Ludvig Jansson scores twice, including the OT winner, as Sweden defeats Czechia

The second game of Day 4 at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship saw a battle of the first and second place teams in Group A, as Czechia took on Sweden in a rematch of August's bronze medal match.

Coming into Thursday's game, both Czechia and Sweden had a 2-0-0-0 record and a plus-12 goal differential, but the former has scored more goals (14), giving them first place for the time being.

After the warm-up, Sweden were left without one of their top forwards and projected top-five pick in the 2023 draft, Leo Carlsson. Things got worse as after the first period, Boston Bruins prospect Fabian Lysell left the game. It's unclear as to why Carlsson didn't play or why Lysell left after the first, but Sweden is reportedly dealing with a flu bug issue and that could possibly be the reason.

Both teams exchanged chances in the first 20 minutes, but the game remained scoreless as Czechia's Tomas Suchanek and Sweden's Carl Lindbom stood tall, making seven and four saves respectively.

The Czechs opened up the scoring just over three minutes into the second period. Adam Mechura poked the puck in the neutral zone to Petr Hauser, who went in on a 2-on-0 with David Jiricek. Hauser passed the puck across to the 2022 sixth overall pick, who found the back of the net to give Czechia a 1-0 lead.

David Jiricek finishes off the 2-on-1 to give Czechia the 1-0 lead 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/dSHFdzqKE4— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2022

A couple of minutes later, Sweden tied up the game. Fabian Wagner picked up a Czech turnover and fired the puck top corner, blocker side on Tomas Suchanek to make it 1-1.

Fabian Wagner capitalizes off the turnover to tie the game 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/Y5WwuCCuJJ— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2022

90 seconds later, Sweden went ahead, 2-1. Florida Panthers prospect Ludvig Jansson threw the puck on net from the point and it finds its way past Suchanek to give Sweden the lead.

Ludvig Jansson's point shot finds a way through to give Sweden the 2-1 lead 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ukC8rxUUkk— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2022

Late in the third period, the Czechs took advantage of a tired Swedish group to tie the game up at 2-2. The Swedes had two straight icings and Czechia capitalized, as forward Jiri Tichacek finished off a sweet passing play with Matyas Sapovaliv and David Jiricek.

THIS GAME IS TIED 🚨

Jiri Tichacek gets the equalizer for Czechia!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nRiOMLWikA— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2022

With things knotted up at 2-2, the game headed to 3-on-3 overtime to decide who will sit in first place in Group A following Day 4.

A little over a minute and a half into the extra frame, the Czechs went for a change and when doing so, the Swedes took advantage as Ludvig Jansson scored his second of the game to give his nation the 3-2 win. Jansson skated in along the board, cut in and went forehand, backhand top corner on Suchanek to end the game.

LUDVIG JANSSON WINS IT FOR SWEDEN 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ctzaZMX2NY— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2022

Both teams will have Friday off before returning to action on New Year's Eve where Czechia will face Germany, while Sweden takes on Canada.

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