In a thrilling finale at the World Hockey Championships, the Czech Republic’s national ice hockey team emerged victorious against Switzerland, securing the gold medal with a 2-0 win. The championship, held in Prague and Ostrava, saw an impressive display of skill and teamwork from the Czech team, which clinched its first gold in 14 years. The pivotal moment came at 49:13 minutes into the game when David Pastrnak, a forward for the Boston Bruins, scored the winning goal. The triumph was solidified by David Kampf, who scored on a power play into an empty net with only 19 seconds left in the game.

Goalie Lukas Dostal was instrumental in the Czech Republic’s victory, achieving his third shutout of the tournament. This victory marks the Czech Republic’s seventh gold medal since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, adding to the six gold medals won by the former Czechoslovakian team.

Switzerland, though falling short of gold, equaled their best-ever performance at the World Championships by securing silver, a feat they previously accomplished in 1935, 2013, and 2018.

The 2024 World Hockey Championships also set new records for attendance, with a total of 797,727 spectators across all matches, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by over 56,000. The average attendance per game reached a new high of 12,464, compared to 11,589 in 2015. A particularly notable match was the semifinal between the Czech Republic and Sweden, which drew 17,413 fans to the sold-out O2 Arena in Prague, breaking the attendance record for a single game.

The final day of the tournament saw a third-place match between Canada and Sweden, attracting 14,929 spectators. The Czech Republic vs. Switzerland final was also sold out, illustrating the immense support and enthusiasm from fans.

In Prague, the O2 Arena hosted 36 games with a total attendance of 547,602, averaging 15,211 spectators per game. Every match involving the Czech national team was sold out. Meanwhile, in Ostrava, the games drew 250,125 fans, with full capacity for all Slovak games and several other matches, averaging 8,933 spectators per game.

The Czech team’s journey to victory and the tournament’s record-breaking attendance underscore the country’s deep-rooted passion for ice hockey and its significant place in international sports.

Article by Prague Forum