In an always anticipated rivalry clash, Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander and Team Sweden faced off against Finland for a chance to advance to the Gold Medal game at the 2025 World Junior Championships for a second consecutive year.
The Sweden-Finland rivalry is among the most storied in international hockey, and this semifinal matchup did not disappoint.
It took 21:22 minutes, but Sweden eventually struck first to take the lead thanks to a well-placed shot from St. Louis Blues prospect Otto Stenberg. The Finns kept the pressure on and answered back in quick succession. From there, the game remained a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading goals and momentum shifts in what turned into an edge-of-your-seat battle.
With the score tied three goals apiece and the shots relatively close at 40-33, the game looked to overtime to settle the final score.
With the Finns pressing, Willander was called for a questionable, at best, holding penalty, which sent the Finns to a power play as overtime wound down.
This shove by Tom Willander was called holding. In overtime.
A laughably bad call, Finland scores, and Sweden is now playing for bronze. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/7XWTyOgmat
— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis) January 4, 2025
From the penalty box, the Canucks’ first-round pick could only watch as Finland capitalized on the man advantage, scoring the game-winning goal to punch their ticket to the Gold Medal game.
Finland's game-winning goal was a 'no-looker' on the power play#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/tUrHhPw8lf
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2025
It was a cruel twist of fate for Willander, who had been one of Sweden’s most reliable and impactful players throughout the tournament.
Despite the tough ending, the Canuck product showcased his immense poise under pressure and his ability to eat minutes. The 19-year-old logged 29:17 of ice time and was a workhorse for the Swedes. Willander played in all situations and once again demonstrated his value as a top-flight two-way defender. He finished the game with four shots and a minus-1 rating.
Through five games, he has tallied two goals and three assists, and his ability to contribute offensively while maintaining his defensive responsibilities has been a standout feature of his play.
With the loss, Sweden will now face Czechia in the Bronze Medal game on Sunday at 12:30 PM PT. While the disappointment of missing out on Gold will undoubtedly linger, Sweden has a chance to finish the tournament on a high note and secure a podium finish after taking home a Silver in last year’s event.
