The semifinal pairs for the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship have been determined

On Thursday, May 23, the quarterfinal matches of the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship took place in the Czech Republic.

Team Canada easily defeated Slovakia, dismantling their opponents with a score of 6-3. The next quarterfinal provided more drama. Switzerland led 2-0, but Germany reduced the deficit to one goal. Despite several opportunities to equalize, the Germans fell short. The Swiss maintained their lead and secured their victory with a third goal in the final minute, winning 3-1.

The USA faced off against the tournament hosts, the Czech Republic. The match was highly competitive, but the Czechs managed to open the scoring early in the second period. Despite increased offensive pressure from the Americans, the Czech defense and goaltender held firm, resulting in a 1-0 victory for the hosts.

In the marquee quarterfinal game, Sweden played against Finland. The match was intensely fought, with the Finns effectively defending and limiting Swedish offensive space. Five minutes before the end of regulation, the Tre Kronor took the lead. However, they couldn't hold on as Finland equalized with a minute left, forcing the game into overtime. In the extra period, a Finnish mistake led to a power play for Sweden, which they capitalized on to win 2-1.

As a result, the semifinal pairs for the World Championship are:

• Sweden vs. Czech Republic
• Canada vs. Switzerland