Czech coach delivers blunt assessment of Team Canada after semifinal loss

Czechia sent a clear message to Canada after its win.

In the hours following the game, one quote took over the discussion. The head coach of Czechia summed up the night in a single sentence.

It's hard to argue with him on that point. It's the kind of comment that hits because it targets the heart of the game, not one specific sequence.

When an opposing coach talks like that, it sounds like a diagnosis.

For fans in Montreal, it confirms an impression that was fairly widespread.

You can live with a loss, but it's much harder to digest a loss where the other team seems to want it more. And it creates a strange feeling around Team Canada Junior. When the opponent says they were hungrier, it forces you to look yourself in the mirror, even if it's uncomfortable.

For Montreal Canadiens fans, it was also another night where emotion went beyond the result, especially with Michael Hage being left out of Team Canada's top three honors.

In the end, Canada will have to bounce back. But that comment is going to stick, because it's starting to become a real problem, year after year.

Let's also remember how Hage's teammate, Cole Reschny, reacted emotionally on the bench during the loss to Czechia.

It was definitely a tough pill to swallow.

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Michael Hage's absence from Team Canada Junior's top three leaves fans stunned