Canada beats Czechia in overtime to win gold at world junior championship
Posted January 5, 2023 6:33 pm.
Last Updated January 5, 2023 7:26 pm.
Dylan Guenther scored twice including the game-winning goal at 6:22 of overtime as Canada defeated Czechia 3-2 to claim its 20th world junior hockey championship gold on Thursday.
Shane Wright, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Thursday, had the other goal for Canada who won back-to-back titles for the first time since 2009.
Two goals in 56 seconds in the third period from Jiri Kulich and Jakub Kos enabled Czechia to rally and send the game into overtime as they chased their first gold medal since 2001. Instead, they will settle for the silver only months after finished fourth in the summer in a tournament that was completed after being postponed by COVID.
Connor Bedard, projected to go No. 1 at the 2023 NHL draft, was named tournament MVP. The scintillating 17-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., owns the national record with 23 all-time points and 17 all-time goals at the world juniors. He also owns the national record with 14 assists at one event, and registered the most points by a player aged 18 or younger.
Bedard was a point shy of tying Markus Naslund and Raimo Helminen for the second-most by a player from any country at a tournament.
Earlier in the night, Chaz Lucius completed a hat trick in overtime as the United States beat Sweden 8-7 to win the bronze medal.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report
