The quarterfinals at the 2024 World Junior Championship are living up to the hype. The first two games of the quarterfinals were outstanding, as there were two upsets. First Finland knocked off Slovakia 4-3 in overtime. While in the second quarterfinal, Czechia got some revenge on Canada, winning 3-2, getting the game-winning goal with 11.9 seconds left in the third period.
Finland Beats Slovakia In Overtime
Anything can happen when the medal round starts, and positioning is so important. Slovakia had a chance to win Group B and face Latvia. Instead, a coaching decision or an illness kept Adam Gajan, the best goalie in the tournament out of the game against the Americans. Team USA routed Slovakia 10-2 to win Group B. Meanwhile, Slovakia finished second in Group B after starting off the tournament 3-0.
And instead of playing an easier opponent, Slovakia had to play the team nobody wanted to face, Team Finland. The structure of Team Finland frustrates any team. But Finland, like Russia in years past, played their way into this tournament. Team Finland lost to Canada 5-2 in their opening game before losing to Germany in Game 2, 4-3. However, Finland beat Latvia and Sweden to close out the preliminary round.
Finland played Sweden tight and started to find their game. Lenni Hämeenaho has goals in back-to-back games. But the Finns started to find their legs, and their will and hard work can match any team in the tournament. Along with Hämeenaho, Finland got goals from Tommi Mannisto, Alexander Kaskimaki, and captain Jere Lassila, who scored the game-winning goal 24 seconds into the extra session, stunning the Slovaks.
THE CAPTAIN WINS IT!
Jere Lassila is the OT hero as Finland ends Slovakia’s impressive tournament in the quarter-final!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/EMT6eSv6C3
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2024
Finnish goaltender Niklas Kokko won the goaltending battle with Gajan. Slovakia and Finland played a tight, contested affair. Slovakia took a lead on a goal from Adam Sykora. But from there, Slovakia had to come back twice to tie the game. Filip Mesar and Dalibor Dvorsky each had a goal and an assist apiece. Mesar forced overtime, but it was not enough, as Lassila got the winner.
Slovakia was stunned because they had a great chance to win gold. But again, anything can happen in the quarterfinals as Finland is finding their game. They will be a tough out. So, is this result really an upset? To some? Yes, to others. No, because of what Finland is capable of.
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Canada Falls To Czechia In The Final Seconds
Slovakia was not the only top team to fall. The second seeds in Group A at the 2024 World Junior Championship, Team Canada lost to Team Czechia. That was going to be a tricky matchup as well. We saw how well the Czechs played against Team USA. Czechia only lost to the Americans in a shootout and Michael Hrabal was their best player. He was excellent on Tuesday for Czechia. He gave his team a chance to win.
Jakub Stancl scored two goals, including the game-winner, with 11.9 seconds left in the third period to give the Czechs a stunning 3-2 victory over Canada. But Czechia troubled Canada all game long. They had the talent to play with Canada. It was a rematch of the 2023 Gold Medal Game, where Czechia lost to Canada.
THE CAPTAIN WINS IT!
Jere Lassila is the OT hero as Finland ends Slovakia’s impressive tournament in the quarter-final!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/EMT6eSv6C3
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2024
Now the Czechs got a little bit of revenge, knocking Canada out of the medal round as Canada will not medal for the first time since 2019.
Czechia got out to an early 2-0 lead on goals from Stancl and Tomas Cibulka. Mathis Rousseau did not have his best game. The first two goals were very soft, but from then on he was good. Unfortunately, the game-winning goal went off Oliver Bonk’s stick and into the net.
As previously mentioned, Hrabal was solid for Czechia. Macklin Celebrini had a great spin-o-rama move to open the game, but Hrabal denied him. Canada turned the tide in this game with goals from Matthew Wood and Jake Furlong in the second period to tie the game. Canada kept pressing as Hrabal and Czechia held on in their zone. They were content on playing defensive hockey and taking advantage of mistakes.
Canada had chances to take the lead on the power play. They were passing and shooting the puck, but the Czech defense was up to the task. In the end, Czechia’s defense withstood the pressure and eventually scored late in the third period to stun Canada.
Remember, anything can happen once we get to the medal round. Like with the Stanley Cup Playoffs, get into the dance and start playing your best. Russia has shown that anytime they participate in this tournament.