Menu Close
More Close
Matches

27th June 2025 - Derek OBrien, photo: Vojtěch Zajíc

Czechs qualify directly to U23 final with 6-3 win over Canada

The Czech U23 team won its fourth game at home in the World Junior Championship and qualified directly into Sunday's final by defeating one of the tournament's biggest favorites 6-3. The Canadians took the early lead on a goal by Jack Oleksiuk, but the Czechs battled back with a pair of goals by Jan Stromko and Jan Čejka to lead 2-1 after one period. Mason Engele tied it for Canada, but Čejka's second of the game and Petr Šíma's first, which came 19 seconds apart, put the Czechs up by two and they never looked back. Šíma scored his second of the game in the third period to make it 5-2. With the loss, Canada will face the USA in the semifinal, with the winner of that game advancing to face the host Czechs in the final on Sunday.

ČPP Aréna - hala 1

6-3
(1:1, 3:1, 2:1)

Czechia U23 - Canada U23

Penalties
7:7
PPG
5:2
SHG
0:0
Shots on goal
24:24

Goals and assists

5. Stromko (Bečka, Macháček), 18. Čejka (Jágr), 29. Čejka (Kubíček), 29. Šíma (Macek, Lhota), 35. Šíma (Stromko), 45. Lhota – 2. Campbell (Weihs), 28. Engele (Phangura, Pinksen), 39. Krulicki (Dupperreault).

Referees

Pete Rybon, Peter Hriško

Official game sheet

Czechia U23

Křemenák – Bečka, Školoudík, Dlouhý, M. Matoušek, Vaniš, Korbel, J. Matoušek, Kubíček, Hálek – Bláha, Miksan, Stromko, Macek, Jágr, Šíma, Patera, Kábrt, Jelen, Lhota, Čejka, Macháček.

Canada U23

Hennessey – Correia, Longland, Grannitto, Pettingale, Pinksen, Griffin, Blagden, Krulicki, Duggan, Burke, Matchim – Lock, Dupperreault, Engele, Campbell, Phangura, Webster, Birkett, Oleksiuk, Oleksiuk, Weihs, Fontaine.

Coaches´ Quotes

Michal Dědič (CZE): "It was an absolute team effort. The guys played for each other and that was exactly how we envisioned it. We could point out some unnecessary penalties but they made up for it with immense determination and desire. They showed who’s at home here."

Paul Kastes (CAN): "It was tough. For us, it was the second game of the day, while for the Czechs, it was their first, so it wasn’t entirely fair. We put a lot of effort into it and we’re looking forward to facing them again."

Photogallery

Partners