Goaltending masterclass ends in heartache for the Czech Republic

Petr Mrázek gained plaudits from all across the hockey world for his performance against the United States in the Round Robin, but even he couldn't lead them to victory over Russia, as the defending champions scraped their way to victory in a thrilling match up in Calgary. The Russian overtime hero was defenceman Grigori Zheldakov who pounced on a loose puck in the Czech zone, and wired it past the Ottawa 67's goaltender and sent the Russian players into raptures. In what turned into a great goaltending between the aforementioned Mrázek and Russia's 17 year old goalie Andrei Vasilevski, with the former making 43 stops, and the latter 39 in a 2-1 victory for the Russians.

Tomáš Filippi and Tomáš Hyka dejected after
Grigori Zheldakov's winner
photo: Toronto Sun

The game was thrilling, with both teams going back and forth, and both goalies making save after save. The flashpoint came in overtime, as the Russians took the puck into the Czech zone after killing a penalty. Nikita Kucherov's shot from the left wing was blocked, but in his follow through, he high sticked Slavia Praha prospect Daniel Krejčí below the left cheek, sending the Czech player down to the ice holding his face. By the letter of the law it was not a penalty, although whether or not the play should have been stopped for a facial injury is another matter. Krejčí was left heartbroken by the defeat, although he would still show his distaste for the Russian side after the game. Due to the Russians having the puck in the offensive zone, the play continued, and two Czech players were sucked into the left corner, creating all the time and space for Kucherov to find Zheldakov with an inch perfect pass, and his shot scorched the twine. It was heartache for the Czechs, who, after getting off to a slow start to the game, gained more confidence as they went on. In the third period they forced a number of stops from Vasilevski, who, like the Czechs, improved as the game went on.

The Russians now face Canada in the
semi finals, in a rematch of last years final
photo: Toronto Sun

In the early going it was the Russians who had the better of the play, as Evgeni Kuznetsov, the captain of the Russian side somehow managed to fluff a breakaway chance after leaving Mrazek for dead with a series of dekes, but he contrived to shoot the puck out of play. The Russians started double shifting their top two units very early into the game, and whilst Kuznetsov, Gusev and Kosov were looking impressive, two of the top prospects for the 2011 draft, Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko floundered under the spotlight; although the latter was returning from injury. After being outshot 16-5 in the first period, the Czechs came out in the second period with a spring in their step, and just fifteen seconds in went close to breaking the deadlock. It took seven minutes before the scoring would finally start, and the Czechs took the lead. The breakout star of Czech hockey in 2011, Tomáš Hertl was the architect of the goal, as he outworked the Russian defenceman behind the net, and his wraparound pass went right onto the tape of Ottawa Senators draft pick Jakub Culek, who calmly finished past Vasilevski. However, the Russians weren't going to lie down, and they started to get back into the game soon after the goal. Daniel Krejčí was denied by Vasilevski after deking his way through the whole Russian team, but a matter of seconds later, Daniil Apalkov took the puck up to the other end of the ice, and with no other options, wired a wrist shot which eluded Mrázek, and lit the lamp for the Russians. Whilst you could hardly blame Mrázek for conceding, after some of his saves earlier in the game, he would certainly want it back. However, would it shame the young man's confidence? Of course not. As time expired in the second period, he showed that he was still in this game, as he somehow stuck a toe out, denying Yaroslav Kosov with a sprawling pad save, giving his now trademark fist pump for good measure.

The stars of the show: Andrei
Vasilevski and Petr Mrázek
Photo: Toronto Sun

The third period was bound to be a good one, and the two teams certainly didn't disappoint, with play going from one end to the other, and both teams having countless chances to finish the game. Both goalies knew that this would be twenty minutes of overtime. Mrázek set the tone with a brilliant paddle stop early in the period, reaching behind him and blocking the shot with the blade of his stick, but not long after, Vasilevski somehow got a pad to a Dmitrij Jaškin's wide open one timer. The young Slavia forward could only hold his head in his hands after being denied what was a certain goal. Mrázek was not to be outdone, as straight off the draw, the Russians got the puck to Kosov, who wired a wrist shot which Mrázek flashed his glove out and somehow plucked the puck out of the air. Still, Vasilievski would do exactly the same, denying Tomáš Filippi with a similar glove save. Both teams were seemingly content with heading to overtime, but with just 48 seconds remaining the Czechs had their chance, as Kucherov went to the box for high sticking. The Czechs couldn't convert, and soon after the penalty expired in overtime, Zheldakov put the game to bed.

For Mrázek, the cult hero of this years edition of the World Juniors after his erratic celebrations during the USA game, the defeat was tough to take. "It was a pretty good game for everybody on the team," Mrzaek said. "But we lost so we can't talk about it being our best game. It's difficult, but it's just hockey. Sometimes you have to take it." (Source). For the Czechs, they will now face rivals Slovakia in the 5th placed playoff on Wednesday in a game that neither team will want to lose, and who knows what Mrázek will have in store for us in his final game of the tournament.

