Czechia recently emerged victorious over Switzerland in the gold medal game of the 2024 IIHF World Championship with a score of 2-0. Michal Kempny, a Stanley Cup champion with Washington Capitals in 2018, played a crucial role in the team’s success. He scored the game-winning goal and added an empty-netter to lead Czechia to victory. Lukas Dostal made 31 saves for a shutout.
Kempny was second among Czech skaters in ice time during the championship game, playing 20:21 minutes. Throughout the tournament’s 10 games, he maintained an average ice time of 21:18 minutes per game, the highest of any Czech player. Kempny also notched three assists and had a plus-minus rating of plus-9, which was the best on his team. After the game, he posed for a photo with his new gold medal and his wife.
This victory marks Czechia’s first medal at the World Championship since they won bronze in 2022, where Kempny was also part of the team. In addition to Kempny, former Washington Capitals players Radko Gudas and Tomas Kundratek also secured gold medals. Gudas expressed his joy post-game by stating that playing in front of a home crowd and having their support was a dream come true.
Kempny has spent two seasons with Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga following a brief stint with Seattle Kraken before returning to play for his hometown team HC Slavia Praha in 2023. His last NHL game was with Washington Capitals in March 2022. The 33-year-old defenseman has represented Czechia in multiple World Championships and is now celebrating his first international gold medal win.
