Canada wins gold, Czechia wins silver and the USA brings home bronze on a medal day of overtime thrillers. Tony Ferrari recaps the day with the three stars.
What a final day of the World Junior Championship.
After COVID-19 issues plagued three world juniors tournaments, the tournament was back to normal for the first time since 2020, and this year’s tournament delivered. The Canadians defeated the Czechs in the gold medal game, which could be the last time we see Connor Bedard in the World Junior Championship.
In the bronze medal game, we witnessed one of the best third-place games in world juniors history. The Americans ultimately prevailed in an 8-7 overtime thriller. The game featured a number of lead changes, a goal in the final minute of regulation and an OT-winner that American fans will remember for a while.
The United States Wins Bronze in Overtime Thriller
In what could be considered one of the greatest bronze medal games in tournament history, the Americans captured third place.
Goaltending was optional, and 15 goals were scored in all, including nine in the middle frame. The teams played a fairly even affair from start to finish, with each team having their runs of success and control of play. The game came down to sudden death, and Chaz Lucius scored his hat-trick goal to become the American hero.
The Americans’ best player opened the scoring just under three minutes into the game. Logan Cooley went bar down on a beautiful pass from Jimmy Snuggerud, who stole the puck on the forecheck behind the Swedish net. The Americans had the physicality advantage, and they used it early to grab a lead. Outside of that one American goal, the teams played fairly even hockey the rest of the frame, with the Swedes playing slightly better hockey. The early American goal gave them the lead after 20 minutes.
That’s when things went wild.
Ryan Ufko’s point shot found its way through traffic to give the Americans a two-goal lead. Then it was Filip Bystedt getting the Swedes on the board with a snipe off a nice feed from Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Chaz Lucius had his turn next 1:33 later, driving the net, protecting the puck and beating Carl Lindbom with a nice shot from in tight. A minute and a half after that, Oscar Pettersson drove wide and beat the whole American team with his speed before beating Augustine from a sharp angle. Just 6:35 into the middle frame, four goals were scored. And the Americans and Swedes were still just getting started.
Leo Carlsson, a potential top-five prospect for the 2023 NHL draft, got in on the fun with a nice little one-time shot after the Swedes forced an American turnover in the offensive zone. Cutter Gauthier scored on the power play to give the Americans the lead once again before Chaz Lucius scored his second of the night, picking up a loose puck and finding some space before ripping a beauty top shelf in what could have easily been the backbreaker for Sweden.
The Swedes weren’t in the quitting mood, however. Milton Oscarson tapped in a loose puck on the power play to pull the Swedish squad within one. Less than 30 seconds later, Liam Ohgren chased down a puck sent into the American end. Augustine got to it first, attempting to send a pass down the ice and clear the danger. Instead, Ohgren knocked the puck down and scored as the American netminder was in the faceoff circle.
What a game already. And there’s more.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Noah Ostlund opened the scoring of the third period four minutes in. It lasted all of 4:17, as U.S. captain Luke Hughes scored a beautiful spinning goal to tie the game with a fantastic individual effort.
With time winding down, Carlsson took a penalty, and the Americans were gifted a power play with under three minutes to go. Rutger McGroarty jammed a puck in after it looked like Lindbom covered it. After a review, the Americans retook the lead with 1:37 to go.
That lead was short-lived as the Swedes, yet again, weren’t in a quitting mood. With 21 seconds to go, Bystedt would tie it up, crashing the net and burying the loose puck. The insanity would continue, and the game was off to overtime.
Overtime didn’t last long. Just over two minutes in, Lane Hutson drove the net and attempted to score but was stopped from in tight. Two Swedes followed Hutson behind the net, and Lucius followed up and collected the rebound. With a quick move, Lucius flicked the puck by Lindbom and bronze was donned by the Americans.
Canada Wins Gold in Redeeming Rematch Against Czechia
Canada's only tournament loss came against Czechia in each team's opening game on Boxing Day. Czechia was the top seed coming out of the group stage. Canada was looking to repeat as the gold medallists. Czechia was looking for their first gold since 2001 after being guaranteed their first medal since 2005.
