Kulich with a hat trick in Czechia’s 8-1 rout over Norway
The Buffalo Sabres had four of seven prospects (goalie Scott Ratzlaff did not dress for Canada) playing for four countries at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden in action on the second day of the tournament, and 2022 first-rounder Jiri Kulich was the star of Day #2.
Kulich, who led Czechia with seven goals in seven WJC games last December, and led the AHL with 16 goals at the Christmas break, scored a hat trick and added an assist in an 8-1 victory over Norway. The 19-year-old scored both goals in the first period to put his squad up 2-0 and then completed the hat trick late in the third period.
In Canada’s 10-0 victory over Latvia, 2022 first-rounder Matthew Savoie had an assist on Conor Geekie’s third-period goal, but played just 13:33, and had one shot on goal.
Maxim Strbak once again logged over 23 minutes for Slovakia in their second win in as many days, and had an assist in a 3-0 victory over Switzerland, while 2023 seventh-rounder Norwin Panocha went scoreless in 17:34 for Germany in their 4-3 upset win over Finland.
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