(Gothenburg) Tomas Hamara scored the game-winning goal with 1:41 left in the third period and the Czech Republic came from behind from a 5-2 deficit to defeat Finland 8-5 and win the gold medal. bronze at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Friday.
Ondrej Becher sparked the Czech Republic with a three-goal, two-assist performance, while Jiri Kulich had two goals and two assists.
Jakub Stancl added a goal and an assist and Dominik Rymon scored one of his team’s two goals into an empty net.
Hamara, a prospect for the Ottawa Senators, completed the afternoon with three points, as did Matyas Melovsky (0-3).
Facing a 5-4 deficit late in regulation, Becher pounced on a rebound to tie the game with 1:56 remaining. Just 15 seconds later, Hamara gave the Czechs the lead with a point shot.
Rymon and Becher then scored in a goalless cage.
Michael Hrabal started the game in net for Czechia but was pulled before the eighth minute of play after conceding two goals on three shots. In relief, Jakub Vondras blocked 17 of the 20 pucks he faced.
In the loss, Lenni Hameenaho scored two goals, and Jani Nyman did her part with a goal and an assist.
Rasmus Kumpulainen and Konsta Helenius scored the other goals for Finland, which was excluded from the podium for a second year in a row after winning silver in 2022.
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Kasper Kulonummi had two assists each and Niklas Kokko made 23 saves.
Later Friday, tournament hosts Sweden will face the United States in the gold medal matchup.
