2023 World Juniors: Czech Republic stuns Sweden in dramatic semi-final
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — For the first time since 2001, the Czech Republic will play for the gold medal at the World Junior Championships after stunning Sweden with a late regulation goal and a late overtime winner in the semifinals to advance to the championship game.
In what appeared to be a goalless goaltending duel, Sweden managed to get the game’s first goal when defender Ludvig Jansson (FLA) blasted a shot from the left point past Tomas Suchanek 1:39 into the second period. .
The two teams played to a stalemate all the way to the final minute. The Czech Republic had Suchanek in favor of an extra striker and ended up getting exactly the right play for the right player at exactly the right time when David Spacek (MIN) fed David Jiricek (CBJ) for a one-time bomb that snuck past the left post and past Carl Lindbom (VGK ), which had been brilliant up to that point. The puck crossed the goal line with just 38.8 seconds left in regulation.
DAVID JIRICEK EVEN BETTER THE GAME WITH 38 SECONDS LEFT IN REGULATION!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/RScZyF6DaZ
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2023
Overtime went much the same way, although both teams exchanged chances, but neither goalkeeper could be solved. With less than a minute left in regulation, however, Jiri Kulich (BUF) found the opening he needed to get around the defender and slip a shot just under the right arm of Linbom, who couldn’t squeeze it in in time.
JIRI KULICH SENDS THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO THE GOLD MEDAL GAME 🇨🇿#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/yPRFzfM40W
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2023
With just 50 seconds remaining before a shootout would have been required to decide a winner, the Czech bench emptied to mob Kulich as they had secured a spot in the championship game for the first time since 2001.
The Czech Republic’s last World Juniors medal came in 2005, when they took bronze. Since then, they have not finished higher than fourth, doing so in 2018 and 2022.
The Czechs have only played for gold twice in their history. They won both of those gold medal matches in back-to-back years, 2000 and 2001, beating Russia and Finland respectively for their only two world junior titles.
The Czech Republic now awaits the winner of the semifinal between the USA and Canada.