to go quietly, though, and Brody Ziemer, a University of Minnesota commit, tallied the equalizer early in the third period to ultimately force overtime. However, Uronen’s heroics ensured it was the Finns celebrating the hard-fought two points when all was said and done.
Finland Rolling, USA Still in Strong Position
The victory was Finland’s second straight after dropping their opener to host Canada. Meanwhile, the loss was the first of the tournament for Team USA after opening with wins over Germany and Latvia.
The Finns received a stellar 41-save performance from goaltender Petteri Rimpinen, who was serenaded with chants of “Let’s go, Finland!” by the appreciative crowd. The boisterous Finnish supporters made their presence felt from start to finish in the electric atmosphere.
Despite the disappointing result, the U.S. still finds itself in a favorable position heading into a New Year’s Eve showdown with Canada. The much-anticipated clash between border rivals will have major implications on the final Group A standings.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but we have to have a short memory. We still control our own destiny, and I know our group will be ready to bounce back against Canada.
– U.S. Head Coach Dan Muse
Looking Ahead
With the knockout rounds looming, every point is critical in the race for favorable quarterfinal positioning. Here’s a look at the each team’s remaining preliminary round schedule in the tightly contested Group A:
| Team | Remaining Preliminary Games |
| USA | vs Canada (Dec 31) |
| Finland | vs Germany (Dec 31) |
| Canada | vs USA (Dec 31) |
| Germany | vs Finland (Dec 31), vs Latvia (Jan 2) |
| Latvia | vs Germany (Jan 2) |
With plenty of compelling matchups still to come, the 2024 World Juniors are just heating up. If the fireworks in Ottawa were any indication, hockey fans are in for a wild ride as this year’s tournament shifts into high gear.
