World Junior Hockey Championship 2024 Results: Semifinal Scores and Reaction

The 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden is nearing an end with four teams going to battle for a berth in the gold medal game at the Scandinavium.

Additionally, Germany and Norway took to the ice to determine which team would be relegated from the competition in 2025. Germany defeated Norway 5-4 in overtime courtesy of a goal by Moritz Elias to ensure their spot in Ottawa next year.

Norway, which was promoted to the top level for the first time in more than a decade, was relegated with the loss.

In the first semifinal matchup of Thursday's action, Sweden defeated Czechia 5-2 to clinch a berth in the gold medal game for the first time since 2018.

The United States followed that up with a 3-2 win over Finland in the second semifinal matchup of Thursday's action to secure a meeting with Sweden in the gold medal game.

Here's a recap of Thursday's scores and action.

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2024 World Junior Hockey Championship Semifinal Scores

Sweden def. Czechia, 5-2

United States def. Finland, 3-2

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2024 World Junior Hockey Championship Relegation Game Score

Germany def. Norway, 5-4 (OT)

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Germany 5, Norway 4 (OT)

Germany and Norway got out to a slow start, but German forward Kevin Bicker opened the scoring on a two-on-one at 9:40 of the first period to put his team up 1-0 before Norwegian forward Noah Steen tied the game at the 16:10 mark of the opening frame on a wraparound goal.

The two sides exchanged goals in the second period as Germany's Veit Oswald and Norway's Mats Bakke Olsen scored to set up a thrilling third period that saw four goals scored.

Germany took what appeared to be a dominant 4-2 lead on goals from Phillip Sinn and Niklas Hubner, but Norway tied the game late in the period on goals from Bakke Olsen and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to force overtime.

Elias secured Germany's spot in the 2025 World Junior Championship just 58 seconds into overtime.

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Sweden def. Czechia, 5-2

The hosts also got out to a slow start in Thursday's semifinal, allowing Czechia's Matyas Melovsky to score the opening goal nearly seven minutes into the first period.

However, it didn't take long for the Swedes to wake up after the opening goal as Theo Lindstein tied the game at 11:52 of the first period with a sneaky shot that beat Czechia goaltender Michael Hrabal.

The two sides played to a 2-2 draw through the second period thanks to goals from Sweden's Axel Sandin Pellikka and Czechia's Tomas Cibulka.

The Swedes dominated the third period to secure the 5-2 win as they outshot Czechia 15-8 and saw goals by Jonathan Lekkerimaki, who notched two, and Noah Ostlund.

Czechia pulled Hrabal with just over two minutes remaining in the third period in an effort to tie the game, but it was too little, too late as the Swedes had already put a stranglehold on the game.

While Sweden will play for gold, Czechia will play in the bronze medal game against Finland. Czechia played for the gold medal last year, but won silver after falling to Canada.

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United States 3, Finland 2

The United States is back in the gold medal game for the first time since 2021 after a huge 3-2 comeback victory over Finland in the second semifinal matchup of Thursday's slate.

Finland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals by Oiva Keskinen and Rasmus Kumpulainen. Keskinen's goal appeared to rattle United States goaltender Trey Augustine, who then allowed Kumpulainen to go five-hole to put Finland up 2-0 in the early goings.

Augustine and the Americans were a much different team in the second period as the goaltender locked in and received some support in the form of goals by Jimmy Snuggerud and Will Smith.

The United States and Finland entered the third period tied 2-2 and spent much of the final frame tied before Cutter Gauthier played hero for the Americans, notching the team's third unanswered goal and the game-winner.

The United States will now meet Sweden in the gold medal game for the first time since 2013. The Americans defeated the Swedes in that tournament to win gold with a roster that included Jacob Trouba, Johnny Gaudreau, John Gibson and Seth Jones.