Canada used to be humming. The ice used to be tilted. A dramatic comeback victory felt inevitable.
A workforce up to now not able to click on offensively perceived to have after all unlocked some brotherly love.
Then the gang’s different factor — consequences — bubbled to the outside one ultimate time on the international junior hockey championship.
And Hockey Canada is now left to select up the items following some other disastrous end result.
Adam Jecho scored the winner on an influence play with 39.4 seconds left in legislation because the match hosts fell 4-3 to Czechia within the quarterfinals Thursday.
“It sucks,” Canadian ahead Calum Ritchie mentioned. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime alternative. No longer the best way all of us sought after it to finish.”
Canada used to be additionally disappointed by means of the Czechs within the loss of life moments on the identical degree twelve months in the past on the under-20 match in Gothenburg, Sweden. The rustic has now did not play for a medal at back-to-back international juniors for the primary time since instituting its program of excellence within the early Nineteen Eighties.
“It used to be a different team,” mentioned 17-year-old ahead Gavin McKenna, tears in his eyes. “Didn’t have the rest to turn for it.”
Petr Sikora, Jakub Stancl and Eduard Sale had the opposite targets for the Czechs. Michael Hrabal made 29 saves.
“We simply sought after it extra,” Jecho mentioned. “In reality pleased with the gang.”
Tanner Howe, Porter Martone and Bradly Nadeau spoke back for Canada. Carter George stopped 22 photographs. Brayden Yager had two assists for the Canadians, who by no means in point of fact discovered their stride till Thursday’s 3rd length.
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Canada entered with simply 10 targets thru 4 video games and the worst capturing proportion of the ten groups in Ottawa. Self-discipline problems additionally boiled over in opposition to the US with 11 minor consequences and 3 targets in opposition to off seven American energy performs on New 12 months’s Eve. A 4-1 loss to the U.S. resigned the Canadians to 3rd in Staff A and a harder matchup within the quarters.
“You’ll move at the stats and speculate and no matter you wish to have,” mentioned defenceman Oliver Bonk, probably the most returnees from final yr. “We simply didn’t win the video games that we needed to.”
The Czechs will face the U.S. in Saturday’s semifinals. Sweden is ready to satisfy Finland for the opposite berth in Sunday’s name sport.
Down 3-2 within the 3rd and with their match at the line, the Canadians after all were given the equalizer when Nadeau swatted house his 2nd of the match with 4:18 left in legislation.
However defenceman Andrew Gibson took a penalty for kneeing with 2:27 at the clock and the Czechs after all broke thru when Jecho scored his 2nd on a one-timer to shatter Canadian hopes.
“It method the whole lot to each and every certainly one of us,” Ritchie mentioned of pulling at the crimson Maple Leaf. “Everybody performed their hearts out and performed for our nation. Horrible end result.”
Canada ahead Ethan Gauthier (20) sits at the bench along teammates Luca Pinelli (13) and Brayden Yager (11) all through 3rd length IIHF Global Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal motion as they lose 4-3 to Czechia, in Ottawa, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The eye now turns to Hockey Canada, it’s roster building — there used to be quite a lot of offensive ability left at the sidelines when the workforce used to be picked final month — and the way forward for the boys’s under-20 program.
Head trainer Dave Cameron wouldn’t talk about the officiating, however a few of his avid gamers didn’t cling again.
“Speaks for itself,” McKenna mentioned. “It used to be horrible.”
Czechia, which took silver in 2023 after dropping to Canada within the gold-medal contest ahead of securing bronze final yr, went up 1-0 simply 43 seconds into the primary when Sikora scored his fourth.
Canadian ahead Cole Beaudoin used to be assessed a five-minute primary and a sport misconduct halfway throughout the length for kneeing on Sikora, who stayed down ahead of heading to the locker room.
But to give up a purpose at five-on-five previous to the early icebreaker, Canada tied the sport short-handed when the hulking Hrabal stopped Yager on a breakaway, however the workforce’s captain then discovered Howe in entrance for his first at 10:17.
Sikora used to be lustily booed by means of the gang as soon as he returned for the person benefit when crisis struck Canada. Sam Dickinson attempted to glove a shot off the glass from Stancl — whose deflected purpose off Bonk used to be the variation in final yr’s quarters — out of the crease, however as an alternative nudged it into George’s internet at 12:45 for the ahead’s 5th.
The Czechs silenced the red-clad Canadian Tire Centre crowd with 2.1 seconds left within the length when Sale scored his 5th to position the 20-time gold medallists in a deep hollow.
“Got here out flat-footed,” mentioned defenceman Tanner Molendyk. “Somewhat at the back of tempo.”
Czechia ahead Eduard Sale (12) ratings on Canada goalkeeper Carter George (30) all through first length IIHF Global Junior Hockey Championship quarterfinal motion in Ottawa, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Canada had not anything happening in the second one — there used to be even a smattering of boos on house soil — ahead of Sale took a minor penalty for kneeing and Martone tipped Molendyk’s level shot with 2:20 to play within the length.
The Canadians persevered to push within the 3rd.
Mathieu Cataford put the puck within the internet halfway throughout the length, however the play used to be straight away waved off for goaltender interference. Cameron unsuccessfully challenged the decision, which ended in a penalty for lengthen of sport and a lack of momentum.
Canada killed the ones two mins off and were given again degree most effective to undergo some other soul-crushing, last-minute loss on the international juniors.
“I want we will have did extra for the fanatics and the folk of Canada,” McKenna mentioned. “It sucks we needed to move out this manner.”
A sense that’s all too acquainted.
&reproduction 2025 The Canadian Press
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