World Juniors 2017: Schedule, scores, results, and highlights from hockey championship tournament

The new year is here, and with it comes the playoff conclusion to the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, international hockey’s biggest yearly tournament for the best under-20-year-old players in the world. This winter’s event, the 41st to be played, kicked off on Monday, Dec. 26 in Canada and will conclude on Jan. 5.

Group play and the quarterfinals are over, and the semifinals began on Wednesday. The United States downed Russia in a shootout, and Sweden will play Canada. The four (arguably) best hockey countries in the world were the four left standing.

The arguable part is Finland, who shockingly had to play Latvia in the relegation round after a horrible tournament. They did win the round, though, ensuring they’ll be back for redemption in 2018.

As usual, the World Juniors are chock full of top NHL prospects. Both Canada and the United States feature rosters entirely made up of NHL draftees or eligible players for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and every team features at least one prospect to watch. You can find every roster listing on our 2017 World Juniors home page.

The NHL prospects doing the best so far are almost too many to name. Sweden’s Alex Nylander (a Buffalo Sabres prospect) leads the tournament with 11 points in five games. Minnesota Wild prospects have shown well, too: Kirill Kaprizov is a revelation for Russia with a WJC-leading seven goals, and Joel Eriksson Ek has played well for Sweden with five of his own. Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll and Flyers goalie Felix Sandstrom have carried the United States and Sweden, respectfully.

The 10 participating countries have been broken down into two groups of five for the preliminary round — Group A and Group B. The top four teams from each group will move on to the quarterfinals. This will be a crossover round, meaning each team will play an opponent from the other group. No. 1 seeds will play the No. 4 seeds; No. 2 seeds will play the No. 3 seeds.

The victors will move on to the semifinals and then the gold medal game. The two losers of the semifinal contests will square off for the bronze medal.

The last-place teams from each group will play each other in a best-of-three relegation series to determine which country won’t return in 2018. Last season, that team was Belarus.

Unlike the NHL, the World Junior Championship uses a three-point system. A regulation win is worth three points, an overtime or shootout win is worth two points, an overtime or shootout loss is worth one point, and a regulation loss is worth zero points.

Today’s Games

Wednesday, Jan. 4

United States 4, Russia 3 (SO) (Semifinal)

RUS: Kirill Kaprizov (8), Denis Gurianov - 2 (3)

USA: Colin White - 2 (5), Luke Kunin (2), Troy Terry (SOG)

Canada 5, Sweden 2 (Semifinal)

SWE: Eriksson Ek (6), Carl Grundstrom (3)

CAN: Mitchell Stephens (2), Anthony Cirelli (3), Julien Gauthier - 2 (5), Dylan Strome (3)

IN PROGRESS, Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: TSN/NHL Network

Monday, Dec. 26

Sweden 6, Denmark 1 (Prelim - Group A)

SWE: Alexander Nylander - 2 (2), Joel Eriksson Ek (1), Jonathan Dahlen (1), Carl Grundstrom (1), Rasmus Dahlin (1)

DEN: Nikolaj Krag (1)

W: Felix Sandstrom (1-0)

L: Lasse Petersen (0-1)

United States 6, Latvia 1 (Prelim - Group B)

USA: Patrick Harper (1), Colin White (1), Clayton Keller - 2 (2), Jeremy Bracco (1), Jordan Greenway (1)

LAT: Renars Krastenbergs (1)

W: Tyler Parsons (1-0)

L: Mareks Mitens (0-1)

Czech Republic 2, Finland 1 (Prelim - Group A)

FIN: Joona Luoto (1)

CZE: Daniel Krenzelok (1), Michael Spacek (1)

W: Jakub Skarek (1-0)

L: Veini Vehvilainen (0-1)

Canada 5, Russia 3 (Prelim - Group B)

CAN: Tyson Jost (1), Dylan Strome - 2 (2), Nicholas Roy (1), Mathew Barzal (1)

RUS: Mikhail Sergachyov (1), Kirill Kaprizov (1), Yegor Rykov (1)

W: Carter Hart (1-0)

L: Ilya Samsonov (0-1)

Tuesday, Dec. 27

Switzerland 4, Czech Republic 3 (OT) (Prelim - Group A)

SUI: Loic In Albon (1), Calvin Thurkauf (1), Damien Riat (1), Nico Hischier - GW (1)

CZH: Radek Koblizek (1), Filip Chlapik - 2 (2)

W: Joren van Pottelberghe (1-0)

L: Jakub Skarek (1-1)

Russia 9, Latvia 1 (Prelim - Group B)

RUS: Danil Yurtaikin (1), Alexander Polunin - 2 (2), Pavel Karnaukhov (1), Kirill Kaprizov - 3 (4), Kirill Belyayev (1), Yakov Trenin (1)

LAT: Rudolfs Balcers (1)

W: Vladislav Sukhachyov (1-0)

L: Gustavs Grigals (0-1)

Denmark 3, Finland 2 (Prelim - Group A)

DEN: William Boysen (1), David Madsen (1), Joachim Blichfeld (1)

FIN: Urho Vaakanainen (1), Kasper Bjorkvist (1)

W: Krog (1-0)

L: Veini Vehvilainen (0-2)

Canada 5, Slovakia 0 (Prelim - Group B)

CAN: Jeremy Lauzon (1), Taylor Raddysh (1), Anthony Cirelli (1), Thomas Chabot (1), Michael McLeod (1)

W: Connor Ingram (1-0)

L: Adam Huska (0-1)

