Ottawa (Canada) – Czech hockey players celebrate their third medal in a row at the World Junior Championship. In the duel for 3rd place in Ottawa, they defeated Sweden 3:2 after separate raids. It wasn’t until the 14th series that captain Eduard Šalé decided with his second goal in the shootout, who was the only one selected by coach Patrik Augusta to win silver in 2023 in Halifax and last year’s bronze in Gothenburg.
The Czechs, who lost to Sweden 2-4 in the group stage, took the lead in the 4th minute on the power play when Stenberg was sent off. They used it after 19 seconds. Jecho charged to the right circle to Štancl, who hit the near upper corner of Gidlöf’s goal.
Augusta’s selection defended itself against Holink’s penalty, but the Swedes already used the second numerical advantage during Felcman’s stay on the penalty bench. After Unger Sörum’s shot, the onrushing Edstrom succeeded in front of Hrabal. In another weakening with the expulsion of Židlický, the Czech team resisted.
In the 26th minute, Edstrom could have turned the situation around after Stenberg’s pass, but he failed to finish. In the middle of the second half, the Czechs rejoiced. Eriksson’s misplay was caught by Holinka, sending Šalé on the run, and he hit Gidlöf with a backhand bluff.
Štancl could have increased the lead in the 35th minute, but he hit the left link of the post. On the other side, the right post immediately helped Hrabal after Eklund’s shot. At 35:40, the Northerners erased the loss for the second time. Unger Sörum’s throw was again directed beyond the reach of the Czech goalkeeper by Edstrom.
Štancl could have answered, but Gidlöf intervened. In the 46th minute, he did not beat the Swedish goalkeeper after Šalé’s close-range attempt from Židlický’s crossbar. Immediately he was burning Holinka. Hrabal dealt with Bergqvist’s shot and Nilsson’s shot. Eklund and Sandin-Pellikka also failed. The Swedes put the opponent under pressure at the end of the third period, but the match went into overtime.
In the set-up, Maštalířský had the first chance from the overnumbering, on the other hand he was close to Sandin-Pellikka’s goal. Šalé had another Czech opportunity after the break. The raids had to decide. Both Štancl and Sandin-Pellikka succeeded in them first in the second series, and then only in the thirteenth was Šalé able to answer Stenberg’s goal. Subsequently, Stenberg did not mature against Hrabal and started Šalé’s further Czech medal celebrations with a backhand bluff.
Czech Republic – Sweden 3:2 after sam. raids (1:1, 1:1, 0:0 – 0:0)
Goals and saves: 4. Štancl (Jecho, A. Jiříček), 30. Šalé (Holinka), decisive sam. raid Šalé – 13. Edstrom (Unger Sörum, Sandin-Pellikka), 36. Edstrom (Unger Sörum, Wahlberg). Referee: Ansons (Lat.), Langin – Wyonzek (both Kan.), Niittylä (Fin.). Exclusion: 3:1. Use: 1:1. Spectators: 11,394.
Czech Republic: Hrabal – Husinecký, T. Galvas, A. Jiříček, J. Dvořák, Port, Fibigr, M. Kočí – Maštalířský, Holinka, Šalé – Sikora, Hradec, Štancl – Jecho, Felcman, A. Novotný – Židlický, Petr, O. Kos. Coach: P. Augusta.
Sweden: Gidlöf – Bergqvist, Sandin-Pellikka, Lindstein, Willander, Hallquist, Gustafsson, Hurtig – Stenberg, Edstrom, Unger Sörum – Wahlberg, Nilsson, Eklund – Hedqvist, Forsfjäll, Granberg – Vuollet, Eriksson, Nordh – Träff. Trainer: M. Hävelid.
Sport Sweden CR hockey world twenty for 3rd place PHOTO FLESH
Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz
