Graphic: Genevive Oliver There have been great players for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and then there has been Mario Lemieux. From the impossible reach of his stick to his effortless, balletic stride, 'Le Magnifique' wasn't just a force of nature—he was a work of art on ice. His time in Pittsburgh wasn't just about piling up goals and assists; it was an incredible journey of dizzying highs, a battle with a life-threatening illness, and then, a truly triumphant comeback that carved his place as an eternal Penguins legend. His story is one of unrivaled greatness on the ice and a fierce, unwavering loyalty to the city that loved him. The Arrival of Le Magnifique: The Savior of a City The hype around Mario Lemieux started almost before he even got here. In the mid-1980s, the Pittsburgh Penguins were a punchline—a franchise teetering on the brink of irrelevance. Their arena was a ghost town, their roster a collection of misfits. Then, on a fateful day in 1984, the draft lotte...
Back-To-Back Champs: Team USA Wins Gold At 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship
On Sunday, January 5th, history repeated itself in a dramatic fashion as Team USA, fueled by an unwavering will to conquer, overcame a resilient Finnish squad 4-3 in overtime, securing a second consecutive gold medal and cementing their legacy as a dominant force in international hockey. Teddy Stiga, the hero of the hour, scored his first goal of the tournament, the golden goal, in overtime, igniting a wave of ecstatic cheers that echoed throughout the arena. It marked the first time in history that the U.S. has won back-to-back gold medals in the World Junior Championship.
Finland's Jesse Kiiskinen opened the scoring on the power play from the slot with 12:47 left in the first period. At 7:56, James Hagens found the equalizer, battling in front of the net following a shot from Ryan Leonard. Tuomas Uronen responded 59 seconds later from the top of the right circle to untie the knot to give Finland the 2-1 lead.
Emil Pieniniemi had extended Finland's lead to 3-1 at 15:04 of the second period from the right circle on a wrister. Firing a shot that deflected off a Finnish defender from the point, and finding the back of the net, Brandon Svoboda made it 3-2 with 2:22 left to play in the middle frame. Cole Hutson, who picked up one of the assists on the second USA tally, tied it up to 3-3 with just seconds remaining in the second when he collected a pass from Ryan Leonard, firing the puck from the slot and beat Petteri Rimpinen on the glove side.
After a scoreless third period, Teddy Stiga struck the golden goal at 11:56 in overtime on a breakaway, scoring five-hole for his first goal of the tournament. The opportunity had been set up by Zeev Buium, who sent Stiga a stretch pass and then found the back of the net for the 4-3 victory.
Notes:
- Trey Augustine made a total of 21 saves for the U.S., and picked up his 12th career victory win in the World Juniors.
- Ryan Leonard was named MVP of the tournament, finishing with 10 points (five goals, five assists)... Teddy Stiga was named U.S. Player of the Game after scoring the golden goal. ...Leonard also earned the Directorate Award as the Best Forward in the Tournament and was named to the Media All-Star Team along with both Cole Hutson and Gabe Perreault.
- Team USA outshot Finland 40-24, and the U.S. did not have a power play opportunity in the contest. ...Finland went 1-for-1.
- This is the seventh gold medal for Team USA in the IIHF World Junior Championship. The previous six came in 2024, 2021, 2017, 2013, 2010, and 2004.
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