Brady Martin and Michael Hage scored as Canada takes a 2-1 lead into intermission after a wild first period against Czechia.
Martin broke the scoreless deadlock with just over six minutes remaining in the opening period. Hage, a first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2024, entered the zone with speed and fed a backhand pass to Gavin McKenna, who then found Martin open in the slot, who snapped it home for Canada’s first goal of the tournament.
Hage and Martin are each making their debuts on the National Junior team, while McKenna returns after being a part of the roster that lost in the quarter-finals in 2024.
Czechia evened the score with three minutes remaining in the first. After defenceman Carson Carels lost his stick in the defensive zone, Tomas Poletin was able to find open space in front of Carter George and tipped home a point shot from Adam Benak for the equalizer.
Hage re-gained the lead for Canada 37 seconds later, firing a wrist shot that went over the shoulder of Michal Orsulak, off the crossbar and in. Martin also assisted on the goal for his second point of the period.
Czechia had the first golden opportunity to open the scoring early after Canadian forward Cole Reschny turned the puck over in front of his own net. However, George was able to make a pair of point-blank saves to keep the game scoreless early on.
Team Canada nearly made it 3-1 in the dying seconds of the frame on a puck that was cleared off the goal line, but after a lengthy review, the officials called no-goal, leaving Canada with a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.
Canada got the first power play of the game at 3:33 of the opening frame but was unable to find the ice breaker. Vaclav Nestrasil, who took the hooking penalty to give Canada the power play, broke loose for a breakaway after exiting the box, but George once again stood tall to keep things scoreless.
Canada had their own opportunity on the breakaway seconds later, but Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly was unable to beat Orsulak.
George made nine saves in the opening period, while Orsulak stopped six shots for the Czechs.
