Czechia – Finland 2: 3 SN, Hockey players with luck saved the point, but experienced shooters failed in raids

The Czech team tried to play actively from the beginning, but they didn’t keep much on the reels. Although in the first act they had far more shots than their opponent (11: 4), there was no serious danger from them. On the other hand, the Finns paid a consistent attack in the 10th minute, they seized the puck already in the defensive zone of the home team and scored thanks to the lightning cooperation of the attack from Ufa. The scorer was Manninen, who, after Granlund’s pass, sent the puck up close to Hrubc’s concrete.

The Czech goalkeeper’s rash immediately stopped Nenonen’s big chance. At the end of the first period, the home team also played a power play against five, but they could not use it, although Kovář, Frolík and Gulaš tried to finish. But he lacked precision, speed and more creativity.

The well-skating Finns were still able to play with the puck and were defensively disciplined. After all, when the representatives got behind the machine-accurate defense of Suomi, then Flek alone fired at the goal area and Nestrašil’s shot was stopped by Säteri’s concrete.

On the other hand, Hrubec saved the Czechia from the disaster repeatedly during Hartikainen’s chances. Gradually, however, Finland was too passive and was punished by Captain Kovář, who scored the 34th goal in the Czech jersey in his 140th international match.

Gulaš had a chance to make a quick turn, but he didn’t manage a backhand bluffer. However, the national team’s game performance improved considerably during the second period. When the 1: 1 draw persisted until almost the middle of the third act, there was a fight for the winning goal.

The Finns were closer to him and it seemed that in the 48th minute Hrubec, after a shot by Kemppainen, the puck started just in front of him and was knocked into the net by the debuting leader of the Canadian scoring of the Finnish league, Levtchi. There was not much Czech chance for another equalization, the Finns played concentrated from the defense, but in the end luck came to the home side.

Less than a minute before the end, the Czechs reached for power play and there were only eleven seconds left in the basic playing time, when Gulaš’s shot from a hockey stick defending Manninen bounced into the upper corner of Säteri’s shrine. The Finnish goalkeeper, who was shielded by Krejčí, did not touch the discs anymore.

The overtime offered chances on both sides, but the goalkeepers reigned supreme. Not even 62 seconds of power play helped the representatives to decide, even though Krejčí or Gulaš fired well.

None of the five Czech executors succeeded in the raids. The tailor drove very slowly, but did not outsmart Säteri. Hyka only fired into the Finnish goalkeeper’s trap. Gulaš’s loops also led to nothing, as did Kovář’s bluff. In the end, even Sedlák did not succeed, yet he was declared the best player. The author of the difference goal was Fin Tiivola, who at first indicated Hrubec’s ending, then found a gap between the concrete with a shot.

Immediately after the match, the national team will fly to Moscow, where they will start at 1.30 pm on Saturday against the home team of Russia and on Sunday against Sweden (9:00 am).