Allen, Texas- The kid is clutch.
Top 2025 NHL Draft-eligible centre Cole Reschny linked up with his Royals teammate Keaton Verhoeff for the overtime winner to keep Canada’s gold-medal defence alive at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship on Wednesday.
Reschny (Macklin, Sask. / NHL CSS:25) scored twice as Canada eked past Czechia in a 3-2 decision, earning Player of the Game honours for his home country.
Czechia now exits the tournament, though WHLers Radim Mrtka (Havlickuv, Cze. / Seattle Thunderbirds) and Vit Zahejsky (Plzen, Cze. / Kamloops Blazers) were named two of Czechia’s top three players at the Championship.
Thirteen WHLers move on to the semifinal round with a chance to medal and impress NHL teams, with several Draft-eligible players on the roster.
Mrtka, the tallest player at the tournament and the projected top WHL prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, set up David Rozsival’s game-opening tally just over six minutes into the opening frame, forcing Canada to trail for the first time at the event.
Tri-City Americans rearguard Jackson Smith ensured the Canadians wouldn’t be held without a goal in the period as he snuck a long wrister through to find twine with less than 20 seconds left on the clock.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound defenceman is ranked 13th among all North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final 2025 rankings and is now up to three goals at the tournament.
The scoring seesaw continued in the second period as the Czechs pulled ahead once again before Victoria Royals alternate captain Cole Reschny (NHL CSS:25) found the equalizer with a seeing-eye shot from the slot.
Reschny’s third goal in as many games set the stage for three-on-three overtime action.
WHL Rookie of the Year nominee Keaton Verhoeff had an early break in the extra frame but was unable to bury on a backhand attempt on a partial breakaway.
Vancouver Giants star Cameron Schmidt (Prince George, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) was also denied on a clear-cut breakaway moments later and followed it up with another grade-A opportunity as he cut to the front of the Czech net.
As Canadian fans held their breath, Verhoeff teed up Reschny for his second of the game to send Canada through to the next round.
Canada will face Slovakia, whom they previously beat 9-2 in the tournament opener, in its semifinal matchup on May 2.
NOTES
2025 NHL Draft eligible David Lewandowski (Dusseldorf, Ger. / Saskatoon Blades) fell just short against Slovakia in a 3-2 decision in their quarterfinal matchup. Lewandowski closes out the tournament with one goal and two assists in five games… Projected top 2025 NHL defensive pick Blake Fiddler (Frisco, Texas / Edmonton Oil Kings) and the United States will battle Latvia with a berth in the semifinals on the line later this evening.
