photo: Matt Zambonin/IIHF
Czechia defeated Slovakia, 3-2, in a wild and emotional game at a packed BCF Arena in Fribourg. The crowd was evenly divided between the teams and over the course of the afternoon provided a sensational backdrop to the most thrilling game of these World Championships so far.
The win catapults the Czechs into saecond place of Group B with 13 points, one behind Canada, while the Slovaks fall to third, still with ten points. This was Slovakia's first loss in five games (3-1-0-1), while the Czechs improve to 4-0-1-0.
"I enjoyed this game from beginning to end," enthused Czech defender Michal Kempny. "These games are fun to play. It was an unbelievable atmosphere, full building, everyone buzzing. Slovakia, our brothers. Those games are special."
"It was a derby game," said Slovakia's Aurel Naus. "It was a great atmosphere with the fans, lots of emotion, and we fought well. But we lost, and we have to learn from this. We had about 30 shots and they had half of that."
Coming into the game, the Czechs were 13-1-3 all time against Slovakia, including a 4-0 record in the last four games between the friendly and rival neighbours. Indeed, shots favoured the Slovaks, 30-18, but Josef Korenar stood tall in the Czech goal.
"They played well in the third period, and we were missing some energy," Kempny added. "There are always some aspects of the game we want to get better at, but we're glad we got the three points."
The Czechs came out strong to start the game and nearly opened the scoring early. Jakub Flek got the puck right at the crease, but his quick shot was stopped by Samuel Halavaj, who had the position.
The Czechs finally did get the first goal, at 8:09, on what looked like a routine play. Daniel Vozenilek brought the puck in over the line and fired a shot between the legs of defender Viliam Kmec. Hlavaj had trouble picking up the flight of the puck, and it beat him over the shoulder.
The goal seemed to awaken the Slovaks, who then had the better of play much the rest of the period. They misfired several times, and Korenar was solid when he had to be. After 20 minutes it was a 1-0 game.
The first period was only a tiny appetizer to the main course that lay ahead in a super-charged second. The Slovaks tied the game at 11:30 when Samuel Knazko threw a high puck towards the goal. It hit Marek Hrivik around his hip, but he was able to control the puck and snap it to the short side to make it 1-1.
That goal ignited the Slovaks even further, and they poured it on after that. Andrej Kollar had a great chance in close but was stoned by Korenar, and it was around this time that scrums started to form after every whistle near the goalies. In the follow up to one such confrontation, Kristian Pospisil drew a penalty in mid-ice trying to re-ignite a battle, and it ended up costing the team.
Martin Kaut’s close-in shot on the ensuing power play went off the skate of Hrivik and between Hlavaj’s pads at 14:04 to restore the Czechia lead, but the Slovaks continued to be aggressive. Sebastian Cederle was stopped brilliantly by Korenar, and Pospisil made a patient play to create a great chance, only to fire it over the goal. He slammed his stick on the glass behind the bench as he came off.
Martin Chromiak finally tied it for Slovakia at 17:50 on his fourth chance in front. The Czechs couldn’t clear the puck and he finally swatted the puck over a down and out Korenar to send the Slovak half of the crowd into an ear-splitting frenzy.
The teams continued their frenetic pace in the third, and it took 40-year-old captain Roman Cervenka to make the decisive, and controversial, play for the Czechs. Midway through the period Kaut fired a long shot towards the goal. It went off Cervenka's skate and in, and was confirmed as a good goal by video review. The Slovaks protested that Cervenka kicked the puck in as it deflected between Hlavaj's pads and in at 12:02, but their protests fell on deaf ears, and the Czechs supported Korenar the rest of the way for the win.
The win catapults the Czechs into saecond place of Group B with 13 points, one behind Canada, while the Slovaks fall to third, still with ten points. This was Slovakia's first loss in five games (3-1-0-1), while the Czechs improve to 4-0-1-0.
"I enjoyed this game from beginning to end," enthused Czech defender Michal Kempny. "These games are fun to play. It was an unbelievable atmosphere, full building, everyone buzzing. Slovakia, our brothers. Those games are special."
"It was a derby game," said Slovakia's Aurel Naus. "It was a great atmosphere with the fans, lots of emotion, and we fought well. But we lost, and we have to learn from this. We had about 30 shots and they had half of that."
Coming into the game, the Czechs were 13-1-3 all time against Slovakia, including a 4-0 record in the last four games between the friendly and rival neighbours. Indeed, shots favoured the Slovaks, 30-18, but Josef Korenar stood tall in the Czech goal.
"They played well in the third period, and we were missing some energy," Kempny added. "There are always some aspects of the game we want to get better at, but we're glad we got the three points."
The Czechs came out strong to start the game and nearly opened the scoring early. Jakub Flek got the puck right at the crease, but his quick shot was stopped by Samuel Halavaj, who had the position.
The Czechs finally did get the first goal, at 8:09, on what looked like a routine play. Daniel Vozenilek brought the puck in over the line and fired a shot between the legs of defender Viliam Kmec. Hlavaj had trouble picking up the flight of the puck, and it beat him over the shoulder.
The goal seemed to awaken the Slovaks, who then had the better of play much the rest of the period. They misfired several times, and Korenar was solid when he had to be. After 20 minutes it was a 1-0 game.
The first period was only a tiny appetizer to the main course that lay ahead in a super-charged second. The Slovaks tied the game at 11:30 when Samuel Knazko threw a high puck towards the goal. It hit Marek Hrivik around his hip, but he was able to control the puck and snap it to the short side to make it 1-1.
That goal ignited the Slovaks even further, and they poured it on after that. Andrej Kollar had a great chance in close but was stoned by Korenar, and it was around this time that scrums started to form after every whistle near the goalies. In the follow up to one such confrontation, Kristian Pospisil drew a penalty in mid-ice trying to re-ignite a battle, and it ended up costing the team.
Martin Kaut’s close-in shot on the ensuing power play went off the skate of Hrivik and between Hlavaj’s pads at 14:04 to restore the Czechia lead, but the Slovaks continued to be aggressive. Sebastian Cederle was stopped brilliantly by Korenar, and Pospisil made a patient play to create a great chance, only to fire it over the goal. He slammed his stick on the glass behind the bench as he came off.
Martin Chromiak finally tied it for Slovakia at 17:50 on his fourth chance in front. The Czechs couldn’t clear the puck and he finally swatted the puck over a down and out Korenar to send the Slovak half of the crowd into an ear-splitting frenzy.
The teams continued their frenetic pace in the third, and it took 40-year-old captain Roman Cervenka to make the decisive, and controversial, play for the Czechs. Midway through the period Kaut fired a long shot towards the goal. It went off Cervenka's skate and in, and was confirmed as a good goal by video review. The Slovaks protested that Cervenka kicked the puck in as it deflected between Hlavaj's pads and in at 12:02, but their protests fell on deaf ears, and the Czechs supported Korenar the rest of the way for the win.