Adamo Marinelli
Jan. 5, 2023
For the first time since Canada won their fifth straight gold medal in 2009, Canada becomes the first team to win back-to-back IIHF World Juniors Gold Medals after they defeated Czechia 3-2 in overtime in an absolute thriller. Canada exacts their revenge against Czechia, who was the only team to beat Canada at the 2023 World Juniors, by a score of 5-2 in their first preliminary round game.
Dylan Guenther was the hero for Canada and was the player of the game scoring two goals, including the overtime winner, and also recording an assist. Captain Shane Wright also scored a beautiful goal on his 19th birthday to help secure gold. Brandt Clarke and Brennan Othmann each recorded two assists.
Czechia ends their 17-year medal drought and were so close to winning their first gold medal since 2001. They fought back from down 2-0 to force overtime but settled with a silver medal after losing 3-2 in overtime to Canada. The silver medal is their best finish since 2001.
Against the United States, Canada looked nervous and got off to a slow start. Against Czechia with the gold medal on the line, Canada got off to a much better start, controlling the time of possession and dominating offensive zone time.
However, both defenses played extremely well, blocking shots, and taking away passing, and shooting lanes. The shots were 1-1 10 minutes into the first period. Canada’s defense played particularly well. They were physical, took Czechia off the puck, and seemed to win every loose puck battle.
A few minutes into the game, Canada turned the puck over and Czechia hit the crossbar in transition. If Czechia would’ve scored that goal, the whole complexion of the game would’ve been changed. Czechia would’ve had much more momentum going into the second period.
Connor Bedard had a goal correctly ruled out for offside five minutes into the first period, but a few minutes later Canada was awarded a powerplay opportunity. Ahead of this game, Canada’s powerplay converted on 13 of its 28 attempts, the best of any team at the tournament.
Canada really found their footing offensively on the powerplay, spending almost the entire two minutes in the offensive zone, moving the puck around efficiently to open up shooting lanes and create scoring chances. Near the end of the powerplay, Brandt Clarke made an exceptional cross-ice pass, finding Guenther wide open at the top of the faceoff circle who fired home a powerful one-timer past Czechia goaltender Thomas Suchanek. All of Guenther’s six goals to that point had come on the powerplay, which shows his brilliance and skill on open ice.
Suchanek played very well all night turning aside 35 of Canada’s 38 shots on goal. He made several huge saves at many key points in the game, including preventing Canada from expanding their lead late to 3-0 in the second period, to keep the game tied toward the end of the third period and in overtime.
Thomas Milic was once again, fantastic between the pipes for Canada, making 24 saves on 26 Czechia
shots faced, including several highlight reel saves throughout. Canada turned the puck over a
few times in the first period which led to multiple breakaway chances in transition for Czechia. Milic came up big in all of those scenarios, making big saves to preserve Canada’s 1-0 lead.
Canada improved their transition defense as the game went on and they allowed fewer chances in transition and looked calmer and more confident on defense.
Two minutes into the second period, forward Caedan Banker was sprung in on a rush off a nice through pass past the defense, but before he could control the puck and get a shot off, he ran into Suchanek before the puck trickled over the line and the goal was correctly ruled out. Suchanek looked a bit shaken up but didn’t leave the game. He stayed in for the rest of the game and played well too. The accidental contact was likely why no penalty was called.
Canada’s accurate passing through the neutral zone and Czechia’s defense leading to odd-man rushes for Canada in transition remained a theme throughout the game. Canada was using the stretch pass brilliantly to create scoring chances in transition many times during the game. Suchanek has to make a handful of athletic saves including stretching out his pad to deny Zach Ostapchuk on the breakaway to keep the game 1-0 for Canada.
Canada dominated offensively early in the second period, creating several scoring chances and dominating the offensive zone time. Their incredible playmaking and creative stickhandling set up shooting lanes and their ability to drive the net with their stick down looking for rebounds or a pass in the slot made Czechia’s defense nervy.
Canada capped off a spell of offensive dominance early in the second period with a fantastic individual effort from captain Shane Wright who cut through two Czechia defenders with his agility and strong stickhandling skills before shifting to his backhand and roofing the puck past Suchanek to give Canada a 2-0 lead five minutes into the second period on his birthday.
Canada kept pressing offensively as the second period went on and early in the third period. They did a great job getting pucks to the net by both crashing the net for shooting opportunities in the slot and by stickhandling around defenders to create open space and shooting lanes. Canada’s puck movement remained a huge factor in creating open space for shots on goal.
However, despite all their top quality, grade-A chances, Canada could not extend their lead to 3-0, and it almost came back to haunt them. Suchanek was a big reason why as he made numerous key saves to keep his team’s deficit at two goals. Going into the third, Canada was up 2-0 and knew they needed to shut the door defensively and score one more goal to seal it.
It took Czechia 52:30 minutes to cut Canada’s lead in half, but once they scored their first goal, less than one minute passed before they found the back of the net again to tie the game 2-2.
On the first goal, Eduard Sale’s initial shot from the faceoff circle beat Milic on his glove side before hitting the post. Jiri Kulich used his speed to drive the net and tucked home the loose puck on the rebound.
Directly off the ensuing faceoff, Czechia controlled the puck in the offensive zone. Canada took the puck away but was unable to clear the zone and Thomas Namara forced a turnover before finding some open space to take a point shot into heavy traffic. The shot deflected off Jakub Kos before trickling past Milic. Canada was outshooting Czechia 31-21 at that point but the game was tied 2-2 with six minutes left to play.
Canada’s defense had been almost perfect - including killing all three of Czechia’s powerplays - but from the halfway point of the third period until the game was tied almost four minutes later, Canada turned the puck over a handful of times in their own zone and could not clear the puck out of their end which contributed to Czechia’s comeback.
However, with credit to Czechia, their offense was clicking in the third period, they moved the puck well, spent a lot of time in Canada’s end, and forced crucial turnovers in the offensive zone which led to multiple scoring chances. Suchanek many timely saves also gave them a chance to make a comeback.
Both teams pressed offensively late in the game, searching for a winner. Canada got numerous quality chances to win late in the game but Suchanek stood on his head like he has all game. Milic was also very sharp in the final few minutes of regulation and made several crucial saves to keep the game 2-2 against a rejuvenated Czechia offense who had just tied the game and regained all the momentum.
Canada spent the majority of the overtime period in the offensive zone, putting pucks to the net and moving the puck with accuracy and efficiency to create scoring chances. Czechia had a few chances in transition which Canada’s defence or Milic turned aside.
Just over six minutes into overtime, Joshua Roy won a puck battle in the corner and found Guenther all by himself in the slot. Roy delivered a crisp, cross-ice pass to Guenther’s stick which he controlled before making a move and beating Suchanek upstairs to seal Canada’s 20th World Juniors Gold Medal, most of any nation worldwide.
Connor Bedard - who broke IIHF World Juniors several records - won tournament MVP, scoring nine goals and recording 14 assists for 23 points in seven games. The gold medal game was the only game he was held pointless. Bedard didn’t contribute to the scoresheet tonight, but without him, Canada wouldn’t have even been in the gold medal match.
Congratulations to Canada and what a great effort from Czechia!
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