'So special': Pastrnak, Czechia win gold at worlds

PRAGUE — Boston Bruins star forward David Pastrnak scored as Czechia shut out Switzerland 2-0 to win the ice hockey world championship Sunday.

Just over a week after the Bruins saw their season end, their best player broke the deadlock for his country with 10:47 remaining in the final period, prompting the sold-out Prague Arena to erupt in wild celebration.

Pastrnak one-timed his usual place in the left circle past goaltender Leonardo Genoni after he was fed by defenseman Tomas Kundratek from the blue line.

“We did it at home,” Pastrnak said in his on-ice interview after the medal ceremony. “We’ve been waiting for gold for a very long time and it couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s always a big thank you [to the fans]. They did amazing for weeks, and we were so excited to be able to extend it for them to play for the medal.”

Pastrnak scored his first goal at the tournament. David Kampf added the second into an empty net with 19 seconds to go.

“Coming here, the team was doing great, but we didn’t expect to be this far,” Pavel Zacha, Pastrnak’s teammate with the Bruins, said in his on-ice interview before the final. “But I think our work ethic and everything helped us to get here.”

Zacha and Pastrnak didn’t have much down time after a Game 6 loss to the Florida Panthers in Boston on May 17, but in the end, it was all worth it.

“This is always so special. [The tournament] was at home, and I’ve never played at home,” Pastrnak said. “It would be really hard for me to say no. Obviously, when I’m healthy, I will never say no to the national team.”

It was the seventh title won by Czechia after the country was created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia, and the first crown since 2010.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.