The game started slow. Both teams looked for space, and neither wanted to make the first mistake. Ten minutes into the game, each team had only one shot apiece. Connor Bedard briefly looked as if he had opened the scoring with a shot from the blueline beating Thomas Suchacek in the Czech net, but Bedard had gone offside slightly as he walked the blueline.
Canada opened the scoring a few minutes later, though, as Dylan Guenther fired a bomb on net on the power play. Brandt Clarke fed Guenther in the faceoff dot for a one-timer, and Canada got on the board.
The fear of making a mistake remained. Canada made an error toward the end of the frame, though. With a turnover in the offensive zone, Czech forward Martin Rysavy got behind the defense for a breakaway. Thankfully for Canada, Thomas Milic, the hero from the semifinals, was again up to the task. The massive save at the end of the first period preserved Canada's one-goal lead.
The second period was much the same. Both teams traded chances, and both teams were thwarted by the netminders for the most part. Canada had a chance early in the period as Caeden Bankier had a chance all alone in front, but he bowled into Suchacek in the Czech crease. The puck crossed the line but was immediately waved off. After the Czech netminder winced in pain for a moment, he was ready to go between the pipes again.
Canada would beat Suchacek not long after, though. Shane Wright, who was having his best game of the tournament on his 19th birthday, made a move off the wall, deked a defender and then roofed the puck on his backhand to extend Canada's lead by a goal. The Canadian captain could have been better throughout the tourney, but he showed up when it mattered in the gold medal game.
The third period was more of the same as the first two periods. The Canadians controlled most of the play, but Czechia earned themselves solid chances, and Milic stood tall.
Finally, with just 7:30 to go, the Czechs broke through. Stanislav Svozil kicked a pass in the air with his back heel over his head and into the zone. The puck worked back to Svozil at the point, who threaded a pass to Matyas Sapovaliv. The Golden Knights prospect hit the far post on his shot, but Jiri Kuich buried the loose puck in the crease. The Czechs had life.
The Czechs have been the kings of drama at the world juniors, and they were at it again. Under a minute later, the Czech group worked hard in the Canadian zone. The puck worked out to Tomas Hamara at the top of the zone. The Ottawa Senators prospect threw the puck on net, and while it was going wide on the far side, Jakub Kos deflected it short side. It dribbled past Milic.
Czechia wasn't going down without a fight, tying the game at two with under seven minutes to play in regulation. The score held up, and off to overtime it went.
The extra frame started with both teams flying end to end, making great play after great play only to be matched with an equally outstanding play defensively. Bedard, Fantilli and Stankoven all made great plays for Canada. Jiricek, Sapovaliv and Kulich made stood up for Czechia.
Unfortunately, Kulich gave the puck away right after entering the offensive zone. Canada turned the puck up ice. Guenther and Brennan Othmann played give and go before Guenther buried the golden goal. The Arizona Coyotes rookie was lent to the team after a stint in the NHL, and this goal made it all worth it.
What a game. What a tournament. The world juniors, baby!
Three Stars:
1st Star: Dylan Guenther, LW, Canada
He opened the scoring with a beautiful shot on the power play, Guenther scored the overtime-winner to capture gold for Canada. He was one of the most dangerous players throughout the tournament. He was Canada's most lethal weapon on the power play outside of Bedard. His chances throughout the game were plentiful, but it was the final shot he took that mattered. He etched his name into history as one of many to score the golden goal for Canada.
2nd Star: Thomas Suchanek, G, Czechia
The Czech netminder had a performance to remember at the world juniors. He was hurt in this game early in the second period as Bankier crashed into him, pinning his leg between the post and the Canadian forward. Suchanek was wincing in pain, and the broadcast wasn't afraid of showing it on his face. He needed to be propped up by teammates and was looked at by the Czech medical staff, but he elected to stay in the game. After the injury, he made save after save, stoning Canadians left and right. He made 35 saves on 38 shots in total.
3rd Star: Chaz Lucius, C, USA
When the game came down to the wire, the Winnipeg Jets' prospect came up big. With two goals heading into overtime, the American scored his hat-trick goal to capture the bronze. Lucius came into the tournament off a shoulder injury with no game action in a month leading up to Boxing Day. Two weeks later, he's the American hero.