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World Junior Hockey Championship 2023 Results: Quarterfinal Scores and Reaction
January 2, 2023
After a week of preliminary games at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships, the stakes got higher Monday with four quarterfinal matchups.
Eight of 10 teams in the competition advanced to the knockout stage after four games, but there is no more room for error with only four teams going through to the next round.
Here is the latest from Halifax and Moncton, Canada with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
Results (Jan. 2)
Sweden def. Finland 3-2
Czechia def. Switzerland 9-1
United States def. Germany 11-1
Canada def. Slovakia 4-3(OT)
Full results via IIHF.com.
Sweden 3, Finland 2
Sweden stunned Finland with two late goals to secure a come-from-behind victory.
After Finland took the lead early in the third period, Leo Carlsson tied the game with under four minutes remaining in regulation. Two minutes later, Victor Stjernborg scored the game-winning goal for Sweden.
IIHF @IIHFHockey🇸🇪 SWEDEN GOAL 🚨<br><br>Leo Carlsson's second goal of the game ties it all up for <a href="https://twitter.com/Trekronorse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Trekronorse</a> with 3 minutes left in the period ⌛️<br><br>🇫🇮 2-2 🇸🇪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SWEFIN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SWEFIN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://t.co/KG4drdcbG3">pic.twitter.com/KG4drdcbG3</a>
IIHF @IIHFHockey🇸🇪 SWEDEN GOAL 🚨<br><br>Victor Stjernborg with a potential dagger for <a href="https://twitter.com/Trekronorse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Trekronorse</a> in the final minutes of the third period 🗡⌛️‼️<br><br>🇫🇮 2-3 🇸🇪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SWEFIN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SWEFIN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://t.co/TaSMivysL0">pic.twitter.com/TaSMivysL0</a>
The final goal came shorthanded after a high sticking call, but Sweden found a way to come out on top.
The victory came despite Finland seemingly having an advantage for most of the game:
Steven Ellis @SEllisHockeySweden has won this game after getting out played for most of this game.<br><br>Leo Carlsson had two goals and Victor Stjernborg scored the shorthanded winner.<br><br>What a wild ending to that game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a>
The final score is still all that matters as Sweden advances to the semifinals.
Carlsson, a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft class, scored two goals for Sweden as the team moved one step closer to a medal.
Czechia 9, Switzerland 1
A dominant offensive showing helped Czechia cruise to an easy win over Switzerland.
It took just 22 seconds for Luis Robin to open the scoring for Czechia, and the team's finishing ability was on display throughout the game:
IIHF @IIHFHockey🇨🇿 <a href="https://twitter.com/narodnitym?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narodnitym</a> scores three goals, including a shorthanded one by Marcel Marcel take the lead. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CZESUI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CZESUI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://t.co/7WC2U6af36">pic.twitter.com/7WC2U6af36</a>
IIHF @IIHFHockey🇨🇿 <a href="https://twitter.com/Kulda151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kulda151</a> AGAIN with his 2nd goal of the game! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CZESUI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CZESUI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/narodnitym?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narodnitym</a> <a href="https://t.co/ABgEb6GlLT">pic.twitter.com/ABgEb6GlLT</a>
After scoring three goals in the first period and four in the second, the result was never really in doubt. Six different players scored goals, with Buffalo Sabres draft pick Jiri Kulich especially turning heads with two goals and two assists. Marcel Marcel also impressed with two goals and an assist.
Czechia was the only team in the tournament not to lose in regulation during the preliminary round, surprisingly topping Canada in Group A. After a one-sided victory in the quarterfinal, this squad is clearly a favorite for gold.
The team will now face Sweden in the first semifinal on Wednesday.
United States 11, Germany 1
The United States showed no mercy toward Germany as it put 11 goals on the board in a lopsided win.
Logan Cooley netted the first of his three goals at the 3:51 mark of the first period. He added another tally in each of the next two frames.
Red Savage and Cutter Gauthier had two goals apiece in the win. Both of Gauthier's came in a five-goal second period for Team USA. The Germans simply had no answer for the Americans' barrage.
Luca Hauf at least denied the U.S. a shutout, which generated quite the reaction from the fans inside Avenir Centre.
While Cooley led the way for the United States in terms of scoring, he wasn't named the team's player of the game. That honor went to Ryan Ufko, who finished with five assists for a game-high five points.
UMass Hockey @UMassHockeyThat's our guy <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanUfko?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RyanUfko</a> 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewMass?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewMass</a> X <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flagship?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flagship</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/byIDAf2SrV">https://t.co/byIDAf2SrV</a> <a href="https://t.co/xrsB1BlqCf">pic.twitter.com/xrsB1BlqCf</a>
Germany had the worst goal differential (minus-15) among the eight quarterfinalists, so a comfortable win was the expectation for the U.S. The way in which it thoroughly dominated the proceedings bodes well for the next round, though.
Canada 4, Slovakia 3(OT)
The reigning champion remains alive as Canada survived an overtime thriller against Slovakia.
The host country was nursing a 3-2 lead in the third period when Filip Mesar found Libor Nemec in front of the net for the tying goal.
IIHF @IIHFHockeyWE'VE GOT A GAME HERE IN HALIFAX!!!<br><br>🇸🇰 Libor Nemec ties things up. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CANSVK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CANSVK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeySlovakia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HockeySlovakia</a> <a href="https://t.co/4z9po5pZ51">pic.twitter.com/4z9po5pZ51</a>
The score remained deadlocked for the final 8:35, forcing the extra period.
Luckily for the fans at Scotiabank Centre, they didn't have to wait long to celebrate the breakthrough. Connor Bedard weaved through the Slovakian defense and slotted the puck past goaltender Adam Gajan.
IIHF @IIHFHockeyThe goal ➡️ The entire celebration<br><br>Connor Bedard is the overtime hero and sends <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HockeyCanada</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldJuniors</a> semi-finals! <a href="https://t.co/DcPttB8dZ9">pic.twitter.com/DcPttB8dZ9</a>
It was Bedard's second goal of the night. He bookended Canada's offensive output, scoring the game winner and his team's opener in the first period.
Now, the stage is set for the matchup everybody wanted to see as Canada and the United States will cross paths in the semifinal.