2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

CZECHS PULL AWAY LATE TO EDGES SWEDES IN U17 EXHIBITION

JASON LA ROSE

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Filip Koffer got the game-winning goal on the power play with 6:50 left, and the Czech Republic scored three unanswered goals to beat Sweden 3-1 in pre-tournament action Thursday ahead of the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Jaromir Pytlik and Marcel Barinka had the other goals for the Czechs, who finished with a 33-18 advantage in shots on goal. Lukas Parik went the distance in the Czech goal, making 17 saves for the win.

After a scoreless opening 40 minutes, including a second period that saw the Czechs outshoot the Swedes 14-3, Albin Grewe struck shorthanded to open the scoring for Sweden, racing in alone after a Czech defender lost his footing and roofing a shot over the glove of Parik.

Pytlik answered just 42 seconds later, jamming a loose puck through Swedish netminder Matteus Ward, and Koffer gave the Czechs the lead for good 10 minutes later.

The Swedes put Ward on the bench for the extra attacker with just over a minutes to go, but Barinka found the empty net with 5.6 seconds left to clinch the exhibition victory.

The Czech Republic opens its tournament Sunday night against the United States (7 p.m. MT), while Sweden gets started against Russia in Fort St. John (7 p.m. MT).