Team Czechia player Jakob Stancl’s goal with 11.7 seconds remaining allowed his team to secure a 3-2 win over Canada at the World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. “Czechia lost to Canada in last year's gold-medal game and for the first time since 2019, Canada won't be there,” said World Juniors writer Andrew Podnieks in a Tuesday blog post. “It was a battle between two goalies who have played every minute for their team so far — Mathis Rousseau for Canada, Michael Hrabal for Czechia.”With this game, Podnieks said Team Canada started it with promise, hemming Czechia in its own end and moving the puck around its players. However, he said it played on the outside and had a few good shots form danger areas. Czechia worked its way into the game and obtained more of the puck. Czechian player Ondrej Becher moved around and rattled a shot off the crossbar. It opened the scoring when Stancl had some room on a rush down on the left side. He was able to deke around Rousseau and his bench erupted in celebration. Midway through the period, Canadian player Noah Warren slashed Czechian player Dominik Rymon, which resulted in a penalty shot. Rymon took it and shot into Rousseau’s chest as he tried to pokecheck. Czechia doubled its lead late when player Tomas Cibulka took a shot that skipped its way between Rousseau’s pads. In the second period, Canada dominated, shooting more, going hard at the net and regaining the puck in its end. Rousseau was able to stop Czechian player Eduard Sale from scoring closeup and Canada got on board soon after. Canadian player Easton Cown made a tip pass in centre ice to player Matthew Wood, and he went in and ripped a shot over Hrabal’s shoulder to make it a 2-1 game. Podnieks said Canada kept pressing and dominating, and it was a matter of time before it scored again. Although it took a long while, he said it tied the game with another shot to the same spot — a top shelf blocker side off the stick of Canadian player Jake Furlong after an extended period in Czechia’s end. While Canada had a great chance to take its first lead when it had the game’s first power play early in the third period, Podnieks called Czechia’s penalty killers “spot on in defence.” Canada dominated play, moving the puck and firing from everywhere in Czechia’s end, but it was unable to break the tie. Like the first period, he said Czechia “weathered the storm and slowly worked their way more fluidly into the Canada end.” By the time Stancl scored, he said it was making better plays. “And now Canada goes home this early for the first time in five years and the Czechs ensure they will be playing for a medal for the second consecutive year,” he said. Team Canada won its first game 5-2 against Finland at the World Juniors on December 26, with it looking to take home its third consecutive gold medal. READ MORE: WORLD JUNIORS: Canada opens bid for third consecutive gold medal, downing Finland, Flames prospect scores for SlovakiaCanada won the World Juniors with an overtime goal by player Connor Bedard to beat Czechia 3-2 in Atlantic Canada in 2023. It beat Finland 3-2 in overtime for a gold medal win in Edmonton in 2022. It has taken home the gold medal 20 times in the tournament’s 50-year history.
Team Czechia player Jakob Stancl’s goal with 11.7 seconds remaining allowed his team to secure a 3-2 win over Canada at the World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. “Czechia lost to Canada in last year's gold-medal game and for the first time since 2019, Canada won't be there,” said World Juniors writer Andrew Podnieks in a Tuesday blog post. “It was a battle between two goalies who have played every minute for their team so far — Mathis Rousseau for Canada, Michael Hrabal for Czechia.”With this game, Podnieks said Team Canada started it with promise, hemming Czechia in its own end and moving the puck around its players. However, he said it played on the outside and had a few good shots form danger areas. Czechia worked its way into the game and obtained more of the puck. Czechian player Ondrej Becher moved around and rattled a shot off the crossbar. It opened the scoring when Stancl had some room on a rush down on the left side. He was able to deke around Rousseau and his bench erupted in celebration. Midway through the period, Canadian player Noah Warren slashed Czechian player Dominik Rymon, which resulted in a penalty shot. Rymon took it and shot into Rousseau’s chest as he tried to pokecheck. Czechia doubled its lead late when player Tomas Cibulka took a shot that skipped its way between Rousseau’s pads. In the second period, Canada dominated, shooting more, going hard at the net and regaining the puck in its end. Rousseau was able to stop Czechian player Eduard Sale from scoring closeup and Canada got on board soon after. Canadian player Easton Cown made a tip pass in centre ice to player Matthew Wood, and he went in and ripped a shot over Hrabal’s shoulder to make it a 2-1 game. Podnieks said Canada kept pressing and dominating, and it was a matter of time before it scored again. Although it took a long while, he said it tied the game with another shot to the same spot — a top shelf blocker side off the stick of Canadian player Jake Furlong after an extended period in Czechia’s end. While Canada had a great chance to take its first lead when it had the game’s first power play early in the third period, Podnieks called Czechia’s penalty killers “spot on in defence.” Canada dominated play, moving the puck and firing from everywhere in Czechia’s end, but it was unable to break the tie. Like the first period, he said Czechia “weathered the storm and slowly worked their way more fluidly into the Canada end.” By the time Stancl scored, he said it was making better plays. “And now Canada goes home this early for the first time in five years and the Czechs ensure they will be playing for a medal for the second consecutive year,” he said. Team Canada won its first game 5-2 against Finland at the World Juniors on December 26, with it looking to take home its third consecutive gold medal. READ MORE: WORLD JUNIORS: Canada opens bid for third consecutive gold medal, downing Finland, Flames prospect scores for SlovakiaCanada won the World Juniors with an overtime goal by player Connor Bedard to beat Czechia 3-2 in Atlantic Canada in 2023. It beat Finland 3-2 in overtime for a gold medal win in Edmonton in 2022. It has taken home the gold medal 20 times in the tournament’s 50-year history.
