2024-05-05 06:42:30
Czech hockey players lost 0:2 to Sweden in the second match at the Czech Games (Betano Hockey Games) in Brno and remained without a point. At 41:32, forward Linus Johansson scored the winning goal, and 79 seconds before the end, he sealed the result with a power play into the empty goal of defender Patrik Nemeth.
Coach Radim Rulík’s men could not find a recipe for goalkeeper Filip Gustavsson and did not score for the first time in the season. In the final preparation for the World Championship in Prague, the Czechs failed for the second time in a row after a series of six wins.
The last duel at the Brno tournament and at the same time the general for the championship awaits Rulík’s selection on Sunday from 16:00 against Switzerland, with whom they will compete for 3rd place. The Czechs will enter the WC on Friday in the O2 arena against Finland from 20:20.
Mrázak Olofsson was the first to threaten in the second minute, on the other side Gustavsson was checked by Clapík when the number was two to one. Immediately, the Swedes had two great chances. Lundeström managed to break away, but with a backhand bluff between the concrete blocks, he was not mature enough for the Czech goalkeeper.
Then Olofsson offered the puck in front of the open goal to Vejdem, but Zábranský managed to complicate the finish. On the other side, after Tomášek’s action, Jakub Vrána fired, who a moment later also threatened with an individual action.
“It was a better performance than against Finland, which of course we wanted to move on. At the beginning of the match – the first ten minutes – we were really held by Mrázek, who caught the Swedes’ chances. “It’s the same for both teams, but we didn’t catch the start, the Swedes were better, but then it evened out and we didn’t allow them that much,” Rulík said.
Pavel Kousal missed in another good position. Then Červenka got behind the Swedish defense, but Gustavsson covered his backhand attempt. Mrázek did not surprise Nygard from behind the goal at the left post. The home team did not use the power play during Vejdem’s exclusion, during which he did not beat the Swedish goalkeeper from the right circle Červenka.
In the 24th minute, Matěj Stránský pushed from the left side in front of Gustavsson, but crashed on the left concrete of the Minnesota goalkeeper. Moments later, the Swedish goalkeeper blocked a hard shot by captain Gudas from the blue line. He also intervened against Michael Špaček’s backhand attempt.
The Swedes did not get into dangerous situations through the Czech defense. Then he tried his luck from the angle of the active Vrána, and not even Košťálk’s dotted shot found its way into the goal. With the end of the second half, Mrázek intervened against Friberg’s attempt.
After 94 seconds of the third period, they rejoiced at the lead after the Swedes were outnumbered. After Friberg’s pass, Linus Johansson waited for the right moment to finish from the left circle and hit the opposite upper corner of the goal. Ticháček could answer after Tomášek’s offer. Mrázek dealt with Frödén, Kondelík failed to equalize with a backhand attempt.
At 55:27, when Johansson was sent off, the Czechs went for a power play, but they did not take advantage of the pressure in six against five. The sure winner of the Euro Hockey Tour from eleven games in the season secured his ninth win since Thursday with a shot from his own defensive zone into the empty Nemeth goal.
Czech Hockey Games (Betano Hockey Games) in Brno, the final tournament of the Euro Hockey Tour:
Czech Republic – Sweden 0:2 (0:0, 0:0, 0:2)
Goals and recording: 42. L. Johansson (Friberg), 59. Nemeth. Referees: Heikinen (Fin.), Tscherrig (Switzerland) – Nikulainen (Fin.), Schlegel (Switzerland). Exclusion: 0:2. No use. Viewers: 7207.
Czech Republic: Mrázek – Gudas, Hájek, Zábranský, Kempný, Košťálek, Ščotka, Kundrátek, Ticháček – O. Kaše, M. Špaček, Červenka – Chlapík, Tomášek, J. Vrána – P. Kousal, M. Kovařčík, Lenc – M. Stránský, Kondelík, O. Beránek. Coach: Rulík.
Sweden: F. Gustavsson – Heed, M. Pettersson, L. Bengtsson, Nemeth, Sellgren, Fantenberg, F. Berglund – Holtz, J. Eriksson Ek, Burakovsky – Zetterlund, Lundeström, Sörensen – Frödén, Vejdemo, V. Olofsson – Friberg , L. Johansson, Nygard. Trainer: Hallam.
Table of Czech Games:
| 1. | Finland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:2 | 6 |
| 2. | Sweden | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 6 |
| 3. | Switzerland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:5 | 0 |
| 4. | Czechia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:6 | 0 |
EHT table:
| 1. | Sweden | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36:23 | 27 |
| 2. | Finland | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 33:26 | 20 |
| 3. | Czechia | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 30:30 | 17 |
| 4. | Switzerland | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 19:39 | 2 |