World Juniors Medal Game Primer: Berglund & Sweden Play for Gold; 4 Flyers Prospects Go for Bronze

The stage is set for the medal games at the 2026 World Juniors, and the Philadelphia Flyers have a prospect going for gold.

After a wild day of semi-finals hockey, the final matchups are set: Czechia vs. Sweden for the gold medal game, and Canada vs. Finland in the bronze medal game. Jack Berglund is going for gold with Sweden, while Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and Canada take on Heikki Ruohonen, Max Westergard, and Finland for the Bronze medal.

It was a crazy day of hockey.

First, long-time rivals Sweden and Finland played with a chance to go to the Championship on the line. Sweden scored within the first minute of the game, but Finland answered before the first period ended. Jack Berglund picked up his 8th point of the tournament with the secondary assist on Sweden’s second goal 1:20 into the second period, but Finland answered just under a minute later. Before the second ended, Sweden grabbed the 3-2 lead, which was not answered until late in the third period. Heikki Ruohonen picked up the primary assist from the netfront area, his 7th point of the tournament. That forced overtime in the game.

The extra period went scoreless, but Jack Berglund was a star. Late in OT, Sweden had to kill a 4-on-3 power play, and Berglund killed the entire thing, helping force a shootout.

Berglund scored in the fifth frame, extending Sweden’s life, before Anton Frondell sent Sweden to the championship with the goal.

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Czechia ends Canada’s gold medal hopes, again

In game 2, Canada faced Czechia in a long-awaited rematch of their opening game in the tournament.

Jett Luchanko picked up his first point of the tournament with a secondary assist on Tij Iginla’s game-opening power-play goal. It took Czechia just over a minute to answer. Czechia took the lead early in the second period, but Canada tied it at two with their second power-play goal of the game.

Before the second period could end, Luchanko’s Brantford teammate Adam Benak gave Czechia the 3-2 lead. That lasted a little over four minutes before Cole Reschny, the second PPG scorer, netted his second of the game, tying the contest at 3.

Czechia took the lead with just over 10 minutes to play in the game, before Porter Martone tied the game at 4 with his 5th of the tournament, and 8th point. The Canadians had momentum, but Tomas Poletin took the wind out of their sails, taking the 5-4 lead.

Czechia would score on the empty net in the final minute of play, and for the third straight season, Czechia ended Canada’s quest for gold.

World Juniors medal games set; 5 Flyers prospects in play

After a wild semi-finals, Monday’s medal game slate is set.

First, Canada and Finland face off at 4:30 p.m EST for the bronze medal. Can Martone continue to build off his great tournament and end the tournament on a high note? Could Jett Luchanko add on another point before play ends? Or, will it be Max Westergard and Heikki Ruohonen continuing to raise their stocks?

Then, just one Flyers’ prospect remains in play for gold: Jack Berglund.

Sweden will take on Czechia at 8:30 p.m. EST for gold.

All games will be aired on NHL Network. Who is taking home the gold?

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