Happy birthday....not for you!

In the night of Jaromir Jagr 42nd birthday, who celebrates is Switzerland, closing the preliminary group with a remarkable 1 goal against record and two shout-outs in 3 games, both recorded by Jonas Hiller

After the great game of the afternoon atmosphere seems more quiet in Bolshoy Arena for the night match between Switzerland and Czech Republic in the day Jaromir Jagr turns 42. Switzerland  isn’t in the mood of giving presents. Coach Simpson has Jonas Hiller back in the net and choose Ryan gardner in the line-up, sending Patrick Von Gunten in the stands. Czech Republic  without two “godfathers” as Patrik Elias and Lukas Krajicek, not dressed, replaced by Ondrej Palat and  Radko Gudas, finally debuting at the Olympics after having missed first two games due to ill. Coach Adamczik also confirms Ondrej Pavelec in the net after the good performance against Latvia. In a enjoyable game during first period, Mention for the two goalies, always safe in the saves.

Switzerland opens the score at 14:10 with Simon Bodenmann, deft with a one-time shot after a puck recovered in the by Denis Hollenstein, minutes after a bar hit by Jaromir Jagr with a classy preparation. At 17.00 Hiller is superb on Michalek in the last chance of first part. At the begin of second period Hiller becomes a wall and rebounds three consecutive shots during first Czech power play. Cunti has a good chance after three minutes but Pavelec’s dive on puck avoid  the goal. At 28 Bodenmann miss the decisive deflection on a centre by Streit.

In the third period Switzerland amasses some consecutive penalties, as in the game vs Sweden, but Czech forwards are very inaccurate. With 1.20 left Martin Pluss has a great chance to close the game but his shot misses the net. Adamczik pulls out Pavelec and calls a time-out but the Swiss wall doesn’t go down. 

All Swiss players praise goalie Jonas Hiller,

Raphael Diaz simply says: "Our goalie played a hell of a game and we deserved this win. This was the key to the game. He's unbelievable in the NHL with his team and makes huge stops and does that for us too. It gives confidence to the whole team. He always makes big stops for the team and we take the rebounds away. We work together as a unit."

Mark Streit: "Jonas played unbelievable in net. We scored one goal, that was enough. We always have great goaltending and this is no different. Jonas is playing unbelievably. Reto Berra is also as well But offensively, we have to get more than one goal. That's the thing we have to work on for the next few games. But I think defence wins games and championships."

Petr Nedved reflects on Czech Republic's inability to score: "We created most of the chances but unfortunately their goalie was big as a house. He was lucky a couple of times with the posts and the crossbar and we were only a couple of inches away from goal, but that's how it is sometimes. We were saying in the dressing room that one goal was not going to beat us, but unfortunately it did."

 

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