Kent Johnson's three-point game leads Canada to semi-final win over Czechia

Semi-final Friday at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship kicked off with the hosts, Canada, taking on a surprising Czechia team that defeated the United States in the quarter-finals.

Canada enters Friday's tilt undefeated at 5-0-0-0 through five games, with 33 goals scored and a plus-22 goal differential. For the Czechs, they come into today's game with 2-0-1-2 record through five games and have scored fifteen goals.

It was the hosts who got the scoring started at the half-way mark of the opening period. Following a great save by Tomas Suchanek on Tyson Foerster, Kent Johnson picked up the loose puck and put it in on the open side to make to 1-0 Canada.

Kent Johnson starts off the scoring for Canada! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/OjisfvqxZS— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Just over five minutes later, Canada got on the board again. Nathan Gaucher made a solid pass through the neutral zone, across to Connor Bedard. Bedard picked the puck up off the boards and skated in, before beating Suchanek low-glove side to give Canada a 2-0 lead.

Connor Bedard's release!🤩

Canada leads 2-0 in the final minutes of the 1st. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QycjmHBkbJ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Canada extended their lead to 3-0 on a powerplay just over half-way through the middle frame. The Canadians capitalized on a terrible Czechia line change, with Kent Johnson finding Logan Stankoven, who fired it short side on Suchanek.

Logan Stankoven makes it a 3-0 hockey game! #WorldJunior pic.twitter.com/0Gsb5YwRk3— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Later in the period on the powerplay, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Kent Johnson faked a shot at the point and passed it over to Mason McTavish, who picked up his eighth goal of the tournament on an absolute laser of a shot to give Canada a 4-0 lead.

Mason McTavish strikes on the power play! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Iuh4nLRBA7— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

With 9:06 remaining in the third period, Czechia got on the board with their first goal of the game. Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak threw the puck on net through a screen and it beat Dylan Garand to cut Canada's lead to three.

Jan Mysak gets Czechia on the board.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Kfsha5WUzQ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Less than two minutes later, the Czechs headed to the powerplay and they took advantage of it. Columbus Blue Jackets 2022 sixth overall pick David Jiricek fired it threw a crowd and in low-glove side on Garand.

David Jiricek cuts Canada's lead and makes it a 4-2 hockey game!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ALADtywr0Z— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Canada would restore their three-goal lead shortly after through Montreal Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy. Roy had the puck at the side of the Czechia net and slide it through the five-hold of Pavel Cajan, who came in at the beginning of the period in relief of Tomas Suchanek, to make it 5-2 Canada.

Joshua Roy responds for Canada and makes it 5-2!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/WpjeMq2434— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 19, 2022

Players of the Game

Canada: Kent Johnson
Czechia: Jiri Tichacek

Three best players of Canada

- Olen Zellweger
- Logan Stankoven
- Mason McTavish

Three best players of Czechia

- David Spacek
- Jan Mysak
- Tomas Suchanek

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