Sweden's Otto Stenberg (25) celebrates a goal by teammate Sweden's Theo Lindstein (not shown) in front of Czechia goaltender Michael Hrabal (30) and Marek Alscher (27) during first period semifinal hockey action at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, Thursday Jan. 4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
GOTHENBURG, Sweden – Sweden will play for gold on home soil at the world junior hockey championship.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored the winner on a power play in the third period before adding an insurance goal as the tournament hosts defeated Czechia 5-2 in the first of two semifinals Thursday.
The Vancouver Canucks prospect blasted a one-timer past Czech goaltender Michael Hrabal on Sweden’s first man advantage of the afternoon at 5:14 to snap a 2-2 tie.
Noah Ostlund then scored his third of the under-20 event on a breakaway with eight minutes left to make it 4-2 before Lekkerimaki sealed things with his sixth just 1:02 later to blow the top off Scandinavium arena.
The United States and Finland played the late game for the other berth in Friday’s final.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Lekkerimaki said of the gold-medal game. “Very excited.”
Axel Sandin Pellikka and Theo Lindstein had a goal and an assist each for Sweden, while Ostlund set up Lekkerimaki’s second for another two-point performance. Hugo Havelid made 23 saves.
“He’s not afraid to do things on the ice,” Sandin Pellikka said of Lekkerimaki, who was selected 15th overall at the 2022 NHL draft. “Goes out there and plays his game.
“Fearless.”
The Swedes have only won the world juniors twice, with the country’s last triumph coming in 2012 after previously topping the field in 1981.
“Huge,” defenceman Tom Willander, who was picked 11th overall in June by Vancouver, said of going for gold. “Home rink. Doesn’t get any better.”
Sweden made the final in front of its fans in 1993 and 2014, but settled for silver both times.
“Special to get a chance to bring home the gold,” Sandin Pellikka added. “Terrific opportunity.”
Matyas Melovsky and Tomas Cibulka scored for Czechia, which upset Canada 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Hrabal stopped 26 shots.
“Proud of the team,” Czech head coach Patrik Augusta said. “The guys are working up to their max. They made a team, which is the most important thing.
“I don’t have a bunch of individuals.”
The Swedes, who have settled for silver 11 times, lost to the U.S. in last year’s bronze-medal game in Halifax.
Melovsky opened Thursday’s scoring at 6:55 of the first for the Czechs, who lost the final to Canada in 2023, with his first to briefly silence the crowd before Lindstein bagged his second when Hrabal whiffed on a fluttering point shot at 11:52.
The Swedes escaped with a 3-2 overtime victory against Switzerland to make the semis, and pushed ahead 2-1 just 2:35 into the middle period when Sandin Pellikka’s point shot once again fooled the hulking Hrabal high on the glove side for the defenceman’s second.
“They always put out goalie scouting,” said Sandin Pellikka, the 17th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in June. “His glove side was a little weaker. We tried to target that.”
The Czechs responded again on a power play 5:01 later, when Cibulka hammered his second on a one-timer that beat Havelid between the pads on a shot that was reminiscent of the defenceman’s 2-0 goal against Canada in the quarters.
Hrabal and Havelid traded big stops early in the third before Lekkerimaki fired Sweden into its first final since falling to Canada in 2018.
“From anywhere, he can just score,” Willander said. “A dangerous player.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2024.
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