Team USA kicked off its 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship campaign with an impressive display, defeating Germany 10-4 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The opening game showcased standout performances, particularly from defenseman Cole Hutson, who recorded five assists, significantly contributing to the Americans' offensive power.
Hutson, selected by the Washington Capitals as the second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, was instrumental from the get-go. Just 8:07 minutes in, he assisted on the game's first goal, creating opportunities as he strategically moved deep past the German defense. His efforts helped James Hagens score after Hutson's initial shot was thwarted, leaving the puck loose for Hagens to capitalize. Although Germany challenged the play for goaltender interference, their appeal was rejected.
Throughout the match, Hutson maintained his playmaking brilliance, assisting on additional goals, including one where he fed Gabe Perreault just before the second period ended. After Team USA surged to a 7-2 lead early in the third period, Hutson continued his assist streak, setting up the next three goals by the Americans. His final assist, described as the 'prettiest,' was delivered through a cross-ice pass to Cole Eiserman.
Despite his impressive performance, Hutson was not named Tissot's Player of the Game—a title awarded instead to Gabe Perreault, who scored two goals and had one assist. Team captain Ryan Leonard, another significant contributor, recorded two assists and spent nearly 20 minutes on the ice, creating numerous scoring chances and helping lead the team effectively.
Overall, Hutson’s performance during the match stood out as he not only led the team with five assists but also logged over 20 minutes of ice time—specifically, 20:48—which was second to only Zeev Buium, who skated 24:12. His defensive play was as impressive as his offensive contributions, finishing the game with a plus-7 rating, the best on the team.
With contributions from players such as Hagens, who tallied two goals and two assists, and fellow forwards Brodie Ziemer, Brandon Svoboda, and Cole Eiserman, the Americans demonstrated their depth. This victory laid the groundwork for their title defense, showing they are among the favorites moving forward.
For the German side, goals came from Julius Sumpf, David Lewandowski, Lenny Boos, and Timo Ruckdaschel, but they faced relentless pressure from the U.S. throughout the match. Goaltender Nico Pertuch was tested heavily, stopping 46 shots as he faced almost constant offensive onslaught from the Americans. Their next challenge lies against Finland on Friday.
Following the victory, Team USA has the weekend off before facing Latvia on Saturday, giving them time to recover and strategize after this overwhelming win. The tournament is just beginning, and their performance has set high expectations as they aim to defend their gold medal.