Czechia Believes They're Worthy of Gold – Now They Have a Shot

Czechia was under a minute away from having to compete for bronze. But their confidence and willpower got them a date in Thursday's gold medal game.

If you told Team Czechia before the 2023 World Junior Championship kicked off that they'd have punched their ticket to the gold medal game in two weeks time, would they have believed it? 

"Yes," said Czech forward Jakub Brabenec, with the confidence of someone three periods away from history. 

"I said it before the tournament. I said we have probably one of the best teams here, and it's one of the best teams in Czechia after, like, 20 years. So, I believed, and you can see it right now." 

Brabenec seems to speak for everyone in the Czech locker room. There's a remarkable belief permeating within this group of players; the belief that, together, they can accomplish anything they set their mind to – no matter the opponent, stakes, or score. 

It's that same collective belief that lifted Czechia to one of the most dramatic victories of the tournament on Wednesday afternoon and placed them on the precipice of a feat they haven't achieved in nearly two decades. 

Down 1-0 in the final minute of a win-or-go-home grudge match versus the lauded Swedes, Czechia continued its onslaught on the offensive zone as the clock slowly ticked down, crashing the net without abandon and throwing everything they had at Swedish netminder Carl Lindbom, who had shut them out completely to that point in the game. 

With their goalie pulled and time working against them, Czechia found themselves at the end of the line. Sweden had them cornered. That is, until they didn't. 

That trademarked Czech forecheck and its unrelenting ferocity finally paid off after 59 minutes of frustration, with the puck eventually being forced to an open David Jiricek at the point with 49.8 seconds left. And Jiricek, the anchor of the world juniors' highest-scoring blueline this year, did what he does best when his team needed him most, blasting the puck into the net to tie the game and keep Czechia's hopes of earning their first medal since 2005 alive. 

Those hopes would be cemented roughly 10 minutes later when forward Jiri Kulich drove the net after blowing by a flat-footed Swedish defender and scored the most important goal in his country's recent history. 

From the brink of disaster, the Czechs managed to bring themselves to the cusp of glory. It happened in a flash – improbable and yet inevitable all the same. 

"It's hard, but it was still just one goal," explained Czech forward Matyas Sapovaliv, grinning from ear to ear and just trying to process being part of history. 

"We know it's hockey, and just one shot can do it. So, we still believed. And we are just so happy we won." 

Despite the dramatics required to pull off the win, Czechia more or less controlled the game from a possession standpoint on Wednesday, limiting Sweden to just 22 shots and forcing Lindbom to put on one of the most outstanding goaltending performances of the week just to keep his team ahead by a single goal. 

There's a reason why Czechia has earned the reputation of the most annoying team at the tournament this year. And, versus Sweden, it was on full display. The Swedes could barely enter the offensive zone in the first period, with Czech defenders and forwards crowding the middle of the ice to break up any potential rush attempt or routine possession. 

While the game did open up in the second and third periods, it wasn't by all that much. Sweden's only goal on the afternoon came from a far-out shot from the perimeter that beat Czech goaltender Tomas Suchanek by a fraction of an inch. For nearly all 60 minutes of regulation and nine of overtime, Czechia kept Sweden to the outside and away from the dangerous areas of the ice, with every Grade-A opposing look coming at a price. 

For every Swedish pass attempt, there was a Czech stick waiting to break it up. For every dump-in, a body waiting; for every open inch, an opponent waiting to take it away. 

All of it was fueled by an unmatched sense of belief. And now, from that belief comes joy. At least for one night. 

"That's probably the biggest game of our lives," said Gabriel Szturc. 

He was lost for words when asked what it would mean to the Czech hockey program to win a gold medal. 

"You can't even imagine how happy I would be," Szturc said, unable to contain his smile. 

"Like, every single one of us would be absolutely, like, 'wow.' I'm just so happy." 

A daunting opponent awaits Czechia on Thursday. There's no denying that. But Czechia has been out-gunned countless times this tournament and has come out victorious without fail. No matter how the chips fall, the gold medal game will feature an unstoppable force meeting their immovable object. 

You won't want to miss it.