Czech dream about home gold continues

In the opening session, Team Czech Republic skated with a lot of energy. The national team of the Worlds` host country was making the play, creating shooting opportunities and goal chances, until Jan Kovář got his team on the scoreboard with a wristshot from the ideal shooting position in the zone.

Before the game, Czechs studied Pekka Rinne a lot. The Finnish starting goalie just set up the new shutout-streak record, while disallowing Finnish rivals to score for longer than four consecutive games during the group phase.

The coaching team around Vladimir Ruzicka figured out it is necessary to keep bombarding Rinne as much as possible and also to cover his view and to be ready for finishing possible rebound situations. However it worked out also for Finns on the other side and needless to say, in a much more effective way.

If the Czech Republic used twelve shots to score one goal in the first period, Finland needed just four to get the same result. And its hit went exactly following the scenario described above. Czech defensive forgot to cover Tuomo Ruutu who converted his opportunity - 1:1.

But Team Czech continued playmaking and trying to get its lead back as soon as possible. Its style of play was physically demanding, so when Jussi Jokinen turned the score over to Finnish favour, suddenly it looked like if the opponent lost all its fuel (2:1)

Czechs got back to the tempo during the nearest powerplay. It was Jaromír Jágr who converted it using a skilled backhand from very short distance. At the same time it worked out like if he brought a gallon of energy drinks for his team mates.

Yet before the faceoff in the middle circle after Jágr`s success, a smaller tussle occurred between Vladimír Sobotka of the Czech Rep. and Jarkko Imonen which was appreciated by referees with a minor penalty for both.

Immonenen and Sobotka. Photo: Stanislav Souček

While playing in four sides, Finns nearly killed the rival as they got the puck in Ondřej Pavelec`s net, but the goal was cancelled due to Pettri Kontiola`s attacking foul. Suddenly, the situation was opposite and Suomi had to defend against a 3-on-4 powerplay.

After all, they did not survive. With an assistance of Jágr, who played another great game tonight, Kovář scored his second goal in the game to get Czechs back to the lead.

Even though Finland found a reply and tied it up one more time early in the third period by Aleksander Barkov, the will of Team Czech and especially Jágr found to be unbeatable. In time 55:30, the Big 68 stole puck in the attacking zone, did a wraparound Rinne`s net and made it 3:4.

Finland attempted to get back to the game with the empty net and six players on the ice, but Vladimír Sobotka hitted the unprotected Rinne`s cage and closed the score at 3:5 for the Czech Republic.

Now we have all Nordic countries out of the tournament. After Denmark and Norway being cut in the group stage, both Finland and Sweden loses their quarterfinal games 3:5 to their opponents, the Czech Republic and Russia.

After a day off, the Czech Republic will play Canada (which destroyed Belarus 9:0) and Russia challenge USA (achieving a victory over Switzerland 3:1) on Saturday.

Interestingly, all quarterfinals were won by the team which stayed in its original location. All opponents - Switzerland and Sweden which traveled from Prague to Ostrava and Finland + Belarus from Ostrava to Prague - lost their quarterfinals.

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