Ottawa, Ont.- Edmonton Oil Kings forward Adam Jecho‘s last-minute dagger has sent Czechia through to the semifinals at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The St. Louis Blues prospect scored on the powerplay with 40 seconds left to eliminate Canada by a score of 4-3.
It’s the second straight year that Czechia has downed the Canadians in the quarterfinals.
Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades / McBride, B.C.), Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes / Saskatoon, Sask.) and Los Angeles Kings goaltending pick Carter George (Owen Sound Attack / Thunder Bay, Ont.) were named Canada’s top three players of the tournament.
The Czech contingent was the quicker team off the jump, with Kelowna Rockets forward Jakub Stancl assisting Petr Sikora’s game-opening strike less than a minute into the match.
Stancl, a St. Louis Blues prospect, is one of the top-scoring skaters at the tournament with four goals and four assists in five games. He also collected a bronze medal for his home country at last year’s tournament.
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Canada seemed to be dealt another blow as Cole Beaudoin was ejected from the game for a knee-on-knee hit, but a WHL duo stepped up to even the score.
Captain Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes / Saskatoon, Sask.) streaked down the ice on a breakaway and was foiled on his own shot, but peeled around the Czech zone to set up his childhood friend and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tanner Howe (Calgary Hitmen / Prince Albert, Sask.) for a shorthanded strike.
The reigning bronze medalists would pull ahead again during the five-minute powerplay after a Canadian player deflected the puck off his glove and into his own net, with Stancl credited with the goal and fellow Blues prospect Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings) earning the primary assists.
A late tally from Seattle Kraken pick Eduard Sale saw Czechia carry a 3-1 lead into the middle frame.
A nervy middle frame didn’t see as many offensive opportunities, but Canada was able to claw its way within one thanks to a late powerplay tally from 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads / Peterborough, Ont.).
Molendyk picked up the primary assist, while Yager earned his second of the evening.
Tanner Molendyk (@BladesHockey) and Brayden Yager (@WHLHurricanes) with the setup and the Canadians are within one!@HockeyCanada | #WorldJuniors | #Smashville | #LetsGoPens https://t.co/ndKpQezsd8
— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 3, 2025
Canada appeared to tie the match midway through the final frame, but the officials waved off Mathieu Cataford’s (Rimouski Oceanic / Saint-Constant, Que.) goal as he barreled into the Czech netminder. Head Coach Dave Cameron would unsuccessfully challenge the decision and his squad killed the ensuing powerplay.
But with less than five minutes remaining, Canada would tie it for real.
Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67s / Stoney Creek, Ont.) hammered a long shot on net, where Seattle Kraken pick Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / Saskatoon, Sask.) and Bradly Nadeau (Chicago Wolves / Saint-Francois-de-Madawa, N.B.) were both posted on the doorstep to bat in the rebound, with Nadeau poking the puck five-hole for his second of the tournament.
As the tide seemed to swing in Canada’s favour, another costly penalty sunk their chances for good.
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Jecho unleashed a powerful one-timer on the powerplay to find the game-winning goal and send Czechia through to the semifinals.
Tanner Howe was named Canada’s Player of the Game in the loss, while Jecho was honoured as Czechia’s top player.
WHLers advance to semifinal round
Ten current Western Hockey League players will compete for a medal in this weekend’s tournament finale.
Czechia
Matteo Koci- Kamloops Blazers
Vojtech Port- Lethbridge Hurricanes
Miroslav Holinka- Edmonton Oil Kings
Adam Jecho- Edmonton Oil Kings
Dominik Petr- Brandon Wheat Kings
Jakub Stancl- Kelowna Rockets
Finland
Julius Miettinen- Everett Silvertips
Veeti Vaisanen- Medicine Hat Tigers
Sweden
Axel Hurtig- Calgary Hitmen
Czechia will face the defending gold medalist United States in their final-four showdown, while Sweden and Finland face each other in a Nordic knockout on Saturday.
Notes: Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips) registered an assist on an insurance goal as Finland edged Slovakia 5-3 to advance to the semifinals for a second straight year. Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Leo Braillard picked up an assist as Switzerland fell to the United States 7-2. Braillard closes out his second appearance at World Juniors with three goals and one assist in five games to lead Switzerland in scoring. Calgary Flames prospect Axel Hurtig (Calgary Hitmen) and Sweden ended Latvia’s Cinderella run to the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory. Saskatoon Blades forward David Lewandowski totaled 17:28 of ice time as Germany avoided relegation with a 4-3 win over Kazakhstan.
