2024-04-27 18:31:00
The Czech hockey players defeated Slovakia 4:1 in Bratislava and won the sixth game in the final preparation for the World Championship in Prague in May. Striker Petr Kodýtek decided the victory with two goals, who moved coach Radim Rulík’s team to a 2:1 lead at 47:44 and also increased the lead in the 54th minute in a power play.
Czech hockey players will face the Czech hockey players next week from Thursday to Sunday at the Betano Hockey Games in Brno, where they will face Finland, Sweden and Switzerland one after the other. They will enter the championship in Prague on Friday, May 10 with a match against the Finns.
After the debuts of David Špaček and Ondřej Kaše on Friday, Matyáš Kantner made his debut in the national team.
The Slovaks were more active in the beginning, but Málek coped with their attempts. At 11:30, Kaše sent out David Špaček, who hit the crossbar from the right circle. After assisting in his first match, the twenty-one-year-old son of three-time world champion and Olympic winner Jaroslav Špaček celebrated his first goal.
On the other side, after Lantoš’ throw-in at the right post, Takač only got to the goal from a negative angle and failed in his attempt to score past the Czech goalkeeper. In the Czech power play, after Škorvánek threw the puck out of bounds, the Slovakian goalkeeper covered the attempts of Tomášek and Červenka. When Michael Špaček had a chance, Grman replaced him with a self-sacrificing save.
At the beginning of the second half, the Czechs created pressure, but they did not score a goal even when Slovakian captain Sukeľ was sent off. After the power play, they had other opportunities, Kodýtek missed and Škorvánek dealt with Michael Špaček’s shot.
At Chlapík’s penalty, the home side also got their first power play, but they didn’t make it and they could have conceded. Rychlovský won the puck, sent Kondelík into a chance, who failed to beat the Slovakian goalkeeper with a backhand bluff.
At the end of the second half, Pavlo Kousal was followed to the penalty bench after 51 seconds by captain Červenka, and the Slovaks equalized 11 seconds before the break in a five-to-three power play. Cingel hit from the right circle.
At the beginning of the third period, in the continuing classic numerical advantage, Cingel again hit the left post. Škorvánek then dealt with Kousal’s shot and hit David Špaček with his mask.
After a series of quick counterattacks on both sides, Kodýtek got to the rebounded puck after Kousal’s pass and promptly sent it past Škorvánek. At Okuliar’s penalty he had the opportunity to raise Červenka, but he failed as well as on the other side Cingel.
After a bad substitution, the home team had to weaken again and this time they conceded in it. After Kousal’s pass, Rychlovský only hit the left post in front of the open goal, but Kodýtek knocked the puck past Škorvánek. Half a minute before the end, the Slovaks played a power play during Mašín’s penalty and Červenka scored into an empty net.