How to Watch How to Watch the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Gold Medal Game | Channel, Stream, Preview

On Thursday, the best Under-20 team in the world will be determined, as IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Gold Medal Game is set to take place, with the defending champs taking on a Cinderella story.

CANADA vs. CZECHIA

Canada has put together another championship-contending team. After losing their tournament opener, the host nation has looked determined to win another gold medal on home ice. Led by the presumed No. 1 at this summer’s NHL Draft, Connor Bedard, Canada has punched their ticket to the Gold Medal Game for the 30th time, the most in the history of the World Juniors. Bedard, the country’s all-time goal scorer in WJC play, is by the tournament MVP scoring 23 points in six games, leading all players by 10 points. They have also fed off clutch play in net from Thomas Milic, who made 43 saves in their semifinal win over the United States.

Czechia continues its improbable run in the tournament. Thanks to timely goal-scoring, excellent goaltending Tomas Suchanek and a little bit of luck, they are playing for the WJC title for the first time in 22 years. The Czechs’ path to the Gold Medal Game included finishing atop Group A and beating Switzerland handily in the quarterfinals. Then, in the semis, they came from behind to beat Sweden in overtime, thanks to Jiri Kulich’s tally in the extra frame. Kulich, David Spacek and Gabriel Szturc lead the team in offense, each amassing eight points so far this tournament.

Czechia does have an edge on Canada, as the Czechs opened their tournament run with a win over the red and white, marking their first victory over the Canadians in nine years.

Canada is 11-8 all-time in championship games, and has won gold 19 times since the first official tournament in 1977. They are looking to become back-to-back champions for the first time since the Canadians won five-straight championships between 2005 and 2009.

This will be just the third time Czechia has played for a gold medal. This is will be the first time the Czechs have played for a championship since their consecutive titles in 2000 and 2001. Since the split of Czechoslovakia, Czechia’s only other medal came as a bronze in 2005.

SWEDEN vs. UNITED STATES

Despite losing to the Canadians, the U.S. still has a shot to win their 14th medal in their history. The Americans have not won bronze since 2018.

Sweden took the bronze last year, and is searching for their eighth in the history of the tournament.

Check out the WJC schedule and results here

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.