World Junior 2015: Jan Stencel, David Pastrnak pull out comeback win for Czech Republic; Day 4's 3 Stars

MONTREAL — Buzzing The Net's 3 Stars from Day 4 of the world junior championship:

No. 1 star: Jan Stencel, Czech Republic

Denmark was just three minutes away from recording its first win in the WJC's top tier and putting the Czech squad in the relegation round when Mathias Asperup committed a costly icing. With the Dane defenders sucking wind due to not being allowed to change before the ensuing faceoff, 19-year-old defenceman Stencel (1G-2A, +2 with a team-high six shots) made a fine play to thread a pass through coverage to the dirty area where captain Dominik Kubalik scored the overtime-forcing goal.

With each team having one point in the bank, both clubs went for broke in overtime. Moments after Winnipeg Jets first-rounder Nikolaj Ehlers (2A) couldn't complete his move on a solo rush, Stencel sprung Boston Bruins top pick David Pastrnak for a breakaway. Pastrnak (also 1G-2A, +2) deked goalie Georg Sorensen (44 saves) to give the Czech Republic a badly needed 4-3 overtime win.

Stencel, who plays for HC Vitkovice, also had a first-period power-play goal.

The Czechs (0-1-0-2, two points) now have the tiebreaker over Denmark (0-0-2-1) in the event of a tie in the final Group B standings. Denmark has its final game on Tuesday vs. Switzerland (1-0-0-1), which holds a tiebreaker edge over the Czechs. Got all that?

No. 2 star: Axel Holmström, Sweden

Holmström, a Detroit Red Wings seventh-round choice who showed some flashes of being a steady contributor during Team Sweden's pre-competition games against Canada and the U.S., rose to the occasion with a two-point day that included the third-period game-winner in the Scandinavians' 3-2 comeback win over Russia in Group B. With just more than nine minutes to play, Sweden captain William Nylander carried the puck into the slot and lost it, but Holmström pounced on it and wired a shot by  Russia goalie Ilya Sorokin for the lead.

Sweden, which had caught a break a few minutes before the game-winner when goalie Linus Söderström nearly kicked a rebound into his own net, made that goal stand up. Getting the full result means Sweden (3-0-0-0, nine points) is assured of a higher finish than Russia (1-1-0-1, five points) and only needs one point against Switzerland on Wednesday in order to win Group A.

Holmström's first point was an assist on Gustav Forsling's opening goal 10:38 into the game. Nylander had two assists.

No. 3 star: Sam Reinhart, Canada

Reinhart (2G, +2) scored in each of the first two periods to lead Team Canada by Finland 4-1, setting up a matchup of unbeatens against Team USA on New Year's Eve.

On Canada's first power play in the game's sixth minute, Reinhart redirected a Shea Theodore point shot and then located the loose change to put the rebound by Finland goalie Juuse Saros, the netminding nemesis from last January in Malmo, Sweden. That was the only goal until the 13 1/2-minute mark of the second. Late in their shift, Reinhart and wings Anthony Duclair (1G-1A, +2) and Max Domi (2A, +1) pieced together a 3-on-2 rush. Domi led Duclair over the offensive blueline with a rinkwide space before Duclair teed up Reinhart from the high slot, where the Buffalo Sabres prospect zipped a puck past Saros for a two-goal lead.

Finland hung around and pulled to within 2-1 when captain Artturi Lehkonen beat fellow Montreal Canadiens prospect Zach Fucale late in the second after a cringeworthy coughup in Canada's zone by seventh defenceman Samuel Morin.

Reinhart also had a timely steal on a Canada penalty kill early in the third period when Finland had a chance to tie the score. Canada calmed down and pulled out the win after Duclair and Curtis Lazar scored in the final 10 minutes.

Finland (0-0-1-2) must beat Germany (0-0-0-2) on Wednesday in order to avoid the relegation round series.

Honourable mention: Denis Godla, Slovakia

Seemingly the only way of getting a puck past the 19-year-old Godla was to shoot from along or behind the goal line. The goalie handled the first 28 Team USA shots and was 42-of-45 on the afternoon for his underdog squad during a 3-0 Group A game. The Americans playing in an early game after facing Germahy on Sunday night might have contributed to their inability to get into the interrior of Slovakia's defence and earn second shot opportunities. Godla proved limber throughout, getting post-to-post for some spectacular saves.

Sonny Milano finally broke Godla's hold on Team USA by roofing a bad angle shot late in the second period. His linemate, Dylan Larkin (1G-1A, +2), scored early in the third period when he shot suddenly from behind the goal line and the puck ricocheted into the net off Godla. Larkin, a Detroit Red Wings prospect who plays for the Michigan Wolverines, picked up Team USA's best player award for the second game in a row.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.