The Czech hockey players lost in the third match at the World Championship in Basic Group B in Tampere for the first time in the history of the independent national team at the Austrian championship, losing to the outsider 1: 2 after separate raids. They scored their second defeat in the tournament after the success of the British (5: 1) and the defeat of the Swedes (3: 5).
Captain Roman Červenka scored the leading goal before the end of the opening period, but Brian Lebler equalized 37.6 seconds before the end of the regular playing time. Peter Schneider was the only successful executor in the raids. Michal Kempný, the defender, was already in the line-up of the national team after Monday’s arrival.
Another opponent of Kari Jalonen’s charges will be Latvia on Thursday. The match starts at 19:20 CEST.
The match between the two teams, which met only three times in the last month and a half in preparation for the championship, offered a fierce fight rather than a spectacle for hockey connoisseurs from the opening minutes. There were a lot of inaccuracies in the game and the ratio of shots between the sticks also testified for itself – the Czechs won the first period 6: 5 in this indicator.
In the eighth minute, Stránský got the puck into the goal, but the Austrians reached for the coaching challenge and did well from their point of view – the video revealed that the goalkeeper Starkbaum inadvertently tripped Hertl while working on the goal area. A moment later, Špaček failed in his chance. The national team was completely helpless in the opening power play. Another numerical advantage soon followed, in which Hronek rang from the circle after Vrán’s recording on the stick.
After Kempný’s offense, the Czechs also had to defend themselves, but the situation stabilized unscathed and only a moment after they were five again, they opened the score. Kundrátek won the disc, Blümel ideally found the approaching Červenka and he had plenty of time to aim at close range. Probably few people at the time knew that it would be the only goal in the service of the favorite in the whole match.
In the 27th minute, Flek tried it with a backhand. Kirchschläger had a fantastic opportunity to put Vejmelkov up another goal 33 minutes into the match, but he fired just over the crossbar. A moment later, the goal construction saved Starkbaum again when Krejčí made a stick with a well-aimed blow.
Špaček could have increased in the third period, but Starkbaum was against. The reassuring second hit did not come. The Austrians felt a chance to surprise and eventually reached it.
In the end, the national team was locked in its defensive zone, Starkbaum went out of the goal and the risk came out. Heinrich stretched out on the blue line, the emphatic Lebler kicked the puck in the goal area, but before he crossed the line, he sent it into the goal with a hockey stick, which was confirmed by a video check.
After a very carefully extended extension from both sides, it was finally the turn of the raids. The Czech team started them. Hertl didn’t give up, Kasper, Červenka and Ganahl and Blümel did the same. Schneider then enjoyed his former teammate from Kometa Brno Vejmelka, Smejkal subsequently failed, Heinrich hit the crossbar and Krejčí could still avert a shocking defeat, but he headed outside.
Ice Hockey World Championship in Finland:
Group B (Tampere):
CR – Austria 1: 2 after sam. raids (1: 0, 0: 0, 0: 1 – 0: 0)
Goals and recordings: 18. Červenka (Blümel, Kundrátek) – 60. Lebler (Heinrich, Schneider), decisive sam. Schneider raid. Transformed raid: Schneider (AUT). Unchanged raids: Hertl, Červenka, Blümel, Smejkal, Krejčí – Kasper, Ganahl, Heinrich. Judges: Nord (Sweden), Frandsen – Kroyer (both Denmark), Constantineau (Fr.). Penalty: 2: 2. No use. Attendance: 3264.
Czech Republic: Vejmelka – Hronek, Kempný, Kundrátek, Ščotka, Jiříček, Šimek, D. Sklenička, Jordán – Blümel, Krejčí, Červenka – J. Vrána, Hertl, H. Zohorna – M. Stránský, M. Špaček, Smejkal – Černoch, Stain. Coach: Kari Jalonen.
Rakousko: Starkbaum – Maier, Unterweger, Zündel, Heinrich, Wolf, Hackl, Wimmer, Kirchschläger – Lebler, Haudum, Kasper – Schneider, Nissner, Huber – Feldner, Wukovits, Ganahl – Schwinger, Achermann, Brunner. Trener: Roger Bader.
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