Jordan Kawaguchi and Team Canada West will not be playing for gold at the World Junior A Championship.
Gooch’s crew fell to 1-2 after a 4-3 loss to the Czech Republic Wednesday, eliminating them from title contention.
Kawaguchi helped his team get to overtime against the Czechs, scoring a power play to tie the game at 2-2 in the second period.
He picked up an assist on the third Team Canada West goal when the rebound of his shot was buried by Powell River Kings forward Carter Turnbull.
The Czechs sent the game to extra time with just 4.8 seconds on the clock and prevailed in the shootout.
Kawaguchi led off and had his shot stopped by Czech netminder Petr Kvaca. Kristian Reichel was the only one of nine shooters to put a puck in the net.
The Czech loss relegates Team Canada West to the fifth/sixth place game versus the winless Swiss.
That game will be played at 2:30 p.m. PST today at the R.J. Lalonde Arena in Bonnyville, AB.