In their second appearance at the Czech Games in Brno, the Czech hockey players defeated the already certain Euro Hockey Tour winner Sweden 4:3 and with four points reached the top of the tournament table. At the same time, they secured the final second place in the EHT table. On Sunday from 4:00 p.m., the Czechs will attack for a triumph at home against Switzerland in the general round at the World Cup. They will enter the championship in Riga and Tampere on Friday against Slovakia.
After only 61 seconds, the Czech team had to defend itself when Kubalík was sent off, but he resisted. At 5:05, the Swedes rejoiced at the opening goal, despite the fact that Lindholm was on the penalty bench. Jiříček’s shot from the blue line was blocked by Lindberg, he escaped and beat Hrubec between the concrete blocks.
In the continuing power play after Tomášek’s pass, Kubalík shot from the right circle, but Högberg saved. During Persson’s subsequent penalty, he checked the Swedish goalkeeper Tomášek. Carlsson got into a good shooting position in a four-on-three power play. Before the break, Högberg covered Sedlák’s shot.
At the beginning of the second half, after Sobotka’s dismissal, Hrubec eliminated Petersson’s chance and managed Silfverberg’s run. After a mistake in the Czech play-off, the Zurich goalkeeper eliminated Berggren’s chance as well. Raymond didn’t succeed either. In the middle of the match, although Lenc did not get to the end of the break, Tomášek narrowly missed his pass in front of the open goal.
In the 34th minute, Jalonen’s selection already saw an equaliser. Beránek passed from the right circle to Voženílka, who hit Högberg’s left concrete through the screen and celebrated the premiership goal in the third national team match. Lindberg could have given the lead back to the Swedes after renumbering with Berggren, but Hrubec intervened.
At 37:25, the Czechs turned the tide. Kubalík shot twice in a quick shot from a position between the circles and the second attempt went into the Swedish goal Špaček. In 99 seconds, the home team already had a two-goal advantage. Černoch first won the throw-in, in the continuing back-to-the-goal action Voženielek did not beat Högberg with his backhand, but Černoch already scored from the stop.
At the beginning of the final period, when the debutant Zbořil was sent off, Hrubec covered Petersson’s shot from a position between the circles and immediately hid Raymond’s shot in the catcher. He checked the Swedish goalkeeper during Petersson’s dismissal by Košťálek. At 45:45, Voženílek forced Sandin to lose with a forecheck, and Beránek shot Högberg through the concrete from a position between the circles.
The Swedes reduced the score in the 49th minute when Sedlák was sent off, when Alexander Nylander hit from the left circle. Sandin tried to get the selection of the Three Crowns into contact, but Hrubec intervened. The Swedes did it shortly after they went on the power play three minutes before the end. Raymond hit the right post from the blue line. The Czech team has already maintained a narrow lead.
Czech Hockey Games in Brno, Euro Hockey Tour tournament:
Czech Republic – Sweden 4:3 (0:1, 3:0, 1:2)
Goals and assists: 34. D. Voženílek (O. Beránek), 38. M. Špaček (D. Kubalík, Knot), 40. Černoch (D. Voženílek, O. Beránek), 46. O. Beránek (D. Voženílek ) – 6. O. Lindberg, 49. A. Nylander (Raymond, Sandin), 58. Raymond (Sandin). Referees: Štolc (SR), Tscherrig (Switzerland) – Lederer, Šimánek (both Czech Republic). Exclusion: 7:5. Usage: 0:1. Underweight: 0:1. Viewers: 5278.
Czech Republic: Hrubec – Kundrátek, J. Zbořil, D. Jiříček, Němeček, Košťálek, Ščotka, Knot, Jeřábek – D. Kubalík, M. Špaček, Červenka – Tomášek, Sobotka, Lenc – H. Zohorna, L. Sedlák, Chlapík – O. Beránek, Černoch, D. Voženílek. Coach: K. Jalonen.
Sweden: Högberg – Pudas, A. Lindholm, L. Bengtsson, Sandin, J. Persson, Häman Aktell, Folin – Raymond, L. Carlsson, Zetterlund – Silfverberg, O. Lindberg, Berggren – A. Petersson, P. Lindholm, A .Nylander-Sörensen, J. de la Rose, Everberg. Trainer: Hallam.
Tournament table:
1. Czech Republic 2 1 0 1 0 6:6 4 2. Sweden 2 1 0 0 1 6:4 3 3. Switzerland 2 1 0 0 1 2:4 3 4. Finland 2 0 1 0 1 4:4 2
EHT table:
1. Sweden 11 5 3 1 2 31:19 22 2. Czech Republic 11 4 2 2 3 24:30 18 3. Finland 11 3 2 2 4 34:30 15 4. Switzerland 11 1 2 4 4 20:30 11
