For the third consecutive tournament, the Canadian national junior hockey team has seen its championship aspirations halted by Czechia, this time in a crushing 6-4 semifinal defeat on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A Pattern of Playoff Heartbreak Continues
The loss marks a painful pattern for Hockey Canada. After quarterfinal exits at the hands of the Czechs in the two previous world junior championships, this year's setback came a round later but was no less devastating. The team's flat performance at Grand Casino Arena culminated in a late-game collapse, dashing hopes of playing for gold on Monday.
Forward Tomas Poletin emerged as the hero for Czechia, breaking a 4-4 deadlock with a controversial goal off his skate with just 74 seconds remaining in regulation time. The play was reviewed for a distinct kicking motion, but the call on the ice stood, sealing Canada's fate.
Game Breakdown: Momentum Swings and Missed Chances
Canada survived a disjointed first period, emerging tied 1-1 despite being outplayed for long stretches. Tij Iginla opened the scoring on the power play, but Max Curran replied for Czechia late in the period, capitalizing on a rebound from Tomas Galvas's initial shot.
The team's struggles deepened in the second frame. After losing forward Brady Martin to an injury sustained on a first-period hit, Canada failed to register a shot for the first eight minutes. Czechia took full advantage, with Adam Titlbach and later Adam Benak scoring to give their side a 3-2 lead heading into the third. Canada's Michael Hage had a critical chance to tie the game on a penalty shot but was denied twice by Czech goaltender Michael Orsulak.
A Dramatic Third Period Collapse
The final period was a rollercoaster. Cole Reschny tied the game 3-3 early, only for Vojtech Cihar to restore the Czech lead six minutes later. Canadian captain Porter Martone then scored a dramatic equalizer with just three minutes remaining, setting the stage for the late heartbreak.
Following Poletin's go-ahead goal, Reschny took a costly goaltender interference penalty while driving the net for a potential tying play. Cihar iced the game into an empty net with 25.9 seconds left for his second of the night.
Goaltender Jack Ivankovic faced a much busier night compared to earlier tournament games, as the Czech attack consistently generated high-quality chances. The Canadian defensive structure, a strength in the preliminary round, looked disorganized and was frequently hemmed in its own zone.
What Comes Next for Team Canada
With the loss, Czechia advances to the gold medal game on Monday against Sweden, which defeated Finland in a marathon shootout in the other semifinal. Canada will face Finland in the bronze medal game, a rematch of their 7-4 preliminary round victory. The result ensures Canada will miss the world junior final for the third year running, a sobering reality for a nation with perennial gold-medal expectations.
