The hosts beat Sweden in the semi-finals in Prague on Saturday in impressive fashion with 7:3 (2:2,3:1,2:0) and will face defending champions Canada or Switzerland in the final on Sunday (8:20 p.m./live ORF Sport +). They were narrowly defeated by both teams in the group phase. Nevertheless, the Czechs are now aiming for their first World Cup gold since 2010. Prague. The home team put in a strong performance in the semi-finals. Dominik Kubalik and Lukas Sedlak each scored two goals and provided one assist. Their teammate Martin Necas even scored four points with one goal and three assists.
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Czech Republic with three goals within three minutes
Sweden took the lead twice in the first period through Marcus Johansson (4th) and Marcus Pettersson (9th), but the Czech Republic managed to equalize through Kubalik (8th) and David Kampf (10th). In the middle period, the home team gained a clear advantage and sent the home fans into ecstasy. Within three minutes, Ondrej Kase, Necas (both 27th) and Kubalik (30th) scored to put them 5-2 ahead. Kase was set up somewhat luckily by Sedlak for his goal, and Necas scored directly 16 seconds later after winning a face-off.
The Swedes fought back with a power play goal from Joel Eriksson Ek (36th minute) and applied pressure in further power play situations. Sedlak dealt them a blow with a goal immediately after a shorthanded situation and a mistake by Eriksson Ek (46th minute). 18,000 spectators in the hall and thousands more outside cheered wildly. Sedlak also put the final point on the scoresheet six minutes before the end. Another goal by the 31-year-old into the empty net was disallowed due to offside (60th minute).
First final for the Czech Republic since 2010
The Czechs, who also beat Austria 4-0 in the group stage, reached a World Cup final for the first time since 2010. Since then, the great ice hockey nation had only won the bronze medal three times. The Swedes, on the other hand, who were unbeaten until the semifinals, must continue to wait for their first title since 2018 despite a squad packed with NHL stars. If they lose the match for third place on Sunday (3:20 p.m.), they will go home empty-handed at a World Cup for the fifth time in a row.
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Source: Nachrichten
