Czechia secured second place in the Group B standings with a 7-2 win over Slovakia to kick off the final day of round-robin play at the 2026 IIIHF U18 Women’s World Championship at the Sport and Wellness Centre in Membertou, Nova Scotia on Tuesday.

In a clash between two Central European neighbours, Tereza Gildainova, Katerina Pencikova, Andrea Kantorova, Adela Pankova, Dana Brezinova, Lucie Sindelarova and Karolina Bojdova all found the back of the net for the Czechs, who finish the round robin at 2-1 with six points.

"We played very good," said Sindelarova, who was named Czechia's best player. "I think it was really good teamwork, and I'm happy."

Natalia Gero and Nela Lopusanova replied for Slovakia, who will finish third with a 1-2 record for three points.

 

 

 

 

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Slovakia’s Mariana Sumegova had another strong game in the losing effort, making 51 saves. Czech starter Lili Chmeralova was sharp, especially against Slovak star Nela Lopusanova, and finished with 28 stops. Pencikova also had two assists to lead Czechia with three points. 

Vanesa Mikulasikova earned best player honours for Slovakia.

The stakes were high heading into Tuesday’s game, and the math was simple: the winner would earn higher seeding going into the quarterfinal games on Thursday. The Czechs were bronze medalists in 2025 and the Slovaks earned their tournament berth in the 2025 relegation game, but both squads came into the clash with identical 1-1 records in Membertou.

Lopusanova, the Slovak captain, was also continuing her chase of the all-time points record at the U18 level. She came into the game tied for second with Amanda Kessel with 30 points, three shy of record-holder Kendall Coyne Schofield.

"It was important to play very good defensively, be strong with the puck, believe in ourselves and be stronger against their best player," said Czech coach Dusan Andrasovsky. "We did it well."

Lopusanova’s speed, strength and fearlessness were on display from the drop of the puck. Less than three minutes into the game, she used her pull-away speed to gain a breakaway that was stopped by Chmelarova. But as the play turned back the other way, Aneta Paroubkova fed Gildainova for a 2-on-1. She held the puck and shot low-blocker for her team-leading third goal of the tournament.

Midway through the period, Gildainova appeared to have added to her total off a speedy rush play. But after video review, the play was deemed to be offside.

Undeterred, the Czechs beat Sumegova on the very next shift. With 9:47 left in the first, Kantorova dug the puck out from a scrum along the end boards and fed Pencikova for a one-timer.

Sixty-four seconds later, Lopusanova collected her 31^st point, passing to Natalia Gero in the low slot to narrow the margin to one goal.

The dangerous Czech power play struck with 5:25 left in the first. They applied strong zone pressure with good puck possession before Kantorova snapped the puck over a sprawling Sumekova with just nine seconds left in Lucia Lipcakova’s tripping penalty.

Late in the period, Lopusanova drew Slovakia’s first power play of the game as she was sandwiched by two Czech players. Captain Julie Jebouskova was whistled for the illegal hit, but her teammates killed the penalty without incident.

Shots on goal were 19-8 in an entertaining opening frame.

Early in the second, the Slovaks continued to press and Lopusanova continued to get chances. She finished the game with 13 of her team's 30 shots but couldn't beat Chmelarova until the game was out of reach.

"I had a couple of breakaways and I didn't score any, so I'm taking this one myself," Lopusanova said.

The turning point in the game may have come after Pankova made it 4-1 at 5:39. Because Slovak coach Michal Kobezda’s challenge for goaltender interference was unsuccessful, the goal stood and the Czechs went back on the power play, then dominated the rest of the period.

In the third, Bojdova made it 7-1 for Czechia before Lopusanova tallied her 32nd point by scoring on a 5-on-3 with 4:51 left to play in the third. She recorded the final shot of the game, at the third-period buzzer, for what would have been the record-tying point if the puck had gone in.
 

With the win, Czechia is now 7-0 all-time against Slovakia in this tournament. In the last meeting between the two teams, in the 2025 round robin, Czechia won 6-3, with Lopusanova scoring all three Slovak goals.

Lopusanova will get at least one more chance to chase the record. All eight teams at WW18 advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals, where the teams from Groups A and B will cross over.

"It will be something great to have a player like this," said Slovak coach Michal Kobezka. "We're trying to help her. We're giving her ice time to get those points. At the end of this game, she was on the ice all the time. Of course, we wish she will accomplish that goal and she'll break the record."

Matchups will be determined after Tuesday’s four-game slate concludes.