The “home team” took to the ice on Friday as Team Canada battled the plucky Czechs in one of two World Junior Championship Semifinal games, with both teams attempting to earn a spot in the Gold Medal Game.
Canada won 5-2, advancing to the Gold Medal Game; the valiant Czechs would play for Bronze.
In terms of Red Wings prospects playing in the game:
Donovan Sebrango: Sebrango played on the Canadians’ first defensive pair with Olen Zellweger. He finished at +1 with 1 shot in 20:53 played, and he was the stay-at-home stalwart who allowed his defensive partner to rack up points. Sebrango’s safe, steady, communicative manner works well on a team full of superstars.
Jan Bednar: Bednar didn’t dress for the Czechs, having lost his starter’s job to Tomas Suchanek. I can’t say that Bednar’s performance at the WJC was encouraging, but short tournaments aren’t kind to players who are still learning to play consistently. Bednar will go back to the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan and have a good season there.
In terms of the game’s narrative…
1st period:
The Canadians went into the game at something of a disadvantage as their superstar grinder, Ridly Grieg, was ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
That might have been a bigger concern if Canada faced the World Juniors weren’t a single-game elimination format. Canada had to battle their way through two games without their heart-and-soul forward, and that started with Friday’s difficult match-up with the Czechs.
Our semifinal setup. 🇨🇦 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/M45R36hZXu— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 19, 2022
The puck was dropped at Rogers Place in Edmonton at 4:08 PM EDT, and the Czechs won the draw, chipped and chased, an Sebrango swung the puck around the boards, the Czechs held it in for a moment, but Zellweger and company cleared it, and the Canadians went offside at the Czechia blueline.
Sapovaliv earned the game’s first scoring chance as he split the second line’s defensemen and rushed in on Garand, who made a smart stop.
The Czechs picked up where they left off on Wednesday: they were blocking shots and blocking passes, but they also struggled against the Canadians’ size, and Kent Johnson was able to battle his way from the half boards down low, and he forced Suchanek to make a big stop 1:05 into the 1st period.
Sebrango made a FANTASTIC dive-and-drop play to stop Adam Mechura from charging to the front of the net on the right wing side in the Canadian zone about 2:30 into the 1st;
Canada also established a heavy, physical forecheck approximately 3 minutes into the 1st period…
But the Czechs were doing a far better job of cycling the puck with speed and skill in the Canadian zone, and they were incredibly dangerous when they had possession and control in the offensive zone.
Zellweger and Sebrango did a good job of helping the Canadians cycle as Stankoven and company worked the puck up and down the boards, frustrating the Czech defense, but the Czechs parried the Canadian rush;
Suchanek made a BIG blocker stop on Canada’s Connor Bedard going one way, and then the Czechs charged into the Canadian zone, but nothing came of their rush;
7 minutes into the 1st period, both teams were generating good cycling plays in the offensive zone, especially off the rush, and the Czechs were generating odd-man rushes off Canadian turnovers in the offensive zone, going the other way and threatening Garand.
All of that being said, Kent Johnson chipped a puck behind Suchanek some 7:30 into the 1st, and Foerester NEARLY scored, but the Czechs’ defense held his stick…
Sebrango had taken a couple of shifts by then, sweep-checking to stifle Czech creativity and using his bent-over style to help clear rebounds. The Canadians had given up 5 shots to 4 as the 9-minute mark hit…
Sebrango managed to generate a scoring chance as Zellweger set up a lateral pass, and Sebrango sent a shot pass in on net, but Jiri Kulich tipped the puck out of play;
Zellweger got a hard shot off on an offensive faceoff win by Stankoven, too, at 9:28, but Suchanek made a big stop.
When Zellweger pinched poorly, Sebrango made a great shot block on a Czech 3-on-2, and then he chipped the puck out of trouble before changing…
And Kent Johnson cleaned up the garbage around the goal at 10:04 of the 1st, with Stankoven and Foerester generating chaos in front of the net, affording Johnson the ability to poke a loose puck behind a flopping Suchanek to make it 1-0 Canada.
Kent Johnson starts off the scoring for Canada! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/OjisfvqxZS— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
Kent Johnson opens the scoring! @HockeyCanada up 1-0 over @narodnitym #WorldJuniors @BlueJacketsNHL pic.twitter.com/I2lpxqsd7l— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
Johnson’s goal was unassisted at 10:04.
