The defending champion United States can reach the final in back-to-back years for the first time in its history at the world junior hockey championship.

But first it will need to get past the team that prevented it from getting a medal in 2022.

Saturday’s semifinals opponent is Czechia, which defeated the USA in the quarterfinals three years ago. Since then, the Americans have won a bronze (2023) and gold medal (2024). Czechia won a silver and bronze the past two years.

The teams have played 27 times in tournament history, with the USA winning 17 times. Czechia reached this year’s semifinals by knocking off host Canada 4-3 in Thursday’s quarterfinal. The USA routed Switzerland 7-2 with Boston College’s Ryan Leonard and James Hagens each scoring twice.

Rivals Sweden and Finland will play in the other semifinal. The bronze- and gold-medal games are Sunday. Here’s what to know about the semifinals at the world junior hockey championship:

Finland goal is overturned

Finland’s Aron Kiviharju scores from a bad angle, but Sweden challenges for offsides. After a long review, the goal is overturned. Still 1-1.

Finland ties game

Emil Hemming scores from near the left faceoff circle after a pass from Konsta Helenius. It happens a second after the Finns’ power play expires. Score is 1-1.

Finland goes on power play

Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking, though it was a sell job by the Finnish player.

Sweden takes lead on Finland

After Sweden is pinned in its zone to start the period, Otto Stenberg starts a 2-on-1 break. He rips a shot over Petteri Rimpinen’s shoulder for a 1-0 lead.

Second period underway

Still scoreless.

End of first period: Sweden 0, Finland 0

Finland had the better play early, but Sweden gets a few chances off the rush later. Not a lot of good scoring opportunities. Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen gets a glove on Anton Wahlberg’s shot. Shots are 10-10.

Finland outshooting Sweden

Finland has a 6-2 lead in shots halfway through the first period.

Sweden kills penalty

Back to even strength. Game still scoreless.

Finland goes on power play

Viggo Gustafsson is called for high-sticking. Finland has the second-worst power play of the tournament. Sweden has the second-worst penalty kill.

Sweden-Finland semifinal underway

The winner goes for gold on Sunday. The loser plays for bronze.

Sweden-Finland goaltending matchup

Sweden’s Melker Thelin vs. Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen

Sweden-Finland semifinal is first

This is one of the bigger rivalries in international hockey. ‘We live next to each other, so I guess a little bit of hatred, if you could say that, comes from there,’ Swedish captain Alex Sandin-Pellika told TSN.

When is world juniors hockey semifinals?

Sweden and Finland will play at 3:30 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The United States and Czechia will play at 7:30.

How to watch world juniors hockey semifinals

Both semifinals will be shown on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

How to stream world juniors hockey semifinals

Fubo and Sling carry NHL Network in the United States.

Today’s world juniors hockey games

Sweden vs. Finland, 3:30 p.m; NHLN, TSN
USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 p.m.; NHLN, TSN

USA vs. Czechia players: What to know

United States: The Americans won a gold medal last year. They have brought back 10 players and coach David Carle. Returnees Leonard and Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson are tied for the team lead with four goals. So is Hagens, a front-runner for the top pick in the 2025 draft. Hagens and Boston University defenseman Cole Hutson have a team-high eight points. Boston College’s Gabe Perreault, the linemate of Leonard and Hagens, has seven points. The United States has the second-best power play at the tournament.

Czechia: Czechia won bronze last year. Forwards Eduard Sale and Jacob Stancl are tied for the team lead with five goals. Sale, a Seattle Kraken first-round pick who plays in the American Hockey League, has two game-winners. Stancl and Vojtech Hradec have a team-high eight points. Czechia has a slightly better penalty kill than the USA.

Sweden vs. Finland: What to know

Sweden: Sweden won silver last year. Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellika, a Detroit Red Wings first-round pick, is the tournament’s top remaining scorer with nine points. He and forward Anton Wahlberg have four goals. Victor Eklund, the brother of the San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund, is eligible for the 2025 draft. Sweden has the tournament’s top power play.

Finland: Finland lost to Czechia in last year’s bronze-medal game. Forward Jesse Kiiskinen has a team-best four goals and five points. Goalie Petteri Rimpinen has played every game, including a victory against the USA, and has a 2.00 goals-against average. Finland has the tournament’s top penalty kill and second-worst power play.

World juniors semifinal matchups

The United States, Sweden, Finland and Czechia were in last year’s semifinals, but the matchups are different this year. The USA beat Finland 3-2 and Sweden beat Czechia 5-2 in 2024.

