Czechs beat Slovaks

ByEurosport

Published 22/02/2006 at 22:00 GMT

A first period shorthanded goal by Martin Rucinsky and a second period tally from Milan Hejduk sent the Czech Republic en route to a 3-1 win over Slovakia, who dropped their first game of the tournament. The Czechs will face Sweden in Friday's semi-finals

ICE HOCKEY 2006 Torino 2006 Slovakia-Czech Republic Straka Rucinsky

Image credit: Reuters

In the absence of injured star goalie Dominik Hasek, and after seeing second choice Tomas Vokoun was chased by the Canadians in the previous game, the Czechs made a point of clearing the crease in front of third string netminder Milan Hnilikca.

ICE HOCKEY 2006 Torino 2006 Slovakia-Czech Republic Hnilicka

Image credit: Reuters

The goaltender for domestic side Liberec made 20 saves and continued to play solid after conceding the only Slovakian goal to Marian Gaborik early in the final period.

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As the Czechs repeatedly frustrated the Slovaks on the powerplay, Martin Straka added an empty net tally with three seconds left.

"Maybe the pressure was too much for us, and we couldn't handle it," Slovak forward Peter Bondra said after the frenzy of anticipation that precededed the encounter translated into Slovakia's first - and cruelest - loss of the tournament.

TIMING

Jaromir Jagr, who played intermittently through the last two group phase matches after being knocked out of the game against Finland by Jarkko Ruutu, started for the Czechs.

But it was New York Rangers team-mate Rucinsky who displayed all the right moves in stealing the puck on the shorthanded team an otherwise solid Peter Budaj.

ICE HOCKEY 2006 Torino 2006 Slovakia-Czech Republic Budaj Rucinsky

Image credit: Reuters

After a poor preliminary round that saw the 1998 Olympic and reigning world champions upset by Switzerland and beaten by Canada, the Czechs came to life at just the right moment.

"At the beginning of the tournament, we weren't playing as a team," Rucinsky said. "We weren't satisfied, but just before the Canada game, we sat down and talked about just going out and playing our game. Since then, we've been building momentum, and it carried over."