Team Canada and Team Czechia skated at Grand Casino Arena on Sunday.
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Czechia knocked Canada out at the quarterfinal stage in the last two World Juniors. Canada earned a measure of revenge with a 7-5 win on Boxing Day. They get a chance for the ultimate payback in Sunday’s semifinal showdown.
“The last couple years haven’t gone our way, so this game’s going to mean a little bit more to us,” said Canadian defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson. “I hope we can use that to fuel our game tonight.”
“We got them the last two years, they’re hungry, and we feel that,” said Czechia forward Vaclav Nestrasil with a smile. “It’s heated right now and I like it.”
Canada apologized for leaving the ice without shaking hands after the tournament opener. Czechia coach Patrik Augusta says his team accepted that as an honest mistake. There is no bad blood in this rivalry. This is just about two proud hockey nations chasing a gold medal.
Canada and Czechia are meeting in the knockout stage for the sixth straight World Juniors. Canada won the first three, including an overtime thriller in the gold-medal game in Halifax in 2023.
“It seems like we’re always on the [same] path,” said Canada head coach Dale Hunter. “We know their style, they know our style, and kind of similar styles … an interesting game that way.”
Czechia has won four straight games since opening the tournament with a loss to Canada. They beat Switzerland 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
“I loved the way we played the third period against the Swiss,” said Augusta. “Our team is very skilled. A lot of guys are great individuals, but we played as a team.”
Canada also appears to be peaking at the right time having thumped Slovakia 7-1 in their quarterfinal.
Add it all up and Sunday’s game has the potential to be special. The stakes are high and so are the emotions.
“Do or die,” said Aitcheson. “Put everything on the line. This is why you play the game. You live for games like this. It’s unreal.”
“It’s going to be a war,” said Czech forward Adam Novotny. “We have to do all the small things to be successful today. It’s going to be a battle from the start to the end.”
Canada plans to ‘put everything on the line’ to earn revenge against Czechia Czechia has had Canada’s number in elimination games at the World Juniors over the last few years and they’ll be looking for revenge tonight with a berth in the finals up for grabs.
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Michael Hage sounds ready to lead the way for Canada.
“These are the games you get up for,” the Michigan Wolverines centre said. “You know everybody’s watching so just have to step up in big moments.”
How does the Montreal Canadiens prospect deal with pressure?
“Just trust the work I’ve put in,” he said. “Trust in God. He has a plan for me. It’s kind of just believing I’m not playing for anyone else but him, and just an audience of one. So, I feel free and just play my game.”
With nine points so far, Hage is tied for second in the tournament scoring race.
“He’s a real good offensive player,” said Hunter. “He knows how to play the game and he sees the ice very well. He’s got a good shot, but he sees the ice very well.”
‘Have to step up’: Canada’s Hage focuses on ‘audience of one’ as pressure builds Michael Hage discusses the pressure he puts on himself as Canada gets set for their semifinal against Czechia tonight. He also touches on the mood around the team and all the support the team is receiving from back home.
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Michael Misa accidentally blocked a shot from linemate Tij Iginla that was going in the net during Friday’s quarterfinal.
“Brutal on my part,” the San Jose Sharks centre said with a smile. “I probably should have threw my stick out of the play. I told him, ‘I’m sorry’ probably 50 times. I felt terrible … But we’re saving some more for tonight.”
Does Misa owe Iginla a sweet set up on Sunday?
“I think so, definitely.”
It’s easier to move on from a play like that when the team is winning and Iginla and Misa each scored in Friday’s rout.
“When I’m skating and moving my feet it’s hard to keep up with me,” Misa said. “I gotta keep skating.”
After a slow start to the World Juniors, it looks like the second overall pick in June’s NHL draft is back up to speed.
“The whole country’s watching back home,” Misa said. “It’s cool to have that support and we’re going to try and deliver for them tonight.”
‘Brutal on my part’: Misa owes Iginla a sweet semifinal set up after accidental save Michael Misa’s stick accidentally blocked a for sure goal for teammate Tij Iginla in the quarters. He’s looking to make things right tonight in the semifinals when Canada takes on Czechia.
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Harrison Brunicke took a high stick to the mouth during Friday’s game.
“Chipped my two front teeth pretty good,” the Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman said. “Mouth guard wasn’t really in my mouth during the play (smile). I was just biting on it and it just hit me in the wrong spot.”
Brunicke’s smile is back to normal for Sunday’s semifinal.
“Got them fixed the next morning right away,” he said. “I was debating whether to just get them pulled out, because I imagine, like, one day it’s going to happen again, but my mom wanted them fixed. So, we got that done.”
Mom wants him looking good for the medal round?
“Exactly,” Brunicke said.
P2 02.26: 🇨🇦 7-1 🇸🇰
Lukáš Tomka with a high-stick to the mouth of Harrison Brunicke just before the Slovak goal. Canada does not challenge it, maybe because this is still a 7-1 game. Brunicke’s mouth was bleeding and he heads to the dressing room.#hockey #worldjuniors #wjc pic.twitter.com/yLAxJ5HvxF
— Simo Frigolé (@kettusport) January 3, 2026
The truth is Brunicke is more worried about ensuring his game is in order on Sunday.
“Defending hard, that’s key for me,” he said. “We’re facing a fast Czech team so just being defensively sound, moving pucks, joining the rush when I can.”
Brunicke ready for medal round close up after mom asks him to fix chipped teeth Harrison Brunicke wears a mouthguard but still suffered a couple of chipped teeth after a high-stick against Slovkia. He talks about the repairs he underwent and his excitement for a rematch with Czechia.
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What did the phone of Czech defenceman Adam Jiricek look like after his between-the-legs overtime goal against Finland in the preliminary round?
“I got so many messages from all my friends,” the St. Louis Blues prospect said. “It was hard to respond to everybody.”
Most interesting message?
“Maybe Radek Faksa‚” Jiricek said of the Dallas Stars centre. “He texted my agent, like, that I’m going to be cocky now. He’s funny.”
“I didn’t believe it at first,” said Nestrasil. “I was like, ‘What is he doing?’ It worked out and I’m like, ‘This is going to be on Instagram for next weeks.’ It’s an insane goal.”
Did Augusta teach Jiricek that move?
“I got a lot of messages from my ex-teammates [asking] if it was me,” the coach said with a chuckle. “But it wasn’t me. I’m a little more old school these days.”
Jiricek says the move was inspired by countrymen like Tomas Hertl and Marek Malik, who pulled it off in the NHL.
“Maybe it’s a Czech thing,” he said with a grin. “I don’t know, yeah.”
Jiricek has scored in three straight games and is up to four goals and five points in the tournament.
“He’s proving he’s an insane player,” said Nestrasil. “He’s our best D and he’s showing how good he is. You see the highlights, but you don’t see the D-zone. He blocks every single shot and he eats them. That’s the thing everyone loves about him. He can produce in our O-zone but he can also block shots.”
Jiricek appreciated text from Faksa after ‘insane goal’ at World Juniors Czechia defenceman Adam Jiricek discusses his “insane” between-the-legs overtime-winner against Finland in the preliminary round, and how much he appreciated the text he received from Stars forward Radek Faksa.
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Projected Team Canada lineup for Sunday’s semifinal:
Iginla – Misa – Martone
McKenna – Hage – Martin
Desnoyers – Beaudoin – O’Reilly
Luchanko – Reschny – Cootes
Reid – Parekh
MacKenzie – Brunicke
Aitcheson – Danford
Carels – Verhoeff
Ivankovic starts
George
Scratches: Bear, Greentree, Ravensbergen