USHL

Youngstown Phantoms alum, Boston University sophomore defenseman, and Winnipeg Jets prospect Sascha Boumedienne scored in Sweden’s 4-2 win against the Czechs to clinch the gold medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota.
 

Boumedinne’s goal at 3:47 of the third period stood as the game-winner for the Swedes. 2025 Clark Cup champion with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick, and University of Massachusetts freshman forward Vaclav Nestrasil had an assist in the Czech’s silver-medal performance. Youngstown Phantoms alum and Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benák and recently added Phantom Richard Zemlicka also earned silver medals with Czechia.
 

Canada defeated Finland 6-3 in the bronze medal game. Michael Hage assisted on four Canadian goals to lead the tournament in scoring with 15 points. Dubuque Fighting Saints alum, Harvard freshman, and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Heikki Ruohonen had a goal and an assist for Finland.
 

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).