Tomas Hamara scored the winning goal 1 minute 41 seconds from the end of regulation time. The Czech Republic erased a 5-2 deficit at the end of the second period to surprise Finland 8-5 and win the bronze medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Friday.
Ondrej Becher added a hat trick and two assists, while Jiri Kulich scored twice and set up two more goals for the Czechs.
Jakub Stancl added a goal and an assist and Dominik Rymon scored one of the two Czech goals into an empty net. Matyas Melovsky added three assists. Hamara, an Ottawa Senators prospect, added two assists for a three-point afternoon.
The United States and hosts Sweden, looking for their first home victory, will compete for gold later on Friday.
Lenni Hameenaho scored twice for Finland. Jani Nyman added a goal and an assist.
Rasmus Kumpulainen and Konsta Helenius provided the rest of the attack for the Finns, who were also kept off the podium 12 months ago after taking silver in 2022.
In a wild end to the match, Becher equalized 1:56 from the end of regulation time by scoring on a rebound. Hamara then scored the game-winning goal on a point shot 15 seconds later, before Rymon and Becher added empty-net goals.
PHOTO BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tomas Hamara
Finland, which was looking for its 18e world junior medalist, took a 2-0 lead in the first period.
The Czechs tied it up, but Helenius made it 3-2 at 8:52 of the second period before Hameenaho scored his first goal of the afternoon 19 seconds later. The New Jersey Devils prospect added his second goal of the game at 14:32 for a 5-2 lead.
Becher responded with 55 seconds left in the period to cut the deficit to two goals after 40 minutes and Kulich scored his second at 4:41 of the third to make it 5-4 before a late surge ended. allows the Czechs to get on the podium for the fifth time in their history.