Unlike overmatched Japan, Czechs present stiffer challenge to Canada at U18 women's hockey worlds
Canadians were upset by Czech Republic at last year's semifinals
The Canadians aren't taking the Czech Republic lightly.
It was a talented Czech team that stunned the Canadian women's Under-18 team in the semifinals of last year's world championship, the first time the European country beat the Canadians or made a semifinal at the annual tournament.
It was a possible sign that the rest of the world is catching up, and a spot in Sunday's final for Canada can't be seen as a guarantee — bad news for a talented Canadian team, but good news for women's hockey.
This year's Canadian team, with five returning players from the 2024 squad, once again need to get past the Czech Republic to compete for gold. The semifinal game is set for 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday in Vantaa, Finland, with the winner playing in the gold-medal game at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Canadians shut out the Czechs 5-0 in the preliminary round, thanks to two goals from Saskatchewan's Stryker Zablocki, one of the returning members of the team that lost in 2024 and a force in this tournament for Canada. The forward, who is committed to play at Northeastern University, is second on the team in scoring, having registered nine points in four games.
Then, the Canadians crushed Japan in the quarterfinals by a whopping 17-0.
"Facing [the Czech Republic] again in the semis, we know what to expect," forward Caileigh Tiller, who had two goals and three assists against Japan, said after the game. "We know they'll play a big, physical game, so we just have to be ready for that and make sure we win all the battles."
Leading by example
In the first two preliminary-round games, Canada seemed to start out slow, spending more time looking for the perfect shot than charging to the net. It wasn't until later in both of those games that Canada started to look dominant.
That carried into a win over the Czech Republic to close out the preliminary round, and Thursday's drubbing of Japan in the quarterfinals.
Head coach Vicky Sunohara has shuffled her forward lines throughout the tournament, spreading out ice time across the lineup, with the goal of trying not to deplete players' energy ahead of the weekend.
The result has been a balanced attack: every single skater on the Canadian roster has at least a point after four games.
But the top line of Maxine Cimoroni, Sara Manness and Hayley McDonald has stayed together throughout the tournament. Combined, they put up 24 points in four games.
"I think for as good as we were offensively, there are still things to work on," Cimoroni said after the win over Japan. "It was just good to build confidence going into the semis against [the Czech Republic] where it will be a different game, but still a good game and a good step moving forward."
Captain Chloe Primerano, meanwhile, became the top-scoring defender in tournament history earlier this week. She had 24 career points going into Saturday's semifinal game.
North Vancouver's Primerano, who just turned 18 on Jan. 2, was MVP of last year's tournament. She plays at the University of Minnesota, after graduating a year early to make the jump to college hockey.
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Despite her stat line, her coach said Primerano isn't focused on individual success. She praised her captain's leadership.
"She talks about being 'team first' and that's how she wants to play as well," Sunohara said. "Her leadership is valued among her teammates, and I think they look up to her for that as well."
Future PWHL stars
Should Canada make it past the Czech Republic on Saturday, they're likely to face a United States team that will be the biggest challenge yet. Staying out of the penalty box, an area where Canada has struggled throughout the tournament, will be key, as will channelling the confidence the Canadians showed in wins over Japan and the Czechs in round-robin play.
The Americans take on Sweden in the other semifinal on Saturday morning.
American starting goaltender Morgan Stickney has allowed only one goal against over four games, while captain Bella Fanale leads the team in scoring (seven points in four games), after adding a dazzling, end-to-end goal while shorthanded against Slovakia on Thursday.
"The kid's a real deal, she's dialled in, and someone I rely on," American coach Liz Keady Norton said after the game "She showed her speed at the end of a long shift, her hands, and her determination. If anyone's wondering what Bella Fanale is about, they should watch those 12 seconds and have no more questions."
The only goal the United States gave up was to Slovakia, a team powered by a top line of Ema Tothova, Nela Lopušanová and Gabriela Lacna. That line held its own against some of the top countries, but the team as a whole couldn't compete with the powerhouse that is the American roster, ultimately losing 9-1 in the quarterfinals.
Lopušanová, who made headlines at 14 for scoring a Michigan goal, has arguably been one of the top-three players of the tournament. Now 16, she scored or assisted on every single goal her country scored at this year's tournament (eight points in four games).
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Slovakia will play Japan in the relegation game on Saturday, but it's not the last you'll see of Lopušanová. Her country is still working toward a spot at the 2026 Olympics in Italy, and Lopušanová will be eligible to return for the U18 tournament again next year.
The teen moved from Slovakia to Rochester, N.Y. to play prep school hockey, and she's committed to play at one of the top women's hockey programs, the University of Wisconsin, beginning in 2026.
She's one of several players competing in the tournament who could star in the PWHL someday. While most players complete their college eligibility before declaring for the league's draft, the PWHL doesn't have a minimum draft-eligible age.
Canada will host the next edition of U18 women's worlds in 2026, one of five major international women's hockey tournaments Canada will host between 2026 and 2030. The bid process is open and Hockey Canada expects to announce the host in the spring.
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