Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone, along with their teammates, looked dejected as Czechia dashed Canada’s gold medal aspirations at the world junior hockey championship. Tomas Poletin scored the decisive goal with just over a minute left in the third period, sealing a 6-4 victory for Czechia over Canada in the semifinals of the men’s under-20 tournament. This defeat marked the second consecutive year that Canada fell to the same opponent in the tournament, leaving McKenna and Martone feeling like they had let their country down.
Vojtech Cihar was instrumental for the Czech team, scoring two goals, including an empty-netter, while Adam Benak, Maxmilian Curran, and Adam Titlbach also contributed to the offense. Despite a valiant effort from the Canadian players, including goals from Tij Iginla, Zayne Parekh, Martone, and Cole Reschny, they could not overcome the determined Czech squad. The loss means that Canada will now compete for the bronze against Finland, while Czechia advances to face Sweden in the gold medal match.
The game saw intense moments, including Poletin’s game-winning goal, which barely crossed the goal line off his skate, and Cihar’s crucial goal that put Czechia ahead late in the third period. Despite the disappointment, Canadian head coach Dale Hunter urged his players to handle the loss professionally. The defeat also marked a significant milestone as it is the first time since 2016 that neither Canada nor the United States will feature in the world junior championship final.
Looking ahead to the bronze medal match, McKenna acknowledged the challenge but emphasized the importance of regrouping and being prepared. The Canadian team, determined to redeem themselves, is focused on finishing the tournament on a positive note and making their country proud.
