Czechs clinch 5th place at world juniors

The Czech Republic rallied in the second period to rout Finland 5-1 Thursday and finish fifth at the world junior hockey championship.

The Czechs and the Finns had to settle for fifth and sixth places — the same positions as last year's championship in Sweden — after losing quarter-final matches a day earlier.

Harri Pesonen gave Finland an early lead 1:59 into the opening period. Daniel Bartek tied it 6:44 into the second and Michael Frolik put the Czechs up to stay just over a minute later. Tomas Kundratek added another goal late in the period.

Zbynek Hampl and Martin Latal added insurance goals in the third period.

In Friday's semifinals, Canada faces the United States, while Sweden takes on Russia.

In the relegation round, Switzerland defeated Denmark 5-2 to finish ninth in a game of the bottom teams that will be relegated and replaced by Germany and Latvia at next year's tournament in Ottawa.

Kazakhstan and Slovakia played in the other relegation game later Thursday.