2024 World Juniors daily: Jan. 2

The 2024 World Juniors resumed Tuesday with the quarterfinals from Gothenburg, Sweden.

Day 7 results (Jan. 2, 2024)

Finland 4-3 Slovakia (OT)
Czechia 3-2 Canada
USA 7-2 Latvia
Sweden 3-2 Switzerland (OT)

About today:

Finland, who lost their first two games of the tournament, find themselves in the semi-finals after a 4-3 overtime victory over Slovakia.

Jere Lassila scored the winner for Finland just 24 seconds into the extra frame while London’s Kasper Halttunen (SJ) tallied five shots on goal.

For Slovakia, Sudbury’s Dalibor Dvorsky (STL) and Kitchener’s Filip Mesar (MTL) each had a goal and an assist as their semi-final drought stretches to a ninth year. Owen Sound’s Servac Petrovsky (MIN), who had nine points (5G, 4A), was selected as one of Slovakia’s top three players at the tournament.

#GoHabsGo prospect Filip Mesar ties it in the final minute!

The @OHLRangers forward forces overtime between 🇸🇰 and 🇫🇮 with 43.1 seconds remaining! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/mced7fLD47

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 2, 2024

Back-to-back champions Canada saw their title defence end in heartbreaking fashion as Czechia got revenge for last year’s gold medal game with a 3-2 win.

Jakub Stancl scored the game-winner with just 11.7 seconds left in regulation as his shot hit London’s Oliver Bonk (PHI) to change direction and beat Halifax’s Mathis Rousseau. Val-d’Or’s Tomas Cibulka also scored for Czechia and led the team with 23:07 of ice time. Everett’s Dominik Rymon tallied two assists.

A blast from the blue line from @ForeursVD's Tomas Cibulka and 🇨🇿 leads 2-0! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Xbkp5yUSSZ

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 2, 2024

Halifax’s Jake Furlong’s (SJ) goal had made it 2-2 at 16:40 of the second period but for just the third time in 26 years, Canada were beaten in a World Juniors quarterfinal. This year will mark the first tournament since 2019 that Canada hasn’t medalled.

Drummondville’s Maveric Lamoureux (ARI) and Moose Jaw’s Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) were chosen as two of Canada’s top three players at the tournament.

"Jake Furlong's first point is gigantic!"

The @HFXMooseheads captain and #SJSharks prospect gets 🇨🇦 level! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Dzp5XxA8fM

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 2, 2024

The USA maintained its perfect record at the tournament as they cruised past Latvia 7-2. Flint’s Gavin Hayes (CHI) registered one shot for the Americans in limited ice time while Baie-Comeau’s Niks Fenenko played an astonishing 30:39, and added an assist, as did Sarnia’s Sandis Vilmanis (FLA) for Latvia.

The final quarterfinal also needed overtime to decide matters as hosts Sweden edged past Switzerland 3-2.

Defenceman Axel Sandin-Pellikka had the game-winner at 5:22 on the power play while Saginaw’s Rodwin Dionicio (ANA) led Switzerland with 22:37 of ice time while his four shots were tied for the team lead. Post-game, he was selected as one of the Swiss’ top three players of the tournament.

Player of the day:

Val-d’Or’s Tomas Cibulka was a difference maker for Czechia in their win over Canada.

The Foreurs d-man scored his first goal of the tournament while he played a team high 23:07. In five appearances, Cibulka, who is a +2, ranks second among Czech skaters in time on ice with 21:56 per game.

With Val-d’Or this year, the 19-year-old leads his side in scoring with 28 points and sits fifth among QMJHL d-men in the same category.

Day 8 schedule (Jan. 4, 2024)

Germany vs. Norway – 5am ET / 2am PT
Sweden vs. Czechia — 9am ET / 6am PT
Finland vs. USA — 1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT

A look ahead:

Wednesday is another off day for the tournament but when the action resumes Thursday the relegation game between Germany and Norway will kick things off.

Germany went 1-3-0 in the round-robin that included a 4-3 win over semi-finalists Finland but will need to win a one-off game to maintain their World Juniors status for a fifth straight year.

Norway dropped all four round-robin contests but a win Thursday will mark the first time they’ve remained in the World Juniors for the following year in program history.

The first semi-final will see hosts Sweden face Czechia.

Sweden survived a Swiss scare Tuesday but find themselves one step closer to ending a 12-year gold medal drought.

Furthermore, Sweden hasn’t played for gold since 2018 when they fell to Canada in the final but have made the semis in four of the last five years and have claimed bronze twice (2020, 2022).

On the other hand, Czechia will look to make it back-to-back World Juniors finals after they reached the semi-finals for the fourth time in the last seven tournaments. They valiantly fought back against Canada in the third period a year ago but ultimately succumbed 3-2 in overtime to claim silver, their first World Juniors medal since 2005.

However, it’s been 23 years since Czechia won gold with 2001 being the last time they were crowned champions.

The second semi sees the USA face Finland.

The Americans have gone unbeaten thus far and made quick work of Latvia in their semi-final Tuesday. Last year, the USA fell to Canada in the semi-finals but went on to win bronze after a wild 8-7 overtime victory against Sweden.

Since 2016, the USA has failed to reach the semi-finals just twice (2020, 2022) and have won six medals in that time.

Finally, Finland are in the semis for the fifth time in six years.

They have just one gold (2019) to show for that success but after a quarterfinal exit a year ago, they’re back in the medal rounds despite losing their first two games of the tournament.

Of Finland’s five gold medals, their most recent came in 2019 … against the USA.

Where to watch:

The relegation round game between Germany and Norway is not available on TSN but both semi-finals will be shown live across all TSN channels.

CHL leaders: