Canada Defends Junior Ball Hockey Title

Even the champions from Canada improved with each game. In their first match against the USA, they won only in a shootout. In the second game, they narrowly defeated Slovakia by a single goal, and in their third match, they beat host nation Czechia by two goals. That was followed by a dominant double-digit win over Switzerland. In the semifinals, they beat the USA by three goals, and finally, in the championship game, they delivered their best performance of the tournament, scoring ten goals against Slovakia. The Slovak team struggled offensively in the final, making the final score of 10–3 an outlier in an otherwise tight tournament.

Let’s recall the words of Canada’s head coach Paul Kastes immediately after the final: "We had a very well-composed team, the players did what they were supposed to do, and I’m very proud of them. They are young, creative players with great potential. I’m happy that the boys didn’t let up in a single game, and we were able to enjoy taking first place."

This highlights the importance of pacing oneself in such a tournament, as the championship is not only physically demanding, but every match is crucial.

A similarly competitive championship is expected in Poprad. The same five nations from Liberec will participate – Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and host Slovakia. Each team has something to prove or redeem from the last tournament, or in Canada's case, to defend their title. This guarantees that we will see the very best of junior ball hockey in Poprad.
Spectators are in for a treat and have a lot to look forward to!

That’s why all sports fans who enjoy close, exciting, and dramatic games are warmly invited to Poprad!

A Look Back at the 2023 Junior World Championship in Liberec:

Group Stage:
Czechia – Switzerland 9:0
Canada – USA 4:3 SO
Slovakia – Canada 3:4
USA – Czechia 3:6
Switzerland – Slovakia 0:5
Canada – Czechia 7:5
Slovakia – USA 4:3
Switzerland – Canada 1:12
Czechia – Slovakia 6:4
USA – Switzerland 4:0

Semifinals:
Canada – USA 7:4
Czechia – Slovakia 5:6 SO

5th Place Game:
Switzerland – Pardubice 3:4

3rd Place Game:
USA – Czechia 4:6

Final:
Canada – Slovakia 10:3

Final Rankings – Junior World Championship, Liberec 2023:

1. Canada

2. Slovakia

3. Czech Republic

4. USA

5. Pardubice (non-competing team)

5./6. Switzerland

Photo: Canada – Men's World Champions in the U20 category in 2023 (Liberec2023.cz)