Canada West wins bronze on home ice

Canada West has won their second ever bronze medal and 10th medal at the World Junior A Challenge after beating the Czech Republic 3-1 in Bonnyville, Alberta.

The game served as a rematch of one of the best games of the tournament, with Canada West blowing an early lead as the Czech Republic took over and won the game in the shootout.

Given that they played the later game on Saturday, the Canadians needed a big first period to give them a bit of breathing room for when they would inevitably start to slow down. That’s exactly what happened at 1:52 when Winnipeg Jets prospect Austin Wong set up Dylan Holloway in the high slot. The 2020 NHL draft prospect would waste no time sending the puck past Nashville Predators draft pick Tomas Vomacka, giving Canada the 1-0 advantage early.

At 7:16, Canada doubled their advantage.to make it 2-0 on home ice. Ethan Leyh had been one of the most impressive two-way players in this tournament all week and he would give his team a reason to celebrate after Layton Ahac made a pass in front of the net just before he ran out of room, with Leyh beating Vomacka for the goal.

Through two periods of play, nobody was as much of a standout as Canadian goaltender Matthew Radomsky. Radomsky, who didn’t start in Canada’s semifinal game against the United States on Saturday, had 25 saves in the first 25 minutes and finished the first 40 minutes with 33 stops. Not many were serious scoring chances for the Czechs, but Radomsky kept his tired team ahead in the most important game of the tournament for the team.

The Czechs were getting a good goaltending effort from Vomacka in their net, and a few big stops by him would keep his team in the game. His team in front of him would make his performance worth it with just over five minutes left in the period when NHL draft prospect Michal Teply tipped in his first goal of the tournament off of a shot from Zack Malik, giving his team some life.

But on the next play, Canada took the air out of the tires for the Czechs. Holloway, who was a solid player for Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup back in August, would get his second goal of the night and the tournament after winning a puck battle along the boards and sending it over Vomacka’s right shoulder, giving Canada their two-goal lead back. It was enough to take home the medal, with Holloway’s big night helping to seal the deal to win the bronze for Canada.

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Photo by Matthew Murnaghan/Hockey Canada Images

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