For the second straight year, Team Canada's bid for gold at the World Juniors ended in disastrous fashion. Adam Jecho, a St. Louis Blues prospect, scored the game-winner — fittingly on the power play — with just 40 seconds left in regulation to lift Czechia into the semis with a 4-3 win over Canada in the quarterfinals on Thursday night.
It marked the second-consecutive time Canada was ousted in the quarters at the event by the Czechs. From the very start of this tournament, the vibes around this team were pretty awful as some controversial roster omissions ahead of the event along with several more controversial moves throughout had coach Dave Cameron feeling the wrath of fans. Canada's (lack of) discipline was also a massive issue from the first game onward, while officiating — as it often is — was a focal point for all the wrong reasons.
Maybe some of these other nations are just getting better, too? Thursday's quarter-final clash started off absolutely atrociously for Canada, with the Czechs grabbing a 1-0 lead just 43 seconds into the opening frame, as a sloppy turnover combined with a blown coverage left Petr Sikora all alone in front for an easy one. Canada tied it up short-handed half-way through the period, but the Czechs regained the lead just two minutes later on that same powerplay, before Canada gave up a backbreaker with less than three second remaining in the frame. The Canadians clawed back, especially in the third period when they controlled the play .