World juniors schedule

Dec. 26

Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0

Dec. 27

Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)

Dec. 28

Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1

Dec. 29

Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0

Dec. 30

Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)

Dec. 31

Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1 
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1

World juniors hockey playoff round

All times Eastern

Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)

Sweden 3, Latvia 2
United States 7, Switzerland 2
Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Czechia 4, Canada 3

Jan. 4

Sweden vs. Finland, 3:30 p.m; NHLN, TSN
USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 p.m.; NHLN, TSN

Jan. 5

Third-place game, 3:30 p.m., NHLN, TSN
Championship game, 7:30 p.m., NHLN, TSN

Where is next year’s world junior hockey championship?

The 2026 tournament will be held in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. This will be the United States’ first time hosting since it was held in Buffalo in 2018.

IIHF names Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The International Ice Hockey Federation, which runs the hockey tournament, has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class. They are former NHL players Zdeno Chara, Henrik Lundqvist, Frans Nielsen and David Vyborny, former women’s Olympians Kim Martin-Hasson and Vicky Sunohara, plus former Finnish Ice Hockey Association president Kai Hietarinta.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Soccer star Lionel Messi was unable to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden on Saturday due to a scheduling issue.

Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion, was noticeably absent during the ceremony where 18 other recipients received the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Messi sent a letter to the White House to inform officials he would be unable to attend after learning in December he would receive the honor, Messi’s management team and Inter Miami told USA TODAY Sports.

Messi said he is deeply honored and it is a profound privilege to receive the recognition, but would be unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts and prior commitments. Messi appreciated the gesture and noted he hopes to have the opportunity to meet Biden in the near future.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, basketball legend Magic Johnson, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, U2 frontman Bono, actors Michael J. Fox and Denzel Washington, and popular science education host Bill Nye were among recipients Saturday.

Messi, 37, is the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer, finishing his legendary career in the United States with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Messi has won 46 titles for club and country during his career, including four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Americas and one FIFA World Cup. He has also won eight Ballon d’Or awards and named FIFA’s world’s best player eight times.

Messi will begin a busy 2025 with Inter Miami later this month, which includes competing in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.

Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The White House recognized Messi for supporting “healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is considered the highest civilian honor in the country. It is presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — En route to a 13-0 start this season, Florida basketball leaned on a simple formula. Armed with the best rebounding team in the land, the Gators used their dominance on the glass to jump-start offense, averaging nearly 20 points per game in transition, which ranked No. 2 nationally entering Saturday. 

Matching up with Kentucky in a contest that tipped off before noon Saturday, Florida still had its way on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 38-30. 

But the Wildcats won the game. 

Slowing the Gators’ fast-break attack to a crawl, the Wildcats earned a 106-100 victory at Rupp Arena in the SEC opener for both clubs. 

The tussle between ranked teams — Kentucky was No. 11 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, six spots behind No. 5 Florida — also marked the league debut for first-year UK coach Mark Pope.  

The Wildcats (12-2, 1-0 SEC) made their coach’s maiden conference clash count. 

Handing the Gators (13-1, 0-1) their first loss of the season — it had been the Gators’ second-best start, trailing only the 17-0 beginning in 2005-06; that squad went on to capture the school’s first national title in men’s hoops — was a testament to the Wildcats bottling up the visitors in transition. Florida managed just three fast-break points Saturday. 

And that miniscule tally wasn’t solely due to UK’s defense. 

It’s because the Wildcats’ offense forced the Gators to inbound the ball so frequently after another bucket. 

Kentucky knocked down 57.8% (37 for 64) of its shot attempts, the best showing by a Florida foe this season. The previous high mark was North Carolina, which made 45.8% (33 for 72) of its tries in a 90-84 loss to Florida last month in Charlotte, North Carolina.  

The Wildcats also converted nearly half of their 3-point attempts Saturday, finishing at 48% (14 of 29). No player had a more prominent role in that long-distance prowess than 3-point extraordinaire Koby Brea, who sank seven of the nine triples he shot. Part of an 8-for-11 effort overall, Brea ended with a team-high 23 points off the bench.  

Teammates Andrew Carr and Jaxson Robinson had two 3-pointers apiece. 

UK now prepares for its first SEC road contest of the season. Kentucky heads to Athens, Georgia, to face Georgia on Tuesday. 

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack. 

The Miami Heat on Friday suspended forward Jimmy Butler seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks.’

‘Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team,’ the Heat added.

The statement from the team was not attributed to a specific member of the organization. It finished with: “Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”

The suspension will cost Butler $2.35 million, and he has the right to file a grievance. The National Basketball Players Association said it will do so, calling the seven-game suspension ‘excessive and inappropriate.’

All things Heat: Latest Miami Heat news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The Heat broached the idea of a suspension after that game, and then they lost to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

On Dec. 26, as talks of Butler’s future with the team increased, Heat president Pat Riley released a statement: “We will make it clear – We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

It may have been Riley’s intention to keep Butler with Miami through the remainder of the season – the Heat are 17-15 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They are among a group of teams hovering around .500 who could earn a fourth seed in the playoffs or fall into the play-in games.