The Canadians really established dominance by the 10:30 mark of the 1st period, with Johnson nearly scoring again as Suchanek snow-angel-ed to make a gigantic stop st the side of the goalpost;
Sebrango generated a shot off an offensive zone draw, got dumped and yelled at the ref when Jan Mysak tripped him in the defensive zone, and swept the puck around the back boards on his ensuing shift.
Garand did have to make a big stop on Kos at 10:54, as the Czechs earned a slot shot via great skating on an odd-man rush;
The Czechs were crawling back into the game via smart neutral zone and offensive zone play, but they really struggled to shut down the Canadian cycle, trailing in shots 13-6 at 13:30 of the 1st.
Sebrango was no goaltender, so the Czechs got a couple of shots off while he was on the ice, but his defensive play was excellent, affording Zellweger the ability to play on both the right and the left side, depending on what afforded him more offensive chances…
Logan Stankoven clanged a puck off the outside of the post and the outside of the net at 14:37;
Cuylle and Bedard nearly converted on a 2-on-1 15:00 in;
And Connor Bedard scored on the next shift, working a breakout pass up and in 1-on-1 vs. Tomas Hamara, a Czech defender, who could not stop Bedard from picking the low, far goalpost to make it 2-0 at 15:20…
Connor Bedard’s release!🤩
Canada leads 2-0 in the final minutes of the 1st. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QycjmHBkbJ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
👋 Connor@HockeyCanada up 2-0 over @narodnitym #WorldJuniors #CANCZE pic.twitter.com/2bydttz03T— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
The goal was Bedard from Gaucher and Cuylle.
Just as importantly, Sebrango bailed on a knee-on-knee hit just after the goal, showing some pro poise by avoiding an opportunity to injure an opponent…
And the Czechs were far better than the Canadians off the rush, but the Canadian forecheck was just absolutely hammering the Czechs.
Sebrango and Zellweger closed on Jan Mysak to stop the Czech captain from scoring in tight to the Canadian net;
And at 18:06, off a Zellweger icing call, the Canadians were able to win the draw, Sebrango and Zellweger pushed the puck out of trouble, and they changed;
Szturc nearly scored for the Czechs with 1:30 remaining, off the leg of defensman Ronan Seeley…
Kulich chipped another shot off Garand with 45.5 remaining;
OOF, Sebrango loses his stick on a drop pass in the slot, but he gets back and the Canadians manage to diffuse the Czech rush without trouble…
They go the other way and put another shot on Suchanek as the 1st period ends.
2-0 Canada after 1.— George Malik (@georgemalik) August 19, 2022
2nd period:
You see a lot of Sebrango pointing and steering traffic on defense. He’s very communicative and that’s an underrated quality to have.
Anyway, the 2nd period began at 5:05 PM EDT, and the Czechs made a couple of fantastic attempts to score on Dylan Garand as Sebrango was unable to stoop a squeaker through his knees as the puck slithered through Garand…
And with Zellweger on the wrong side of the ice, the Czechs earned a second scoring chance.
Garand made both saves.
Sometimes you over-commit to the shooter, especially when your defensive partner’s trying a little too hard to commit to a check along the half boards, and you leave ice open back-door.
That was a mistake Sebrango could not afford to replicate against the speedy Czechs.
Sebrango and Zellweger returned to the ice shortly after their shaky first shift, and the pair iced the puck (Zellweger is very prone to chipping the puck away when he’s under pressure), Canada was called for an illegal faceoff win, the Czechs won the second draw, and Sebrango tied up a Czech in front of his goal as the Canadians cleared the zone.
The Canadians were surrendering many more shots in the early parts of the 2nd. By the 2:30 mark, the shots were 15-12 Canada.
Long story long, the Canadians were starting the 2nd period in neutral, and 3:02 into the 2nd, the Canadians just…Looked slow.
Luckily, the Canadians were getting good goaltending from Garand, and their defense was doing a very good job of minimizing the Czechs’ scoring chances.
The Canadians were playing with fire…
So, some 4:25 into the 2nd, the shots were 15-14, and Czechia was beginning to crash the Canadian net with some aplomb.
Shots 15-15 at 4:50.
Bedard got taken down 1-on-1 as well, as the Czechs began to hit pretty hard;
And the Czechs took a shot lead at 5:01, off a Canadian turnover at center ice.
The Czechs had 8 shots in 5 minutes.
