Czechia beats Canada 6-4 in world
junior hockey to set up all-European final with Sweden
[January 05, 2026]
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Tomas Poletin scored on a deflection
off his skate with 1:14 left and Czechia beat Canada 6-4 on Sunday
night to advance to face Sweden in the first all-European world
junior hockey final since 2016.
Earlier, Anton Frondell scored in the eighth round of a shootout to
give Sweden a 4-3 victory over Finland. The final is Monday night.
In the last all-European final, Finland beat Russia 4-3 in overtime
in Helsinki in 2016. Czechia and Sweden are each trying to win their
third title. Czechia won in 2000 and 2001, and Sweden in 1981 and
2012.
Poletin scored 1:27 after Porter Martone tied it for 20-time
champion Canada.
“Obviously we wanted this win, because you heard them in the media,”
said Vaclav Nestrasil, a Chicago first-rounder who plays at the
University of Massachusetts. “They were chirping. ... We wanted to
keep their ego down, and we did that. I think we were better.”
Czechia eliminated Canada for the third straight year. The Czechs
beat the Canadians in the quarterfinals the previous two years.
“It’s the same feeling,” said Canadian star Gavin McKenna of Penn
State, one of six returnees from last year. “Letting your country
down sucks.”
Vojtech Cihar scored twice for Czechia, and Maxmilian Curran, Adam
Titlbach and Adam Benak also scored. Michal Orsulak made 20 saves.
“We were a little more hungry,” Czechia coach Patrik Augusta said.
“The guys just showed that they are a team. They showed a lot of
character and a lot of will.”
Tij Iginla, Zayne Parekh and Cole Reschny added goals for Canada,
and Jack Ivankovic stopped 31 shots.
“They’re down,” Canadian coach Dale Hunter said. “That’s hockey. Be
a pro about it.”
Canada’s Michael Hage failed on a penalty shot with 1:56 left in
second period after getting a second chance when Orsulak tripped him
on the first try. The University of Michigan player — who earlier
fired three shots off posts — tried the same move and lost control
as he tried to move the puck to the right.
“I had an empty net, and he tripped me,” Hage said. “I just thought
he bit so hard I’d try the same thing.”
Sweden avenged a 4-3 overtime loss to Finland in the semifinals last
year in Ottawa, Ontario.
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Czechia forward Tomas Poletin (18) celebrates his go ahead goal with
teammates during the third period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey
Championship semifinals game against Canada, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026,
in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Frondell — drafted third overall by Chicago last
summer — put a wrist shot through Petteri Rimpinen's pads after
failing on his first two attempts in the tiebreaker. His first
attempt hit both posts.
“I blacked out,” Frondell said. “It was an amazing feeling … happy
the last one went in.”
Sweden survived a power play in the 10-minute, 3-on-3 overtime after
Viggo Bjork — who missed on three OT breakaways — was called for
slashing with 2:03 left.
“This game, it was crazy, long game, tight, overtime, everything.
Just one goal and then it’s over," Frondell said. "You love to play
those games.”
Linus Eriksson, Ivar Stenberg and Eddie Genborg scored for Sweden in
regulation, and Love Harenstam stopped 33 shots. Atte Joki, Japser
Kuhta and and Joona Saarelainen countered for Finland. Rimpinen made
29 saves.
Saarelainen tied it at 3 from close range with 5:59 left in the
third.
Finland and Canada will meet in the third-place game.
“Very tough, but doing it for Canada,” McKenna said about playing
for bronze. “We’ve got to regroup to be ready.”
On Friday night in the quarterfinals, Finland beat the two-time
defending champion United States 4-3 in overtime.
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