Wednesday, Dec. 28

Sweden 4, Switzerland 2 (Prelim - Group A)

SWE: Joel Eriksson Ek (2), Lias Andersson (1), Lucas Carlsson (1)

SUI: Jonas Siegenthaler (1), Calvin Thurkauf (1)

W: Felix Sandstrom (2-0)

L: Joren van Pottelberghe (1-1)

United States 5, Slovakia 2 (Prelim - Group B)

USA: Tanner Laczynski (1), Colin White (2), Tage Thompson (1), Charlie McAvoy (1), Troy Terry (1)

SVK: Martin Fehervary (1), Michal Roman (1)

W: Joseph Woll (1-0)

L: Matej Tomek (0-1)

Thursday, Dec. 29

Denmark 3, Czech Republic 2 (OT) (Prelim - Group A)

CZE: Martin Necas (1), Filip Hronek (1)

DEN: Joachim Blichfeld (2), Nikolaj Krag (2), Mathias From (1)

W: Lasse Petersen (1-1)

L: Daniel Vladar (0-1)

United States 3, Russia 2 (Prelim - Group B)

USA: Keller (3), Colin White (3), Troy Terry (2)

RUS: Kirill Urakov (1), Kirill Kaprizov (5)

W: Tyler Parsons (2-0)

L: Ilya Samsonov (0-2)

Sweden 3, Finland 1 (Prelim - Group A)

FIN: Aapeli Rasanen (1)

SWE: Lias Andersson (2), Alexander Nylander - 2 (4)

W: Felix Sandstrom (3-0)

L: Veini Vehvilainen (0-3)

Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: NHL Network/TSN

Canada 10, Latvia 1 (Prelim - Group B)

CAN: Matt Barzal - 2 (3), Nicolas Roy (2), Taylor Raddysh - 4 (5), Anthony Cirelli (2), Michael McLeod (2), Julien Gauthier (1)

LAT: Renars Krastenbergs (2), Martins Dzierkals (1)

Friday, Dec. 30

Switzerland 5, Denmark 4 (OT) (Mid 2nd) (Prelim - Group A)

DEN: Alexander True (1), Joachim Blichfeld (3), Niklas Andersen (1), Mathias From (2)

SUI: Nico Hischier (2), Yannick Zehnder - 2 (2), Nando Eggenberger (1)

W: Joren van Pottelberghe (2-1)

L: Kasper Krog (2-0)

Slovakia 4, Latvia 2 (Prelim - Group B)

SVK: Filip Lestan (1), Milos Roman (1), Andrej Hatala (1), Marek Sloboda (1)

LAT: Karlis Cukste (1), Filips Buncis (1)

Saturday, Dec. 31

Sweden 5, Czech Republic 2 (Prelim - Group A)

SWE: Rasmus Asplund (1), Jonathan Dahlen - 3 (4), Lias Andersson (3), Jens Looke (1),

CZE: David Kase (1), Filip Hronek (2)

United States 3, Canada 1 (Prelim - Group B)

USA: Colin White (4), Jordan Greenway (2), Jeremy Bracco (2)

CAN: Thomas Chabot (2)

Finland 2, Switzerland 0 (Prelim - Group A)

FIN: Aapeli Rasanen (1), Eeli Tolvanen (1)

Russia 2, Slovakia 0(Prelim - Group B)

RUS: Denis Guryanov (1), Yakov Trenin (2)

Monday, Jan. 2

Finland 2, Latvia 1 (Relegation Round)

FIN: Vili Saarijarvi (1), Kristian Vesalainen (1)

LAT: Maksims Ponomarenko (1)

Russia 4, Denmark 0 (Quarterfinal)

RUS: Alexander Polunin (3), Kirill Kaprizov -2 (7), Pavel Karnaukhov (2)

Sweden 8, Slovakia 3 (Quarterfinal)

SWE: Joel Eriksson Ek - 2 (5), Tim Soderlund - 2 (2), Carl Grundstrom (2), Alexander Nylander (5), Fredrik Karlstrom (1), Lias Andersson (3)

SVK: Martin Bodak (1), Miroslav Struska (1), Adam Ruzicka (1)

United States 3, Switzerland 2 (Quarterfinal)

USA: Jeremy Bracco (3), Luke Kunin (1), Jordan Greenway (3)

SUI: Nico Hischier - 2 (4)

IN PROGRESS, Air Canada Centre, Toronto

TV: TSN/NHL Network

Canada 5, Czech Republic 3 (Quarterfinal)

CAN: Blake Speers (1), Mitchell Stephens (1), Thomas Chabot (3) Julien Gauthier - 2 (3)

CZE: David Kase (2), Tomas Soustal (1), Simon Stransky (1)

Tuesday, Jan. 3

Finland 4, Latvia 1 (FIN wins, 2-0) (Relegation Round Game 2)

FIN: Eeli Tolvanen (2), Vili Saarijarvi (2), Juuso Valimaki - 2 (2)

LAT: Renars Krastenbergs (3)

Wednesday, Jan. 4

Sweden vs. Canada/Czech Republic (Semifinal)

3 p.m. E.T., Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: TSN/NHL Network

United States vs. Russia (Semifinal)

8 p.m. E.T., Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: TSN/NHL Network

Thursday, Jan. 5

TBD vs. TBD (Bronze Medal Game)

3:30 p.m. E.T., Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: TSN/NHL Network

TBD vs. TBD (Gold Medal Game)

8 p.m. E.T., Bell Centre, Montreal

TV: TSN/NHL Network