Florida Panthers prospect Jakub Kos drew the primary assist on Matous Mensik’s power-play goal 8:47 into the second period which completed the scoring in Czechia’s stunning 5-2 upset of host Canada at the World Junior Championship in Halifax.
Zatím poslední branka #U20CZE, o kterou se postaral Matouš Menšík 🔥 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/7qv8HuTc3I
— Hokejový nároďák (@narodnitym) December 27, 2022
Kos logged 12:22 of ice time and finished the game with one shot on goal and -1 rating as he was on the ice for Shane Wright’s game-opening power-play goal midway through the first period and Connor Bedard’s second period even-strength tally. The 19-year-old took two faceoffs and lost them both.
Earlier in Halifax, defenseman Ludvig Jansson racked up three assists in Sweden’s 11-0 drubbing of Austria. Jansson played 17:57, took a holding penalty in the first period and finished with a +4 rating in the rout.
In Moncton, Sandis Vilmanis logged 15:23 of ice time and finished with a -2 rating in Latvia’s 5-2 loss to the United States. Vilmanis failed to register a shot on goal while skating on Latvia’s top line.
The opening game of the tournament saw Switzerland upset Finland 3-2 in overtime.
Today’s games
Group A
- Germany vs Sweden (Jansson) 1:30 p.m. (NHL Network)
- Austria vs Czechia (Kos) 6:30 p.m. (NHL Network)/
Group B
- Finland vs Slovakia 11 a.m. (NHL Network)
- Switzerland vs Latvia (Vilmanis) 4 p.m. (NHL Network)/
The NHL returns from a three-day break in the action with the following games tonight:
- Chicago at Carolina 7 p.m.
- Washington at NY Rangers 7 p.m.
- Boston at Ottawa 7 p.m.
- Pittsburgh at NY Islanders 7:30 p.m.
- Dallas at Nashville 8 p.m.
- Toronto at St. Louis 8 p.m.
- Minnesota at Winnipeg 8 p.m.
- Colorado at Arizona 9 p.m.
- Edmonton at Calgary 9 p.m.
- San Jose at Vancouver 10 p.m.
- Vegas at Los Angeles 10:30/
Postponed: Buffalo at Columbus