Czechs stun Canada 5-2 at world junior men’s hockey championships

Jaroslav Chemeler and Matous Mensik scored 33 seconds aside all through a five-moment electric power participate in as Czechia shocked Canada 5-2 in the opener for the two international locations at the entire world junior men’s hockey championship Monday.

Stanislav Svozil and David Spacek, with a target and an assist every, and David Moravec furnished the rest of the offence for underdog Czechia, the state typically acknowledged as the Czech Republic.

Tomas Suchanek was stellar in earning 36 saves behind a structured, identified group.

Shane Wright, with a intention and an assist, and Connor Bedard replied for Canada. Benjamin Gaudreau permitted 5 aims on 17 pictures just before remaining changed by Thomas Milic in the second interval. Milic concluded with 10 will save for the quickly wobbly event favourites who shed to the Czechs for the to start with time in 3,285 times.

Sweden hammered Austria 11- in Team A’s other match.

Seeking for its 20th gold medal following successful on dwelling soil in Edmonton this earlier summer time, Canada suffered just its 2nd decline in 24 meetings with the Czechs at the men’s under-20 showcase because 1994, with the only other defeat coming in a shootout in the 2013 preliminary round.

🎯 smashed by Connor Bedard! 🤩#WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/tawy31JiPO

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 27, 2022

Down 3-2 in the second period of time Monday, Canada crumbled right after forward Zach Dean was assessed a match penalty for an unlawful check to the head.

With Dean using an early shower, Chemeler banged household a unfastened puck from Gaudreau’s doorstep at 8:14 ahead of Mensik fired from a sharp angle moments afterwards to conclusion a netminder’s forgettable night.

Canada pushed as the period of time wore on, but Suchanek was there to deny Brennan Othmann on a frantic electrical power perform before Wright strike the post late in the period.

The Canadians got a electric power enjoy early in the third, but were not able to link, and the quietly confident Czechs stored their great from there to secure an inconceivable victory.

The to start with “normal” world juniors considering the fact that 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic — 2021 was played in a bubble right before the 2022 party was postponed eight months — lovers inside of a frothing Scotiabank Centre had been all set from puck drop.

The tournament hosts had a amount of early likelihood, together with Adam Fantilli’s try at “The Michigan” that was thwarted by Spacek, in advance of pushing in advance on a power play.

After the Czechs were being whistled for goaltender interference on a sequence wherever the puck wound up in Gaudreau’s net, Wright tipped Olen Zellweger’s issue shot for the Canadian captain’s initially-at any time planet junior goal.

Bedard then experienced Canada’s 2nd energy at finishing “The Michigan” — in which a player picks the puck up on his stick guiding the net and tries to tuck it upstairs — before Brandt Clarke’s 2- objective was nixed by an offside overview.

That seemed to energize Czechia.

Spacek scored on a backdoor participate in wherever he caught Fantilli napping defensively just before Moravec’s seeing-eye place shot 35 seconds afterwards gave the Czechs an unlikely 2-1 direct by means of 20 minutes.

Svozil set the Czechs in advance by two 44 seconds immediately after the intermission when he was given also much place coming down off the stage, but Bedard responded 45 seconds immediately after that off a turnover to ignite the crimson-clad Maritime crowd internet hosting the planet juniors for the to start with time in 20 yrs.

But Dean’s hit on defenceman Ales Cech resulted in the 5-minute penalty that would prolong the underdog Czech’s guide to 3 and go away Canada with loads of concerns.

HEAVE Away

Canada’s aim music for the initially environment juniors to be performed on the East Coastline in 20 years is “Heave Away” by The Fables, a Celtic rock band from St. John’s, N.L.

Travel WOES

Czech defenceman David Jiricek’s gear didn’t arrive in Halifax until finally Monday afternoon many thanks to the winter season storm that walloped central and Japanese Canada past week.

The No. 6 pick at the 2022 NHL draft — assets of the Columbus Blue Jackets and a member of the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters — was meant to be part of his teammates Friday in Halifax, but did not get out of Toronto until finally 48 hours later.

Jiricek was on the ice for his team’s morning skate — in borrowed equipment — and was a game-time choice until finally his bag was pushed from the airport to the arena.

UP Future

Canada: Faces Germany on Wednesday.

Czechia: Faces Austria on Tuesday.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Push

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