But circumstances have changed.

Butler’s role with the Heat this season is diminished, which has led, in part, to his frustration. Last season, Butler averaged a team-high 20.8 points on 13.2 shots and a 49.9% shooting mark from the field and added 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game and had an usage rating – the percentage of offensive possessions that end with that player – of 23.5.

This season, Butler averages 17.6 points on 55.2% shooting but just 10.5 shots per game and an usage rating of 20.3. His minutes have fallen from 34 per game last season to 30.8 this season. Still, the Heat are better with Butler on the court (Miami outscores opponents by 4.3 points per 100 possessions with him on the court vs. being outscored by less than a point with him on the bench).

After the Pacers game, Butler told reporters, “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop, and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing it.”

Can he rediscover that joy with the Heat? “Probably not,” Butler answered.

Butler is under contract for 2025-26 at $52.4 million for the season but has a player option to become a free agent after this season.

Butler missed five games from Dec. 21 through Dec. 29 with an illness before returning to action Wednesday and now will miss games through Jan. 15. That includes a six-game West Coast trip.

By almost any measurement, Georgia’s Kirby Smart is one of the best coaches in modern college football, if not the best, following the retirement last year of his mentor, Nick Saban.

His knowledge of the game’s rules, though, could apparently use a little work.

Following Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, which eliminated the Bulldogs from the College Football Playoff in the event’s quarterfinal round, Smart publicly took exception to what turned out to be one of the game’s most decisive plays.

Facing a fourth-and-1 from its own 18-yard line with a 13-point lead and 7:47 remaining, Notre Dame initially lined up to punt before substituting all 11 players off the field in favor of the team’s offense. Georgia responded, getting its defense back on the field, but shortly after they lined up, the Bulldogs jumped offsides, giving the Fighting Irish a fresh set of downs and allowing them to burn precious additional minutes off the clock.

During his post-game news conference, Smart addressed the snafu.

“It’s really unfortunate because I’ve been told by our head officials in the SEC you can’t do that, you can’t run 11 on and 11 off,” Smart said. “We did it in 2017 against Tennessee. We carried that, we practiced that and repped because teams try to do it, and were told by officials that you could not do that, so we were trying to say you couldn’t do that.”

While different leagues across the sport have their own protocols and quirks, Smart has been working for years under a faulty belief. It’s not illegal to do what Notre Dame successfully pulled off.

The 2024 NCAA football rules book states that ‘any number of legal or either team may enter the game between periods, after a score or try, or during the interval between downs only for the purpose of replacing a player(s) or filling a player vacancy(ies).’

There are several caveats, namely that substitutions cannot take place while the ball is in play and a player must enter the game directly from their team area. Additionally, officials cannot allow the ball to be snapped while one team is executing a substitution so that the opposing team also has an opportunity to send in substitutes to adapt to the change, which officials in the Sugar Bowl made sure to do for Georgia.

To add insult to injury for the two-time national championship-winning coach, video of Smart’s comments on social media received a community note, something typically reserved to fight back against conspiracy theories and counteract false claims from the world of politics.

The Bulldogs’ setback against Notre Dame ended their season at 11-3, marking the first time since 2018 they have suffered more than two losses.

The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, move to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9.

Spurned in attempts to add a starting pitcher in his prime, the Baltimore Orioles opted for the ultimate veteran presence to buff out their rotation.

Charlie Morton, 41, and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract Friday, the club announced, as the two-time World Series champion returns for his 18th major league season.

While Morton won’t automatically slot into his rotation spot, he is ostensibly a replacement for All-Star Corbin Burnes, who signed a $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks last month, a salary stratosphere the Orioles weren’t expected to reach.

Instead, for the fourth consecutive year in this window of contention, they’ll spend a similar amount of money on a one-year commitment for a veteran arm. Jordan Lyles (2022) gave way to Kyle Gibson and then Craig Kimbrel in 2024, as the Orioles needed a replacement for injured closer Felix Bautista.

Now, they’ll try to match either the 91 wins they notched with Burnes or the 101 they achieved in 2023. While much of that will have to do with offensive consistency, Burnes’ departure and the midseason or later returns of right-handers Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells from elbow surgery created immediate need.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Morton, the hero of Game 7 of the 2017 World Series and also a World Series winner with Atlanta in 2021, will try to fill it. He has a lifetime 138-123 record and pitched 165 ⅓ innings for the Braves last year, posting a 4.19 ERA.

The time has come for NFL teams to make their closing statements on the regular season.

