The Moose Jaw Warriors will be getting their three top players back in the line-up sooner than expected, but almost to a man you can bet they wish that wasn’t the case.
Czechia scored the game-winning goal with 12 seconds remaining and would go on to a 3-2 victory over Canada in the quarter-final at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Tuesday morning.
The loss brings Canada’s World Juniors to an end, and as a result, Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk, forward Brayden Yager and forward Jagger Firkus will all be back in Moose Jaw by the weekend and could be in the line-up against the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday night.
Both teams had chances in the first few minutes -- including a spinarama solo effort by Macklin Celebrini shortly after puck drop -- but it would be Czechia who got on the board first.
Jakub Stancl brought the puck in on a rush down the left wing and put a harmless-looking shot on net, only for the puck to evade Canada goaltender Mathis Rousseau (QMJHL Halifax) and find the back of the net. The game’s opening goal came with 7:51 gone.
Czechia had a great chance to make it 2-0 at the nine minute mark when Dominik Rymon was slashed while going in on a breakaway. Rousseau would get the glove on the ensuing penalty shot to keep it a one-goal game.
The Czechs would get their second goal before the period was out, though, with Tomas Cibulka taking a shot from the point that skipped through Rousseau’s five hole with 1:59 to play.
Canada went without a shot for almost 12:30 as the period progressed.
Czechia nearly made it 3-0 in the second period’s opening moments, but Rousseau would make a brilliant cross-crease save.
Canada got one back at the 3:43 mark, with Yager playing a major set-up role. His breakout pass to Easton Cowan (OHL London) would lead to Matthew Wood (U Conn) going in on a breakaway, and his shot top shelf blocker side made it a 2-1 game.
That goal completely changed the tenor of the contest, and Canada would pour on the chances the rest of the period before finally tying the game.
Jake Furlong (QMJHL Halifax) did the honours with 3:20 to play in the period, putting a wrist shot from the point top corner after Canada had nearly scored seconds earlier.
The dominance continued to start the third, and Yager nearly had the go-ahead goal five minutes into the period when his one-timer from the high slot went off the post.
The three Warriors undoubtedly started to get a sense of deja vu as the game progressed, as Canada’s myriad chances and no results mirrored the Warriors’ struggles prior to their leaving for selection camp.
Canada had a good dozen chances as the third period progressed, but Czechia wouldn’t break, and they were rewarded.
Stancl took a shot from the point that deflected off of Oliver Bonk’s skate, hit the post and deflected into the net behind Rousseau with 12 seconds remaining.
One centre-ice face-off later, and Team Canada’s tournament had come to an end.
Mateychuk once again led Canada in ice time with 28 shifts for 25:03 of ice time and three shots on net, while Yager -- who played alongside Cowan and Carson Rehkopf (OHL Kitchener) -- had 15 shifts for 12:54 of ice time and one shot on net.
Rousseau faced 22 shots on the night, Michael Harabal stopped 28 for Czechia.
The win was the first for Czechia over Canada in the medal round in eight meetings between the two teams.
