If Team Canada vs Team Czechia for a gold medal sounds familiar to you, it's because the 2024 iteration of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup finals is the same as the year prior. Canada cemented their position on Friday night against their counterparts to the south, and the box score was well represented by WHL talent.
Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants) opened the scoring with five minutes left in the first period, potting his own rebound on the power play.
After trading goals to open up the second, Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen) scored to put Canada up 3-1 but the goal was called back due to goaltender interference. The hosts would keep pushing, and Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals) picked his spot past Ryan Cameron; that goal would stand, and Canada would take a two goal lead into the final frame.
USA would push in the third, but Canada became too much, and got themselves an empty net goal as well as another power play marker, this time from Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers). Kindel did make his way back to the stat sheet, assisting on the McKenna goal, and he and Team Canada advance to the gold medal game to face off against Czechia.
"We have a really deep team, and tonight you could see that." said Reschny after the win. "We came at them in waves and wore them down. As a group we were using our speed, trying to be creative to make plays and cause them trouble in the defensive zone, and I think that’s what worked.”
The gold medal game will take place at 6 p.m. local time at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta.
