THE United States of America Are Heading Back To The World Juniors Gold Medal Game After Taking Down The Czechs
Minas Panagiotakis. Getty Images.Who: USA vs Czech Republic
What: 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships Semifinal #2
When: 7:30pm ET
Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa // NHL Network
Why: Rock. Flag. Eagle.
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The Czechs had multiple decades where they were constantly one of the best hockey nations in the world. They were right there in the 80s, 90s, and turn of the century. They won gold at the Olympics in 1998. They won back-to-back gold medals at the World Juniors in 2000 and 2001. But after 2001, they went 20+ years where all they won was a single bronze medal in 2005. They'd still produce great players, but the national program just went to shit for some reason.
It was 20 years where the Czechs were seen more of just a warmup game before teams like USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Russia all played each other. But then they won silver at the 2023 World Juniors. They won a gold medal at the 2024 World Championships. They won bronze at the 2024 World Juniors. And now in back-to-back World Juniors, the Czechs have knocked out Canada in the quarterfinals of the World Juniors in the final minute of the game.
While Czechia is looking to return as one of the powerhouses in international hockey, USA is looking to become THE powerhouse of the World Juniors. This team is looking to become the first US team to win back-to-back gold medals at the World Juniors. A gold medal this tournament would give them 4 golds over the past 10 tournaments, and 8 medals total over the past 10 years. Over that span, Canada has 4 golds but only 6 total medals. So there's a lot on the line with this one tonight.
Obviously the Czechs come into this game a little more battle tested after a big game against Canada in the quarters. Meanwhile, the Americans just got to coast the entire 3rd period after shit pumping Switzerland 7-2. But that was the exact type of game Team USA needed to really heat up in this tournament.
Getting the BC line of Gabe Perreault, James Hagens, and Ryan Leonard really clicking is going to be massive for these final 2 games. Having guys like Danny Nelson and Oliver Moore continuously step up and produce is going to be massive for these final 2 games. Having guys like Cole Hutson and Zeev Buium continue to gain confidence walking the blueline is going to be massive.
It's going to be tight for a full 60 minutes. But like every game in this tournament, it's going to come down to which team can stay out of the box. 5v5 hockey is going to be an advantage for the Americans. Obviously if you take penalties against Team USA, you die. But if the Czechs start to get a few powerplays, they already proved they could put away Canada that way. So stay out of the box, win the game. Simple as that.
With that in mind, let's activate the live blog. I'll be back in between periods to update as the game goes along. Also feel free to follow on Twitter @JordieBarstool for more updates.
End of the 1st: USA 1 -- Czechia 1
Obviously the Czechs came into tonight's game with some momentum after the Canada win. USA needed to do everything they could to crush that momentum as soon as possible. Good news for the Americans is that they brought the best top line to the tournament. The BC line came into this tournament with plenty of hype around them, and they continue to deliver game after game. Ryan Leonard (2023 WSH 1st rd) to Gabe Perreault (2023 NYR 1st rd) have a combined 42 points in 16 games so far this season for Boston College. No other team in this tournament has built-in chemistry like that, and it shows.
What a play from Ryan Leonard. What a finish from Perreault. There's simply no stopping that. It's a cheat code.
However, there's also no stopping this absolute laser from Jakub Stancl (2023 STL 4th rd) after a tough turnover from USA.
Forwards slow to get back into the zone. Blindly throw it up the wall right to the worst player it could have possibly ended up with as Jakub Stancl now leads the tournament with his 6th goal. This kid can rip the shit out of the puck. Tie game.
USA was able to have the ice as tilted as possible in the final minute or so on the powerplay, but couldn't find the back of the net. 20 minutes down, and we're right back where we started from.
End of 2nd: USA 2 -- Czechia 1
As previously stated--if you take a penalty against Team USA, you die. Them's the rules. So when Czechia takes a high sticking penalty to give the Americans a little extra space to work with? Well that's just enough space for Trevor Connolly (2024 VGK 1st rd) to thread this needle to Cole Eiserman (2024 NYI 1st rd) for a fucking CANNON of a one-timer.
Crazy good pass. Crazy good shot. You just can't afford to play 4v5 against Team USA and live to tell about it.
40 minutes down and that's the difference right now. 20 more to go. But if I had to guess, 2 goals doesn't get the job done tonight. More work to be done here, boys.
Final: USA 4 -- Czechia 1
Now when I said I didn't think 2 goals would get the job done tonight, I'll admit that I almost forgot the Americans had Trey Augustine in net. Because for every other team in this tournament, they would have given up their 2nd goal of the game right here. But not Team USA. Because Trey Augustine saves more than Jesus himself.
That was the Czechs' best chance to tie this game up and make it interesting in the 3rd. But Trey Augustine shut the door, and opened another for USA to start building up a little insurance. Ryan Leonard made a great pass to led to a Gabe Perreault goal earlier in the night. So it was only right for Perreault to return the favor for Leonard in the 3rd.
These kids are unreal. It's not every year that your big dawgs go out there and actually deliver. So many times there are players who show up to this tournament with heavy expectations, and it just doesn't go their way. The BC line delivers, then they deliver some more.
And just in case the Czechs wanted to try to commit any tomfoolery at the end of the game with a little late surge, Oliver Moore was there to put this game on ice with an empty netter.
And now it's back to another gold medal game for USA Hockey. They're looking to become the first US team to win back-to-back golds. They'll have another chance against the Finns tomorrow night. I'm sure that overtime loss in group play left a sour taste in their mouth, and now they'll have an opportunity to wash it out. OHHHHHH MAMA DON'T YOU CRYYYYYYY.