Second straight World Juniors gold one win away for Canada
Nineteen CHL players will hope to have a gold medal around their necks later tonight.
On home soil in Halifax, Canada will look to become the first team since 2009 to win back-to-back gold medals at the World Juniors.
To do so, they will have to beat the only side that has beaten them this tournament; Czechia.
“To play the Czechs again, the team that beat us, is exciting,” said Connor Bedard. “But with that being said we didn’t come here to make the final. We came here to win gold.”
Who else but Connor Bedard❗️ #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/HEw7JnCXge
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 5, 2023
After Canada cruised through its pre-tournament schedule with a 3-0-0 record, where they outscored opponents 17-4, they were dealt a mighty blow on Boxing Day when Czechia beat them 5-2 in their tournament opener.
“It’s a redemption game against them especially on the big stage,” said Thomas Milic.
That evening, Czechia’s star CHL defencemen David Spacek and Stanislav Svozil each had two points (1G, 1A) while Tomas Suchanek made 36 saves.
“A lot of skill on the backend,” Brandt Clarke said of Czechia. “A lot of forwards who know how to get to the right areas and bear down and [they have] a really good goaltender. They kind of check all the boxes. They’re a really good team and all credit to them for getting to this point.
“They deserve it but we still have that bitter taste and we want to avenge that.”
After that defeat, Canada blew through the rest of its round-robin opponents as they beat Austria, Germany and Sweden by a combined 27-3 score to finish second in Group A.
Bedard’s sensational overtime goal gave Canada a 4-3 win over Slovakia in their quarterfinal before they erased a 2-0 deficit Wednesday to beat the USA 6-2 in their semi-final.
“It’s what every kid dreams of, especially Canadians,” Clarke said of playing for gold. “The environment tonight was crazy. I can’t imagine what it will be like Thursday.
“There’s been such an outpouring of support across the country and we’re so grateful for it.”
Brandt Clarke! 🇨🇦 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/63hnGHKbYk
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 5, 2023
Eight members of Canada’s team will seek a second straight World Juniors gold medal tonight in Bedard, Ethan Del Mastro, Nathan Gaucher, Zack Ostapchuk, Brennan Othmann, Joshua Roy, Logan Stankoven and Olen Zellweger.
“It’s what I wanted at the beginning of the tournament,” Roy said. “Last year was incredible and I want to live it again.”
Top 3 🇨🇦 players at the #WorldJuniors:
• Connor Bedard
• Logan Stankoven
• Joshua Roy pic.twitter.com/CGvs1bvHEF— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 5, 2023
Canada is 20-1-1 all-time against Czechia with two ties. Before Boxing Day, Canada had never lost in regulation to tonight’s opponents.
On route to gold in 2022, Canada beat Czechia 5-1 in the round-robin and then 5-2 in the semi-final. Czechia wound up finishing fourth after they lost to Sweden while Canada went on to win its 19th World Juniors gold medal.
“It’s something we’ve been working towards for a long time now,” Milic said of playing for gold. “It’s something you dream of a kid. I’m super excited.”
