2024 World Juniors daily: Jan. 5

The USA are World Juniors champions.

The 2024 tournament concluded Friday with the Americans beating hosts Sweden in Gothenburg.

Day 9 results (Jan. 5, 2024):

USA 6-2 Sweden
Czechia 8-5 Finland

About today:

The USA claimed the sixth gold medal in program history after a 6-2 win over Sweden.

The victory completed a perfect tournament for the Americans who went 7-0-0 and claimed their first gold medal since 2021. Flint’s Gavin Hayes (CHI) and Barrie’s Sam Hillebrandt were the two lone CHL representatives on the USA’s roster.

For Sweden, their gold medal drought continues; they have failed to win a World Juniors since 2012 and have now had to settle for silver on four occasions since.

Czechia claimed bronze in improbable fashion as they erased a 5-2 deficit and scored five times in the third period to stun Finland.

Down 5-4, Prince George’s Ondrej Becher tied the game with 1:56 to play. Just 15 seconds later, Brantford’s Tomas Hamara (OTT) scored the game-winner to give Czechia medals in back-to-back World Juniors for the first time since 2000-01.

From the brink of defeat, goals from Ondrej Becher (@PGCougars) and Tomas Hamara (@BulldogsOHL) 15 seconds apart have given 🇨🇿 bronze at the 2024 #WorldJuniors! pic.twitter.com/wtjq4PFwZr

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 5, 2024

Becher was sensational as he recorded five points (3G, 2A) while Everett’s Dominik Rymon scored into the empty-net to make it 7-5. Becher completed his hat-trick with an empty-netter with six seconds to play.

In goal, Sudbury’s Jakub Vondras (CAR) entered the game in relief and stopped 17 of 20 shots to backstop Czechia to the second bronze medal in program history. Baie-Comeau’s Matyas Melovsky had three assists and finished third in scoring with 11 points while his 10 assists were tied for the tournament lead.

As for Finland, Oshawa’s Rasmus Kumpulainen (MIN) opened the scoring as he made it back-to-back games with a goal. The defeat marks two consecutive tournaments that Finland has failed to medal.

Player of the day:

Prince George’s Ondrej Becher had the best individual performance by a CHL player at the tournament with his five-point outing.

Becher’s first goal got the comeback started as he scored shorthanded in the final minute of the second period while his aforementioned second goal made it 5-5. His empty-net goal rounded out the scoring while one of his two assists came on Hamara’s game-winner.

With the Cougars this season, Becher has been exceptional with 45 points in just 30 games. His 16 goals have matched his total from last year while his point total is already a new career best. Prince George selected Becher, who is undrafted into the NHL, with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 CHL Import Draft.

CHL leaders: