Apparently very little has changed since these two nations last clashed at the U18. The Czechs also beat Denmark 9-2 in 2014. (The first meeting was in 2012, an 8-4 Czech victory.)

Ondrej Najman paced the Czech attack with two goals and three assists. Matyas Kanter added two goals, and Pavel Kousal had three assists. All in all, 13 Czech skaters had at least one point.

Even with nine goals, lack of power play production could be a concern for the Czechs. The Danes took six minors, but every Czech goal came at even strength.

Kanter was the only scorer in the first period, played on relatively even terms. Denmark’s Daniel Nielsen tied it up one minute into the second.

However, the Czechs struck right back with goals 40 seconds apart by Daniel Kurovsky and Najman. They ran away with it in the third period, rendering Joachim Blichfeldt’s 5-on-3 goal with under six minutes to play meaningless.

Newly promoted Denmark has lost four straight games and needs to find its form pronto.

The Czechs will jockey with neighbouring Slovakia for quarter-final seeding in their round-robin finale on Tuesday night. Denmark’s first relegation game against Latvia is on Thursday.