It will be the United States vs Canada on Sunday morning in the title game of the IIHF U-18 World Championships in Espoo, Finland.
Game time is 11 a.m. EDT and you can watch it on the NHL Network and live stream it on fubo TV (add-on, FREE trial), ESPN+, Sling TV (add-on, discount) and DirecTV Stream (introductory discount and free trial, add-on).
The same two countries met in the women’s final on April 14 in Utica, New York, and Canada won 6-5 in overtime.
Both Team USA and Team Canada are unbeaten entering play on Sunday morning.
Team USA swept preliminary round play, topped Switzerland (4-0) in the quarterfinals and beat Slovakia (7-2) on Saturday in the semifinals.
Canada also swept its preliminary-round games, then shut out Latvia, 4-0 in the quarterfinals and edged Sweden 5-4 in the semifinals.
- WATCH: NHL Network, and livestreamed on fubo TV (add-on, FREE trial), ESPN+, Sling TV (add-on, discount) and DirecTV Stream (introductory discount and free trial, add-on)
The U.S. has won 11 of its 16 appearances all-time in the gold-medal game, including last year in 2023, when it beat Sweden, 3-2 in overtime, to clinch the top spot on the podium. The U.S. has won back-to-back gold medals on five previous occasions, including four consecutive golds from 2009-2012.
The last time Team USA won back-to-back golds was in 2014 and 2015.
This is the third time that Team USA and Canada have met in the gold-medal game. The United States earned a 5-1 victory in 2005 and the Canadians won in 2013 by a 3-2 score.
The last time they played in the tourney took place in the preliminary round in 2022, a matchup the Americans won by a score of 8-3.
Team USA’s James Hagens has scored a tournament-leading 22 points through six games, already breaking Nikita Kucherov’s single-tournament record (21), which stood for 13 years.
His play has helped the Americans pile up a 44-9 advantage in goals in six games. Part of that can be credited to its power play, which is 13-for-25 (52 percent). Cole Eiserman has scored six times on the power play.
Canada is second in goals scored in this tournament with 40, led by Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone with 16 points apiece. That total set a Team Canada record for points in a tournament, held previously by Macklin Celebrini (2023) and Tyson Jost (2015) who had 15 points at their respective U18s.
The battle in goal is pretty evenly matched. Nicholas Kempf of Team USA has recorded two shutouts in the tournament, with a 1.15 goals against average (GAA) and 94.9 save percentage. Canada’s Carter George also has two shutouts, with a 2.00 GAA and 92.9 save percentage.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV is the first app-based TV service letting you stream live television and on-demand content over the internet. Watch live shows wherever you are, at home or on the go. Subscribers will also get half off their first month. The 2 main plans — Sling Orange and Sling Blue — offer 30+ channels for $40 a month, or $55 combined. Sling’s two main offerings are Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Each plan is available to stream for $40 a month. You can also combine the two for $55 a month, giving you access to around 50 channels. Sling is currently offering the first month for only $20.
What is fubo TV?
fubo Sports Network is a live TV network for passionate sports fans. Watch event coverage, keep up with the day’s hottest sports topics, check out exclusive content and sports-related entertainment programming. Fubo offers three plans: the Pro plan for $79.99 per month, the Elite plan for $89.99 per month, and the Premier plan for $84.99 per month. The two highest plans include additional channels and 4K capabilities.
What is ESPN+
With 75 weekly national games and more than 1,000 out-of-market games available, ESPN+ is home to the widest selection of NHL games anywhere this season. ESPN+ is also a great value for fans of soccer, UFC, MMA, baseball, hockey, boxing, golf, and college sports. The cost is just $10.99/month.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream is a no-term commitment service. That means that you can enjoy the best of Live TV and On-demand local and national channels without the contracts. DirecTV Stream comes with a 7-day free trial, which is its best selling point. DIRECTV STREAM’s five-day free trial differs from the free trials offered by competitors in a few key ways. One significant advantage of DIRECTV STREAM’s trial is its comprehensive channel lineup, which includes a wide range of live TV channels, sports coverage, and on-demand content. This makes it an appealing choice for users who want access to diverse programming options during the trial period.