TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Quebec – Anchored by a two-goal game from Carter Sanderson (Pierre, S.D./Muskegon Lumberjacks) and a 30-save performance from Caleb Heil (Victoria, Minn./Madison Capitols), the U.S. Junior Select Team defeated Sweden, 4-2, in the semifinal of the 2025 World Junior A Challenge here today at Colisée Vidéotron.
Team USA will face Canada West in the World Junior A Challenge championship game tomorrow (Dec. 13) at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on HNLive.ca.
Sanderson opened the scoring with 3:23 left in the first period, as he rifled a wrister past Swedish netminder Viggo Tamm after a cross-ice feed from Masun Fleece (Rolling Hills, Calif./Dubuque Fighting Saints) to put the U.S. ahead.
"We played a very good team tonight, and our ability to execute in odd-man situations changed the game for us," said Andy Brandt (Wausau, Wis.). "Both line rush goals we scored showed great deception and finish. Caleb (Heil) made some big-time saves when we needed them. We look forward to representing our country in tomorrow's championship game."
GAME PHOTOS
Team USA got off to a fast start in the second, as Ashton Schultz (Excelsior, Minn./Chicago Steel) found the back of the net 22 seconds into the frame on a goal assisted by Evan Jardine (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Youngstown Phantoms) and Colin Frank (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Dubuque Fighting Saints).
Frank extended the U.S. advantage to 3-0 at 4:03 later, as he wristed a shot home past Tamm’s sprawling glove hand following a pass from Jardine.
Heil made a stellar sliding save at 5:33, as he extended to deny a net-front opportunity to keep his team ahead by three.
Sweden’s Axel Elofsson cut Team USA’s lead to two with 2:26 remaining in the frame. Oscar Holmertz added a power-play goal for Sweden at 19:07 of the third,
Sanderson tallied his second of the game, an empty netter, with nine seconds remaining to ice the contest to send the U.S. to the championship game and account for the 4-2 final.
NOTES: Caleb Heil was named U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Sweden, 35-32 … The U.S went 0-3 on the power play while Sweden went 1-4.
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