The Czech U20 hockey team lost 1: 7 in their first match at the Junior World Championships in Edmonton with Sweden.
Coach Karel Mlejnek’s charges led after the goal of captain Jan Myšák over the Northmen, but the opponent still leveled in the first period and decided to win with three goals in the second half. Goalkeeper Nick Malík, despite a solid performance, finally collected seven times.
Olausson got into the first significant chance of the match in the 5th minute, who individually got ahead of Malík, but did not beat the Czech goalkeeper. Gunler did the same in the 10th minute.
The Czech team thus got into the lead and the introductory power play helped it. Holtz’s foul was punished by Captain Myšák, whom Pytlík ideally found. Right after the bulls, however, Costmar got a big chance, which Malík still caught. In the ongoing action, however, Linköping’s striker still prevailed, the Swedes were able to equalize in 32 seconds.
12 minutes into the match, Teplý came close to extending the visitors’ lead when he found himself completely unmarked in front of the goal after a pass through the middle, but he lifted the ball over Alnefelt and it was a little too high and hit the bar. He then dealt with Lang’s opportunity.
At the turn of the first and second period, the Czech team had the advantage of two overpowering games, playing seven seconds in five against three. But he didn’t score. In the 28th minute, Krutil was eliminated and the Swedes took advantage of the first numerical advantage in the match. Sundsvik took advantage of the happy rebound of the puck from the back guard.
The Czechs could compare in another power play, but again they did not use it, moreover, they collected themselves after Haš’s mistake. Heineman shot Malík from the break. The Swedes then gained peace of mind and added a fourth goal in the 37th minute. Again, after rebounding the puck from the back guard, the prompt Niederbach scored. And it could have been worse, but Malík managed Wikström’s chance.
The Swedes, who did not play any matches in the final preparation before the World Cup due to the extended quarantine, continued to control the game and added another goal when Svozil was eliminated. Holtz’s shot ended up on the pole, but Söderblom showed an impressive ending and didn’t give Malík a chance.
That wasn’t all, the Northerners added two more goals, and in the end they didn’t use a five-on-three power play. The Czech national team lost to Sweden at the junior World Championships for the eleventh time in a row, the last time they defeated it in 2003.
The next match in the basic group B awaits the Czechs on the night from Sunday to Monday, when they will face Russia.
Under-20 Ice Hockey World Championships in Edmonton:
Group B:
Czech Republic – Sweden 1: 7 (1: 1, 0: 3, 0: 3)
Goals and recordings: 11. Myšák (Bag, Warm) – 11. Costmar (Söderström, Hedström), 30. Sundsvik (Holmström, Broberg), 32. Heineman (Broberg, Björnfot), 37. Niederbach (Broberg, Söderblom), 45 .Söderblom (Raymond, Söderström), 53. Bjerselius (Björnfot, Nybeck), 58. Gunler (Söderström, Holmström). Judges: Campbell, Labonte – Deschamps, Wyonzek (all Can.). Exclusion: 6: 5. Utilization: 1: 3. In weakness: 0: 1. No spectators.
Czechia: Malík – Krutil, Kučeřík, Haš, Svozil, Jiříček, Klikorka, Suhrada – Lang, Myšák, Teplý – Mužík, Pytlík, F. Přikryl – D. Vitouch, Gut, P. Novák – Rychlovský, A. Najman, Koffer, from 41. in addition M. Beránek. Coach: Karel Mlejnek.
Sweden: Alnefelt – Broberg, Björnfot, Söderström, Johansson, Hedström, Brännstam, Andrae – Sundsvik, Raymond, Holtz – Costmar, Holmström, Gunler – Heineman, Niederbach, Söderblom – Nybeck, Olausson, Wikström – Bjerselius. Coach: Joel Rönnmark.
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