Reigning champion Canada dropped its first game of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship losing 5-2 to Czechia on Monday night in Halifax.
Canadian captain Shane Wright opened the scoring in the first and picked up an assist when Connor Bedard found the back of the net in the second.
Brandt Clarke almost made it 2-0 for Canada, however, his goal was called back after video review ruled the play offside. David Spacek then tied up 1-1 for Czechia with 2:12 left in the opening frame and David Moravec gave them the lead just 35 seconds later.
Stanislav Svozil made it 3-1 Czechia only 44 seconds into the second period. Bedard closed the gap 1:29 into the stanza but that was as close as Canada (0-1-0) would get to mounting a comeback.
Canada’s Zach Dean received a five-minute major for an illegal check to the head. Both Jaroslav Chmelar and Matous Mensik scored on the ensuing power play to make it 5-2 and chased Benjamin Gaudreau from the Canadian net.
Gaudreau made 12 saves with Thomas Milic stopping all 10 shots he faced in relief.
Tomas Suchanek had 32 saves in goal for Czechia (1-0-0).
Canada won the gold medal in August as the 2022 tournament was rescheduled due to COVID-19.