Slovaks rage at referees. Finland scores eight to advance

It was always going to be a tough task for the Slovak team to conquer the powerhouse Finnish offence, but their cause certainly wasn't helped by a rash of poor refereeing calls which by the third period had all but killed off the game. Matúš Chovan, the hatrick hero against the Swiss in the final game of the round robin was thrown out of the game in the third period for 5+game boarding call. However, replays showed that Miro Aaltonen turned after Chovan had committed to the hit, and the resulting injury caused to Aaltonen was his own doing. This call put the nail in the Slovaks coffin, as they had come inches to bringing the game back to a one goal deficit minutes before hand. The Finnish scored twice on the major powerplay, with one of the goals coming on a 5 on 3 as Peter Trška sat in the box after picking up a minor penalty.

Matúš Chovan celebrates scoring Slovakia's first goal
Photo: www.hokejportal.net

The Slovaks gave a spirited performance, certainly not afraid of the highly touted Finnish top line, featuring the Granlund brothers (Mikael and Markus) and Teemu Pulkkinen, but in the early going it was Buffalo prospect Joel Armia who set the tone, as just four minutes in, his cross crease pass was cruelly deflected off the stick of Matej Bene and past goaltender Juraj Šimboch. The Slovaks ran into penalty trouble soon after, with young Marko Daňo and Bene ending up in the box, giving the Finnish 58 seconds of 5 on 3 to work with, but the top PK pairing of the two Oilers prospects, Martin Gernát and Martin Marinčin standing firm, the former taking a point shot off of the top of his helmet, but not missing a shift. The penalty kill seemed to swing the momentum in the Slovaks direction, as not soon after they tied the game, with Chovan getting his fourth goal of the tournament, capitalising on a Jani Hakanpää, and Richárd Mráz's fine work to get the puck to the net. The Tatranski Vlci forward was one of the best Slovak players on the ice in Calgary. Things were looking peachy from the Slovaks, and they had the run of play, but only eight seconds after Mráz's goal, the Finns went up the other end and scored, as Šimboch dropped a simple glove save, and it was Roope Hämäläinen who was the first to the loose puck. Once again the Slovaks marched to the box in the latter stages of the first, but Slovakia's penalty kill continued to sparkle, with Mráz beating Sami Aittokallio all ends up with a cracking slapshot, only to watch his effort rattle the pipes and stay out of the net. However, the Slovaks would go into the first intermission on an equal footing, as with only 29 seconds remaining in the first frame, whilst on the powerplay, Marek Tvrdon, the Detroit Red Wings draft pick scored his third of the tournament, capitalising on great work by Miloš Bubela on the boards, and his one timer wired past Aittokallio.

Richard Mráz rides high after scoring
Photo: hokejportal.net

It was Slovakia's inability to stay out of the box in the second which scuppered their chances, as they simply could not get any momentum going. However, the referees did not aid Slovakia's cause, and in the lead up to Mikael Granlund's fabulous strike on the powerplay, a high stick on Daňo went uncalled to the youngsters fury, and just a minute later, Slovak captain Tomáš Matoušek was hauled down in the neutral zone off the puck, only for the play to go the other way, and Markus Granlund to fire the puck past Šimboch. It was not  Šimboch's best night, as the fifth goal went straight through his five hole, which saw the introduction of Dominik Riečický to the night's proceedings, but he only kept his clean sheet for a matter of seconds, as 1995 born Aleksander Barkov scored with a lovely deke past the HK Orange 20 goalie. At 6-2 it was looking bleak for the Slovaks, but with six minutes left in the frame they got a goal back, as the impressive Mráz finished off a great team move, comprising of a  Marinčin point shot, a Chovan deflection and a Mráz shot, leaving Aittokallio stranded on the other side of the net.

Finland now face Sweden in the semi final
photo: hokejportal.net

The Slovaks knew they had to get an early goal in the third period if they wanted to get back into the game, and that's what they got, as five minutes into the period Aittokallio was feeling generous. In what was great interplay between Daňo and Martin Ďaloga, the latter ended up with the puck near the left face off dot, and with no other options around him, fired a weak wristshot on goal, which the Finnish goalie simply didn't react to, and it ended up in the net. The Slovaks went oh so close to making it a one goal game, as Michal Toman was stonewalled by Aittokallio, showing his true form. However, with only eight and a half minutes to go, Chovan went to hit Aaltonen at the half boards, only for the Finn to turn his back and end up with his head against the boards. Chovan was given a 5+game penalty, and the Slovak bench fumed. Frustration started to boil over as there were numerous bouts of shoving, and Tvrdon received a ten minute misconduct penalty for mouthing off at the officials. Donskoi and Pulkkinen netted for Finland on their powerplays. However, the Slovaks would finish their campaign on a high note, and "Tarzan Boy" would fill the Saddledome once more, as with just 28 seconds left, after more great work by Mráz, Marko Daňo, the 17 year old from Dukla Trenčín scored after a beautiful move, selling Aittokallio with his forehand deke before finishing on the back hand.

The score looked rather bleak at 8-5, but the Slovaks can be proud of their challenge, and while they may rue what might have been if the calls had gone for them instead of against them, they have nothing to be ashamed of. The standout players for Slovakia in the tournament have been Richard Mráz, the winger from Lev Poprad's farm team, top scorer and Slovakia's best prospect in a number of years, Tomáš Jurčo, who finished with seven points from five games, and the performances of  Marko Daňo in his entrance to the world stage. The Slovaks will have some holes to fill next year, as Marinčin, Jurčo, Matoušek and Adam Jánošík become ineligible, but with a number of great prospects in the pipeline, things are starting to look up for Slovakia's junior program