2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

The 2004 World Junior (Under 20) Ice Hockey Championships (2004 WJHC) was held between December 26, 2003, and January 5, 2004, in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland. The United States won its first ever gold medal, defeating Canada 4–3 in the Final.

Group A
All times local (EET/UTC+2).

Group B
All times local (EET/UTC+2).

Relegation Round
Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.

(all games at Hämeenlinna)

January 2

 * Sweden 4-0 Ukraine
 * Switzerland 6-2 Austria

January 3

 * Austria 2-2 Ukraine
 * Sweden 4-3 Switzerland

Austria and Ukraine are relegated to Division I for the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

Playoff round
(all games at Helsinki)

Quarter-finals
January 2
 * Czech Republic 4-2 Slovakia
 * Finland 4-3 Russia

Semi-finals
January 3
 * United States 2-1 Finland
 * Canada 7-1 Czech Republic

5th place game
January 4
 * Russia 3-2 Slovakia

Bronze medal game
January 5
 * Finland 2-1 Czech Republic

Gold medal game
January 5
 * United States 4-3 Canada
 * Team USA beat Team Canada 4-3 to win the gold medal at the World Junior Championship. The loss, however, still nets Canada silver, making this the sixth consecutive year Team Canada as won a medal at the tournament-the only country to record such an achievement.

The victory gave the US its first WJC gold medal ever, and its first hardware since a silver medal in 1997 when it lost 2-0 to Canada in the final. The US has also earned two bronze medals in tournament history, in 1992 and 1986.

Canada had a 3-1 lead going into the third period, with two goals from Nigel Dawes and Anthony Stewart. Stewart also had two assists. Canadian forward Ryan Getzlaf almost made it 4-1 early in the third before Patrick O'Sullivan scored for the US to narrow Canada's lead to 3-2 at 4:39.

Ryan Kesler evened the score for Team USA at 6:58 on quick shot in close that hit Canadian goalie Marc-André Fleury and flew in the air, over his shoulder and into the net.

O'Sullivan scored his second of the night, the winner at 14:48, when he chased a loose puck heading toward Canada's goal. Fleury came out to clear the puck, but it hit defenceman Braydon Coburn and bounced into the net. Fleury faced 28 shots on the night, while US goalie Al Montoya faced 30.

Division I Standings
The Division I Championships were played December 14-December 20, 2003 in Berlin, Germany (Group A) and December 13-December 19, 2003 in Briançon, France (Group B).

Group B
Germany and Belarus advance to the 2005 World Junior Championships, Hungary and Japan are relegated to Division II

Division II Standings
The Division II Championships were played December 28, 2003 – January 3, 2004 in Sosnowiec, Poland (Group A) and January 5-January 11, 2004 in Kaunas and Elektrenai, Lithuania (Group B)

Group B
Poland and the Great Britain advance to the 2005 Division I Championships, Iceland and South Africa are relegated to the 2005 Division III Championships'

Division III Standings
The Division III Championships were held January 5-January 11, 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria

Australia and the People's Republic of China advance to 2005 Division II Championships