Czech forward Juri Kulich gave his team a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden in the first semifinal of the World Junior Hockey Championship on Wednesday in Halifax.
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The Buffalo Sabers prospect – who was favored by the CH in the 2022 draft – rushed to the net with speed, thwarting two defenders and finishing the job with a good shot that went over the top of the opposing goalkeeper’s pad. Kulich therefore sent his team to the final and allowed his country to get their hands on a first medal since 2005 and to reach a first final since the two gold medals won in 2000 and 2001.
Trailing 1-0, the Czechs multiplied their attacks towards the net, dominating 14-3 in the third period, to try to come back from behind.
Czech head coach Radim Rulik went all out by pulling the keeper out with over two minutes left in the game. It was ultimately Columbus Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek who forced overtime with 38 seconds left in the game. He fired a powerful shot that slipped into the bottom of the net. Swedish goalkeeper Carl Lindblom was unable to intervene in time.
The latter, who was one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament, was quietly heading for his third shutout in six games
After an uneventful first period which allowed the two teams to study each other, it was the Swedes who won first. Ludvig Jansson gave his team the lead in the opening moments of the second period. The Florida Panthers prospect scored his fourth goal of the tournament with a sharp shot into the top corner that sped past goaltender Thomas Suchanek.
The Czech masked man had to stand out in overtime giving his team a chance to win this match, when he had been very little targeted in the third period.
The Czech Republic are still the only team unbeaten in regulation time, their only loss coming at the hands of Sweden by a score of 3-2 in extra time during the group stage.
The winner of the match between Canada and the United States will join the Czech Republic in the grand final which will take place on Friday in Halifax. The loser will face Sweden for the bronze medal on Thursday.
Austria relegated
Earlier in the day, Austria lost the two-of-three relegation series to Latvia.
The squad led by head coach Kirk Furey went down 4-2 in Game 2 after losing the first game 5-2.
Austria will therefore find themselves in Division 1 next year, while Latvia is now guaranteed to be in the 2024 World Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.
It is Norway that will take Austria’s place in the best grouping of countries and will have the chance to participate in the prestigious competition held during the holiday season. This nation won the Division 1 championship last December.
Coming back to today’s game, Bogdans Hodass, Girts Silkalns, Dans Locmelis and Sandis Vilmanis had given Latvia the lead.
Luca Auer and Finn van EE scored in the last five minutes for a hope of coming back to Austria, but it was very little too late.