Canada to Play Czechia For Gold At 2023 World Junior Championships

It was the semifinals at the 2023 World Junior Championship. Another fun day and night in Halifax as both semifinal games were thrilling and exciting. You want to see this when it comes down to the final four at any international tournament. In one semifinal, it was the border rivals in Canada taking on the United States. The other semifinal saw Sweden take on the number one seed in Czechia. At the end of the night, it was Canada coming through to take on Czechia for the gold medal tomorrow.

2023 World Junior Championship Semifinal Recap

Thomas Milic Sends Canada Back To Gold Medal Game

Canada is heading back to the gold medal game after defeating the United States by a score of 6-2. Team Canada is looking to win back-to-back gold medals for the first time since 2009 when they won their fifth gold medal in a row. The final score was not indicative of how the United States played. Early on, it was all Team USA as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Logan Cooley and Kenny Connors. It was the start they needed, but it didn’t last.

Goaltender Thomas Milic, who was named player of the game for Canada, was sharp and there was nothing he could do on those goals. But, from there on, he was rock solid. Milic made sure this game did not get out of hand for his teammates. Team USA led 2-0 and outshot Canada 9-0 early on. Milic stopped 43 of 45 shots faced, including 15 shots in the second period and 12 in the third period. Most of the shots he faced were the high-danger kind, too. He robbed Jimmy Snuggerud and Luke Hughes multiple times as he gave his team more and more confidence to mount the comeback.

Canada scored six unanswered goals and it all started coming out of a TV timeout. Canada won a faceoff and the Americans got caught puck watching, allowing who else by Connor Bedard to score to cut the lead in half.

Though the Americans had the lead, the Canadians took control of the game and you could feel the momentum swinging their way as the buzzer sounded on the first intermission. As the second period began, Canada took control of the scoreboard too. Logan Stankhoven tied the game 47 seconds in the second period before Adam Fantilli gave the Canadians the lead they would not give up.

Joshua Roy scored his first of two on the night to extend the lead for Canada to 4-2. Canada capitalized on a turnover inside the Americans defensive zone. This was after Team USA thought they had tied the game, but Jackson Blake‘s goal was erased due to goalie interference.

Team USA had another goal wiped off the board early in the third period before Brandt Clarke scored to make it 5-2 for Canada. Roy iced the game with his second of the night into the empty net. Roy led the way with four points for Canada (two goals and two assists) while Fantilli, Clarke, and Stankhoven each had a goal and an assist.

Around Full Press Hockey

WJC: Five More Observations About the 2023 World Juniors

NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche

WJC: Connor Bedard Highlight Reel Goal Propels Canada To Semis

NFL: Remembering John Hadl: “A Great Player, A Great Athlete

Full Press Bets: Early 2022 NFL MVP Odds: Bills’ Josh Allen Favored

PODCAST: Full Press Hockey Weekly Ep 38: NHL Season Preview: Golden Knights, Maple Leafs, Johnny Gaudreau

Czechia Wins Overtime Thriller Against Sweden

While all eyes were on Canada and the United States, Sweden and Czechia played a heck of a game that came down to the wire to start the day. Jiri Kulich scored with 49.6 seconds left in overtime to give Czechia a dramatic come-from-behind victory to advance to the gold medal game at the World Juniors. It is the first time since 2005 that Czechia will guarantee themselves a medal. In addition, it is the first time in 22 years Czechia will play for gold.

Sweden carried a 1-0 lead into the third period on a goal by Ludvig Jansson and appeared to just want to sit on the lead and it almost worked. Goaltender Carl Lindbom was busy for Sweden as Czechia pressured Sweden and finally got shots through on Lindbom. Prior to that, Sweden was playing a great defensive game against the high-powered Czech team. As Czechia turned the game, there was Lindbom.

However, Sweden had a bad habit of icing the puck at the worst possible moment. On a faceoff at center ice, Elias Pettersson iced the puck with under a minute left in the third period, forcing the faceoff back into the Swedish zone. It was a problem for the Swedes in the final five minutes of the game, as those players were getting tired. It finally caught up to them as David Jiricek scored with 38.8 seconds left to tie the game.

Czechia goaltender Tomas Suchanek was phenomenal as he matched Lindbom. Suchanek made crucial saves at the beginning of the third period and overtime to allow Kulich to score the game-winner in overtime.

Czechia players believe this is one of their best teams in years, and they are right as they have 19 returning players from last year. They also have 11 goals from their defence, which leads the tournament.

Czechia looks to finish the deal Thursday night against Canada.

Bronze Medal Game will see Team USA battle Sweden at 2:30pm ET.

Gold Medal Game will see Canada take on Czechia at 6:30pm ET.