Sebrango and Zellweger came out, and Sebrango’s sharp stick poked away a shot, he tied up a Czech forward as Svozil sent their 9th shot in on Garand, and that was his shift.
Czechia just looked dominant as it preyed upon the Canadians’ turnovers and chipped and chased…
But Kent Johnson made a remarkable play on a breakaway…And SUCHANEK MADE A GORGEOUS STOP as Johnson was sprung by Tyson Foerester.
6:11 into the 2nd period, Canada re-took the shots lead at 18-17, and Canada began to attack Suchanek with aplomb, winning offensive zone draws and firing shots in on the Czech defense.
Even Sebrango, a stay-at-home defenseman, took a pass from a faceoff win and ripped the puck into Suchanek’s glove from distance.
7:00 into the 2nd, both teams were firing bombs at each other’s nets, but the Czechs were slowing down, and Canada was finding their legs.
Tomas urban nearly made it 1-1 as he deked around the Canadian defense and had Garand at his mercy, but he passed the puck, thinking he was up 2-on-0 instead.
The Canadians began to really run over the Czech defense, with Jiricek taking a heavy, heavy hit, and Canada’s establishment of a heavy forecheck really backed the Czechs off…
But Canada’s “almost” scoring chances weren’t converting, so it remained 2-0 at the halfway mark, with the shots 22-17 Canada.
Canada earned their first power play at 10:11, when the Czechs were tagged for too many men on the ice.
The Canadians went with 4 forwards and 1 defenseman on their power play, so the Czechs didn’t have that difficult a time steering the Canadians to the outside.
Logan Stankoven did put the puck off the post via a Mason McTavish tip…
And Logan Stankoven made it 3-0 on the rush, off a bad line change by the Czechs, with Kent Johnson sending a slick little pass into the slot for Stankoven to race into the zone uncontested. He converted with ease.
Logan Stankoven makes it a 3-0 hockey game! #WorldJunior pic.twitter.com/0Gsb5YwRk3— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
11:28 into the 2nd, it was 3-0.
However, Canada took a too-many men penalty at 12:12, and the Czechs headed to the power play.
Garand had to make a couple of big stops and there was a big scrum after Mysak and Sapovaliv tipped pucks in on Garand–and poked at the Canadian goaltender afterward…
Sebrango didn’t hit the ice until over 1:03 had elapsed in the penalty, and his ice time was being managed a little more with Canada up 3-0.
The Canadians did a great job of “eating the puck” along the boards in their own zone and chipping the puck out with only 10 seconds remaining on the PP;
And Sebrango tipped a Svozil pass wide and fronted the Czech down low as the Canadians killed the penalty…
And the Czechs took a penalty at 15:00 on the dot, for slashing. Simon Nemec got tagged.
On the power play, the Canadians really worked the puck up and down the ice with elegance, but the Czechs were also damn determined to not go down 4-0, and they played a spirited penalty-kill.
Only for so long. Mason McTavish ripped home the 4-0 goal at 16:11, from Kent Johnson, on a one-timer.
Mason McTavish strikes on the power play! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Iuh4nLRBA7— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
Mason McTavish makes no mistake on the powerplay, Canada leads 4-0! #WorldJuniors
🔗: https://t.co/HvCRQNfgYVpic.twitter.com/GEdSCeRxRT— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 19, 2022
🚨 Watch this set up 😱
Olen Zellweger sets up Mason McTavish to put @HockeyCanada up 4-0 over @narodnitym #WorldJuniors #CANCZE @AnaheimDucks pic.twitter.com/aeOVc5LNIb— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
For a team that was absolutely awful to start the 2nd period, Canada had returned to dominance.
Sebrango made a couple of smart plays in both the defensive and offensive zone on his next shift, with about 2:30 remaining in the 2nd.
Canada was a little flat after their 4-0 goal, however, and Ivan Ivan tipped a puck in on Garand which took far too much effort to stop, and Sebrango and Zellweger were soon on the ice to help stem the bleeding.
Zellweger and Sebrango not only helped the Canadians chip the puck out of trouble, but Zellweger also took a fine pass from Kent Johnson and raced in on Suchanek, who made a big stop.
Sebrango and Zellweger were challenged defensively, however, and the pair stopped a 3-on-2 against, they set up behind their net as Canada changed, and they afforded the Canadians’ top line a chip and chase.
McTavish fed Foerester 2-on-1 with only 11.1 left, but Foerester went offside, and the 2nd period soon ended with Canada up 4-0.
