Yes, it’s Slovenia!

Assembling a bunch of NHLers and former NHLers doesn’t mean to build a winning team, as Slovakia demonstrated today, beaten by surprising Slovenia. In the day of USA-Russia a good appetizer is the uncommon confrontation, at the Olympics, Slovenia-Slovakia. Both team lost the first game, but if Slovenia can be proud of his performance against giant Russia, Slovakia have to forget the awful debut against USA. Slovenia has the same line-up of first game on ice, while Vladimir Vujtek had to say goodbye to Tomas Marcinko, injured, and get in the line-up Tomas Zabrovsky and Peter Olvecky pulling off defender Rene Vydareny. In a first period without  emotions, Andrej Meszaros sweeps away from the line a shot not blocked by Halak in the last second. The second period starts with more emotions: Surovy and Miklik miss good chances demonstrating Slovakia is becoming more aggressive, while Slovenia threats Halak goal twice with Jan Urbas.

Again Surovy misses an easy deflection at the end of period of an insipid game. Slovenian star Anze Kopitar has a capital chance at the begin of third period but his without fail shot is stopped on the wide open cage by Baranka. But in the same power play finally something interesting happens: Ziga Jeglic takes a puck behind the net and served Rok Ticar in the middle, the shot isn’t a cannon-ball but passes between Halak’s legs for 1-0 Slovenia. Slovakia reaction is more with pride and anger then reasoned and charismatic captain Tomaz Razingar can doubles advantage tapping-in a rebound from a Jan Urbas shot. At 49:22 the master-piece of Anze Kopitar: Los Angeles Kings star scores a fantastic goal sweeping all the defense exploding the Slovenian bench and the fans. Game finishes with Slovakia desperately trying to find a goal that arrives at 59:40, scored on power play by Tomas Jurco, good just to avoid Robert Kristan shootout

After the game Slovakian player are simply speechless. Captain Zdeno Chara: "It's tough to say. It was a really even for most of the game before they got their first two goals."  Tomas Tatar: "It was pretty bad. They scored a goal off our mistake, then the puck started bouncing their way and we got nervous. They were just better."

Obviously opposite feelings in the Slovenian clan: Scorer Rok Tikar: To win against Slovakia at the Olympic Games, what should I say? They didn’t expect that. They didn’t expect at all that we can win. Only us, I mean, 25 guys in the locker room and the coaching staff, we believed in that.” and superstar Anze Kopitar: "I'm sure it's going to be a big thing. This is going to stick with Slovenia for a long, long time." "I hope now they're not going to mix us up with Slovakia anymore." he jokes

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