Czech juniors to play for gold at World Championships after defeating Canada 6:4
The Czech hockey team defeated Canada 6:4 in the semifinals of the World Junior Championships and will play Sweden for the gold medal on Tuesday night at 2:30 a.m. CET. Tomáš Poletín scored the winning goal at 58:46, and Vojtěch Čihař sealed the result with a power play goal into an empty net 26 seconds before the end.
The Canadian O'Reilly was the first to threaten with a breakaway, while Poletín tested Ivankovič at the other end. During Poletín's penalty, Oršulák blocked Hage's chance after a pass from Reschny with his left pad on the post. At 15:14, however, Iginla took advantage of the power play, scoring into an empty net after a pass from Misa.
The score was tied shortly thereafter. After Galvas's backhand shot, Curran tapped the puck under Ivankovič's left pad and celebrated his first goal of the tournament.
The Czechs scored in the 24th minute. Pšenička found Titlbach with a backhand pass between the circles, who aimed for Ivankovič's glove and, like Curran, scored his first goal of the championship.
After Poletín threw the puck out of play, the Czechs defended three against five. After Hage's shot from the left circle, Oršulák first pushed the puck to the near post. Immediately afterwards, Parekh equalized over the screening of Reschný.
At 38:04, Pšenička fouled Hage, who was breaking away, and the Canadians had a penalty shot. Hage failed with his forehand deke, partly because Oršulák tripped him, and referees Österberg and Stachowiak had the penalty shot retaken. Hage failed again with another forehand deke and missed.
Patrik Augusta's team regained the lead 43 seconds before the end of the second period when Curran passed to Benák on the right circle, who also scored his first goal of the tournament.
Final period
In the 44th minute, Reschny was left unmarked at the left post, skated into the goal area, and tied the game. The Czechs withstood the subsequent pressure from their opponents and struck again at 49:49. Čihař dodged Desnoyers and lifted the puck out of Ivankovič's reach. Novotný had another chance after Titlbach's pass, and Galvas followed up.
The Czech team continued to press, but the Canadians held firm. After McKenna fouled Galvas in the 54th minute, they were awarded a power play, but this was interrupted after 48 seconds by a penalty against Augusta's team for having too many players on the ice. Four seconds later, however, Misa was sent to the penalty box for delaying the game.
The Czechs failed to capitalize on the shortened power play, and Martone tied the game with a rebound in the 58th minute. But then Curran broke free through Brunicke, and the puck went past Ivankovič off Poletín's skate. Poletín recalled the goal in a post-match interview:
“I didn’t really realize it at all. At first, I didn’t notice that Curran had passed it to me, and then that huge euphoria broke out. And the second time, I don’t even know how it actually happened. I just went toward the goal, and it bounced off in such a lucky way. So of course I’m really happy about it.”
Čihař added an insurance goal on a power play while the opponent was playing without a goalie.
The Czech juniors have reached the final after three years and will be aiming for their first gold since their triumphs in 2000 and 2001. After silver and bronze medals at previous championships, they are assured of a fourth medal in a row, a feat achieved only by the Czechoslovak national team between 1982 and 1985.
The Canadians, who were eliminated by the Czechs in the quarterfinals at the last two world championships, will face Finland for bronze on Monday at 10:30 p.m. CET.
