After 10 days of intense competition at the 2024 World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, all three nations with Vegas Golden Knights prospects in their lineups have advanced to a medal game. Matyas Sapovaliv and Czechia will play for the bronze medal against Arttu Karki and Finland at 6 a.m. PT on Friday, while David Edstrom and Sweden will go for gold against Team USA at 10:30 a.m. PT. Both games will air on NHL Network.
Named alternate captain of Team Czechia at the start of his third World Juniors, Sapovaliv has made the most of the ‘A’. The 6’4 centerman has tallied three goals and one assist through six games to help lead his team to the medal rounds. Czechia fell just short of playing for the gold medal as they lost, 5-2, to Sweden in the semifinal contest on Jan. 4. Sapovaliv and Team Czechia will play for bronze against Finland and Arttu Karki on Friday.
Karki and Team Finland made it to the bronze medal round against Czechia on Friday after a close, 3-2, loss to Team USA in the semifinals. Despite suffering two losses in the preliminary rounds, Finland blanked Latvia and took down gold medal contender Sweden in a shootout to face Slovakia in the quarterfinals. Karki recorded three assists through six games at the World Juniors and looks to help his team medal on Friday.
Edstrom and Sweden got off to a hot start not giving up a goal against through their first three matchups in the tournament against Latvia, Germany, and Canada. They’ve kept up their winning ways, only dropping one game in a shootout and will face Team USA in the gold medal round on Jan. 5. Edstrom has posted three assists in six games, including a helper on Theo Lindstein’s goal against Czechia to tie the game in the semifinals. Sweden broke it wide open after that coming away with the 5-2 win and the chance to face the U.S. for the ultimate prize in their home country.