Much of the league’s playoff picture has been determined heading into the final weekend, but Week 18 still will serve up the chance for several franchises to join the field or improve their positioning. Others, meanwhile, can simply try to play spoiler and end the season on a high note. And while only so many of the finales have immediate relevance, there’s still room for some last-minute surprises and standout performances.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ bold predictions for Week 18 in the NFL:

Mike Evans will score a key touchdown as he leaves another mark on the NFL record book

It’s pretty much a given that, barring a twist of fate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Mike Evans will tie an NFL record established by Jerry Rice by notching his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. Evans heads into the finale against the New Orleans Saints needing 85 yards to achieve the milestone, which would also extend his NFL record for most consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns to start a career. It’s not so bold to predict that Evans will match the record that Rice set from 1986-96. At least not now, when he’s poised to set the mark despite the streak seemingly falling into jeopardy as he missed three games earlier this season due to a hamstring injury. And with New Orleans having dealt Marshon Lattimore to Washington ahead of the NFL trade deadline, this doesn’t come with the drama of Evans squaring off against his most notable personal nemesis. Evans and Lattimore engaged in some classic, and very heated, matchups over the years, which explains why Evans has averaged just 49.7 yards in 20 games against the Saints. With Lattimore gone, though, the table is better set for Evans to make his mark against the Saints. So, what’s so bold? That would be Evans achieving the milestone while making a touchdown catch – hopefully an explosive one – the help swing the outcome in a game the Bucs (9-7) need to win to clinch the NFC South crown.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

— Jarrett Bell

Drake Maye balls out against the Bills and costs New England No. 1 pick

Should they lose Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots would end the season on a seven-game losing streak. The difficult first season for Jerod Mayo might even end with a pink slip, although that would be quite the about-face from owner Robert Kraft.

The Pats are currently in line to pick first come April in the 2025 draft. Another “L” would lock them into that position. A win makes it complicated. Sometimes it’s not that simple for teams slated No. 1 going into the final week, however. For example, the Texans beating the Colts in Week 18 two seasons ago and went from picking first to picking second. That netted them C.J. Stroud, the finest of consolation prizes, so it’s not like picking one or two spots later could doom the Patriots in the future, especially with quarterback Drake Maye already in the boat. But it might cost them a chance at Travis Hunter, who would be either a suitable target for Maye in the passing game – something the rookie QB does not currently have – or an ideal complement to cornerback Christian Gonzalez (or both!).

Bills head coach Sean McDermott could opt to rest some defensive players in the second half (or longer) to keep them fresh for next week’s wild-card game at home. Maye will want to end his rookie season – filled with ups and downs – on a high note.

The final stat line could look something like: 24-for-28, 289 passing yards, 2 TDs … to go with 8 rushes, 77 rushing yards and another TD on the ground.

Totally hypothetical, of course. And totally improbable, given that would be a career high in passing yards for the No. 3 overall pick. Maybe a better goal for him is not putting the ball on the ground, as he has four fumbles in his last three games.

— Chris Bumbaca

Lions ride Jahmyr Gibbs to NFC North-clinching victory

Gibbs will have the best game of his young career with the NFC North title and the conference’s No. 1 overall seed on the line.

The Lions’ second-year running back will produce a career-high 190 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns at home versus the Minnesota Vikings. Gibbs registered 116 rushing yards, 44 receiving yards and two touchdowns when the two teams met in Week 7. It’ll be wise for Detroit to feature Gibbs on Sunday night. His speed and versatility are a difficult assignment for the Vikings defense. The versatile running back will again have his way catching passes out of the backfield and slicing through Minnesota’s defense in what I believe is bound to be a high-scoring contest.

— Tyler Dragon

Steelers will stumble to fourth straight loss as Russell Wilson questions grow louder

Wilson said this week that the Steelers ‘have got to have amnesia’ about their three-game skid as they head into Saturday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. But Mike Tomlin wants to make sure his quarterback doesn’t forget one key lesson: ‘Take care of the football and stay on schedule,’ he said. Wilson has thrown two costly interceptions and fumbled twice in the last two blowout losses, and the coach made it clear he has little patience for giveaways in key stretches.

Cincinnati’s defense would seem to be a salve for those issues, as Wilson notched a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting between the two teams, a 44-38 Pittsburgh victory. But defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said this week he was confident that team could better keep a lid on explosive plays while still keeping tabs on checkdowns after Steelers running backs combined for 146 receiving yards in that game. Takeaways have been key to the turnaround, as the Bengals have nabbed 10 in the last three weeks. While Wilson likely won’t be as careless as Will Levis and Jameis Winston were against this defense – especially after Tomlin’s warning – he could find himself in trouble if he has to try to keep up with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.

— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz