Sweden beats Czechia 4-2 for its 3rd world junior hockey title
[January 06, 2026]
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Casper Juustovaara and Viktor Eklund scored
first-period goals and Sweden won its third world junior hockey title,
beating Czechia 4-2 on Monday night in the first all-European final
since 2016.
“It was time for a gold, and we did it,” said forward Antron Frodell,
drafted third overall by Chicago last summer. "It’s amazing. We’re a big
family. We love each other. We did the right things for the team to
win." |
Sweden players celebrate after winning an IIHF World Junior Hockey
Championship gold medal game against Czechia, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in
St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn) |
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Sweden also won in 1981 and 2012. Czechia won its lone titles in
2000 and 2001.
Sascha Boumedienne gave Sweden a 3-0 lead at 3:47 of the third.
Adam Jiricek and Matej Kubiesa scored for Czechia, with Kubiesa
striking with 24 seconds left. Ivar Stenberg capped the scoring
with an empty-netter with eight seconds left.
“I think Sweden played better from the beginning,” Czechia coach
Patrik Augusta. “Our legs weren’t going and the game against
Canada last night took a lot of energy from us, not just
physically but mentally. We were looking for a little spark, and
it didn’t come until the last couple of minutes, which was too
late.”
In the third-place game, Sam O'Reilly scored twice, Gavin
McKenna and Michael Hage each had four points to help Canada
beat Finland 6-3.
McKenna had a goal and three assists, and Hage had four assists.
Zayne Parekh had a goal and an assist to break the Canadian
record for points by a defenseman with 13 on six goals and seven
assists. Alex Pietrangelo had 12 in 2010.
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