Czechia qualifies for world junior gold medal game after beating Sweden

Czechia will play for gold for the first time at the World Junior Championship since winning 2001, beating Sweden 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday in the first semifinal game.

The Czechs will play the winner of tonight’s later semifinal game between Canada and USA on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET. Sweden beat Czechia in overtime earlier in the tournament, the lone loss for the Czechs after starting the tournament off with big wins over Canada and Austria.

It was a goaltending duel, with Czechia’s Tomas Suchanek and Sweden’s Carl Lindbom playing some spectacular hockey when called upon. Suchanek stopped 21 shots, while Lindbom, a Vegas Golden Knights prospect, turned away 29 shots sent his way.

The lone goal came early in the second. With some heavy pressure in the Czech zone, Ludvig Jansson’s shot went through the legs of a Czech player and over top of Suchanek’s right arm, giving Sweden a 1-0 lead.

Czechia hadn’t had to trail for most of the tournament, and the Swedes did an excellent job of taking opportunities away. But with just over 30 seconds to go, David Jiricek’s blast from the point went right through the legs of Lindbom and in to make it a 1-1 game.

The game needed overtime, and just like in the third, the Czechs waited until the last minute to spoil Sweden’s evening. At 69:10 – with 50 seconds to go in regulation – Jiri Kulich’s shot beat Lindbom’s seven hole and secured the victory, sending the Czechs off to the final and getting revenge for last year’s bronze medal loss.