The United States won back-to-back gold medals for the first time and host Canada lost for the second year in a row in the quarterfinals.

Canada assembled a roster that left a boatload of offensive talent at home in favour of what was viewed by management as a more well-rounded roster — the results were disastrous.

Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond says “the buck stops” with him. The country’s men’s under-20 team was eliminated from the world junior hockey championship in the quarterfinals for a second-straight year Thursday.

The defending champion United States overcome a 3-1 deficit to beat Finland and win back-to-back world junior hockey gold medals for the first time.

Teddy Stiga’s OT goal means the U.S. will be defending back-to-back titles when the tournament is played in the Twin Cities in 2026.

He ended it bathed in glory with a gold medal hanging from his neck. The 18-year-old forward scored at 8:04 of overtime as the United States battled back from a 3-1 deficit late in the second period to defeat Finland 4-3 and secure the country's second straight world junior hockey championship Sunday.