3rd period:
The 3rd period began with Sebrango and Zellweger on ice, the Mason McTavish line starting, and the Czechs hoping for a Miraculous Comeback.
Sebrango head-manned the rush from behind his net to the red line, cycled with Zellweger at center, ripped a shot on Suchanek that was stopped, and helped his defensive partner chip and chase before going off 45 seconds into the 3rd period.
The Czechs were able to at least hem the Canadians into their own end for about 30 seconds pretty early in the 3rd, but that was about it for the first 2 minutes of play.
Sebrango took back to the ice at 2:41, and he iced the puck, but did a good job of affording the Canadians an easy clear on the ensuing faceoff, and the Canadians changed shortly thereafter;
Garand didn’t face a shot until almost 3:30 into the 3rd.
Sebrango and Zellweger’s next shift took place about 4:00 into the 3rd, and it was a simple, spare set of puck retrievals and skating the puck out of trouble.
Garand faced his second shot of the period some 5:00 into the 3rd, and his third shot at 5:18, as the Czechs began to perk up, ever so slowly…
With few whistles and few faceoffs, Zellweger and Sebrango took another shift 6:30 into the 3rd, and Sebrango made a couple of shot blocks and chipped to afford Mason McTavish a chase that yielded a power play for Canada at 7:15. Stepan Nemec sat.
The Canadians continued to go with 4 forwards on their power play, perhaps emboldened by their 4-0 lead, and the Canadians were too fine, trying to score a highlight reel goal instead of just pounding pucks on Suchanek.
McTavish did hit Suchanek twice and hit the goalpost once as the power play slowed down time and the 9-minute mark hit.
Garand did have to make a solid stop on Mechura just before the 10-minute mark, but other than that, the Czechs rarely threatened.
Disappointingly for Canada, Jan Mysak chipped a puck through a Sebrango screen to make it 4-1 at 10:56. Garand basically missed the shot, which happens from time to time.
Jan Mysak gets Czechia on the board.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Kfsha5WUzQ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
🚨 🇨🇿 JAN MYSAK gets one back for @narodnitym!#WorldJuniors #CANCZE @CanadiensMTL @BulldogsOHL pic.twitter.com/eRj7qYuK2c— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
The Canadians continued to forecheck well, and they were just in clock-killing mode, attempting to speed up the game…
That plan backfired as the Candians took a penalty with 7:28 remaining in the 3rd, with Ryan O’Rourke taking a hooking penalty.
Things were getting a little skinny for the Canadians, who needed to keep the game clock going.
Sebrango worked on the PK as the Czechs won the opening faceoff and cycled, and made it 4-2…
David Jiricek ripped a point shot through traffic and Garand could not find it as it was tipped by Mysak to make it 4-2 at 12:44.
David Jiricek cuts Canada’s lead and makes it a 4-2 hockey game!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ALADtywr0Z— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
Canada suddenly had a tough road to hoe, and as the clock slowly ticked down, the crowd got back into the game (as much of a crowd as it was), and the Czechs began to forecheck with aplomb as they won faceoffs and at least attempted to sustain puck possession in the Canadian zone.
However, Logan Stankoven won a faceoff, he and Zellweger forechecked, checked the Czechs, and Joshua Roy swept a puck through Suchanek to make it 5-2 at 14:26.
Joshua Roy responds for Canada and makes it 5-2!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/WpjeMq2434— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
Joshua Roy gets one back for @HockeyCanada! 5-2 with 5:34 to go to clinch a spot in the gold medal final. @CanadiensMTL #WorldJuniors #CANCZE pic.twitter.com/j6EWejFQop— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
The Czechs did not give up, however. They continued to attempt to generate shots on Garand, and in their own end, they were tenacious on defense, blocking shots and passes, but time was running out on them.
Svozil did put a shot off Garand’s mask with about 2:15 remaining, and it nearly rolled into the Canadian net, but time kept ticking down, and with 1:38 left, Zellweger was dekeing and dangling up ice himself, as Sebrango stayed back…
It became apparent that the Canadians would win.
The last whistle came with 37 seconds remaining in regulation, with the puck going into the crowd off a deflection, and the Canadians closed out the game.
🥇 IT’S GOLD MEDAL GAME BOUND FOR @HockeyCanada!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/DtqbobqJDt— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) August 19, 2022
Canada is going for gold! 🇨🇦#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ezk0EELDW6— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022
