Czechia eliminates Canada in WJHC quarters for 2nd straight year

Czechia shocked Canada in the quarterfinals of the World Junior Hockey Championship for the second year in a row, defeating the tournament host 4-3 on Thursday.

Adam Jecho scored the winner on the power play with 40 seconds left in the game after Canada tied it late.

Czechia will play the USA in Saturday's semis. Sweden will take on Finland in the other semifinal matchup.

It's the first time in the tournament's current format that Canada has been eliminated in the quarterfinals in back-to-back years. The last time the nation finished outside the top four in consecutive years was when it happened three straight times from 1979-81.

Jecho, Petr Sikora, and Adam Jiricek led the way offensively for Czechia, notching two points apiece. Eduard Sale and Jakub Stancl also found twine.

Czechia never trailed in the contest. Anytime Canada shifted momentum in its favor, the Czechs responded.

Sikora kick-started Czechia's offense by opening the scoring 43 seconds into the game. Tanner Howe tied it for Canada shorthanded after Cole Beaudoin was ejected for kneeing, but Czechia retook the lead on the power play when Canada's Sam Dickinson accidentally gloved the puck into his own net. Sale buried a dagger on a three-on-two rush with just two seconds left in the opening frame to give Czechia a two-goal advantage.

Canada dominated possession for most of the second and third periods. Porter Martone got the Canadians to within a goal late in the second frame before Bradly Nadeau notched the equalizer 15:42 into the third. The comeback was short-lived, as Czechia capitalized on Andrew Gibson's kneeing minor with Jecho's dramatic power-play winner.