Coach Nick Fohr’s Americans will face Switzerland in Thursday’s quarter-finals, while the host Finns confront Nordic archrival Sweden.
Of battling the Swiss, Stiga said: “I think we’re pretty familiar with those guys. We’ve played them, I think, four or five times. So we kind of know what we need to do, and we’re just going to rest tomorrow and then get at it.”
Hagens added three assists for a six-point night. The shifty 17-year-old ace, an early MVP candidate here and the #1 prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, now leads the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship with 16 points (7+9=16). He’s eyeing Nikita Kucherov’s single-tournament scoring record (21 points, 2011).
The U.S. racked up four power-play goals and outshot Finland 51-24. The final outcome was never seriously in doubt. It wasn’t exactly the performance the Finns wanted with newly elected Finnish president Alexander Stubb in attendance. But the Americans were pleased.
“It just kind of shows how we’re all ready to win, just trying to win a gold medal,” Hagens said. “And we’re going to put everything we have on the line. To be able to go out there in front of so many people and put up nine goals in this game, that’s a huge step for our team.”
Defender Mitja Jokinen was one bright spot for Finland with a goal and two helpers.
Looking forward to facing Sweden next, captain Aron Kiviharju said: “They’re our neighbours, and it’s always a great rival team when Finland and Sweden face each other. It’s going to be a great game on Thursday.”
This was the marquee matchup of the group stage for good reason. The Finns and Americans have thrice played for U18 Worlds gold. The U.S. previously triumphed in 2006 and 2015, while Finland prevailed in 2018.
Yet it proved to be a big statement game for the Americans, underlining their status as the team to beat in 2024.
It began as a battle of starting goalies. The U.S.’s Nicholas Kempf and Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen came in with the tournament’s best numbers (97.7 save percentage and 0.56 GAA for Kempf, 95.6 save percentage and 0.50 GAA for Rimpinen). However, Rimpinen would be pulled by the third period.
In the first period, the U.S. set the early pace with speed and physicality, outshooting the hosts 21-6.
Stiga, who took the first U.S. penalty, redeemed himself by…
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