After barely surviving their quarter-final game against Switzerland, team Sweden moved on to face a Czechia team that already had an upset win under their belt as they ended Canada’s tournament early. At this point, no team wants to come this far and not get the opportunity to play for the gold medal. Thankfully, the third period was a good one for Sweden and proved to be enough to propel them into the gold medal game tomorrow.
Sweden looked a little slow to start the game, and Czechia made them pay with the first goal of the game. But it didn’t take long for Sweden to tie it up off a strange bounce that somehow ended up in net. Sweden netted another to take the lead, but a power-play goal from Czechia tied the game at two goals each. The back and forth continued as Sweden climbed back on top with a power-play goal before they exploded offensively in the third period to claim a 5-2 victory.
Czechia Better Than Their Record Suggested
It is always difficult to predict winners at the World Juniors because even a team that struggles in the preliminary rounds can catch fire in the playoffs, and it only takes one bad game to exit the tournament. It should be no surprise then that Czechia gave Sweden everything that they could handle for most of the game.
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The Czechs traded goals with the high-powered hometown team late into the third before, surprise, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Noah Oslund decided they wanted to win this one and put the game out of reach for their opponents. They joined Hugo Havelid in being named Sweden’s three best players of the tournament.
Czechia technically came third in group “B” and was therefore the lower-ranked team in this game, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Their only true loss came in their first game of the tournament against Slovakia, and since then, they have been a very strong and resilient team, with their only other loss coming against the USA in a shootout.
Forwards Jiri Kulich and Matyas Melovsky both have eight points in six tournament games and could be the difference-makers in tomorrow’s bronze medal game.
Goaltending Got Better Throughout the Game
Heading into the tournament, the biggest question mark about Sweden’s roster was their goaltending. Their trio of young goalies had no previous World Junior Championship experience, and although Havelid was expected to be the starter, it was not a foregone conclusion. Jump ahead three games, and it looked like they had found a pair of gems with Havelid and Arizona Coyotes prospect Melker Thelin alternating shutouts, including one against Canada.
Related: 2024 Guide to the World Junior Championship
Since then, Thelin allowed four goals in their loss to Finland, Havelid allowed two against Switzerland on just 16 shots, and the first goal of this semi-final game was one that Havelid likely should have saved. Thankfully, Havelid seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on and helped lock things down in the third period once the lead was established. Perhaps his performance in this tournament will be enough to convince an NHL team to draft him.
Sweden Going for Gold Tomorrow
Everything comes down to tomorrow, whether it’s against the USA or Finland, and Sweden has every opportunity to be the ones wearing the gold medal around their necks. Their tournament has not been perfect, but their consistent effort has proven that they are built to win championships. From the electric abilities of their forward lines to their smooth-skating defensemen and their positionally solid goaltending, they have an extremely well-rounded and balanced roster. They are just one win away.