Jaromír Jágr (left) and Michal Jordán rejoice at the decisive goal “68” in the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup against Finland.
Vlastimil Vacek, Right
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What did the two mutual quarterfinal matches of the Czech Republic and Finland look like at the World Cup?
WC 2010 in Cologne: Czechia – Finland 2: 1 SN
The equipment for the tournament in Mannheim and Cologne was strengthened by only four players from the overseas NHL, and the team around Jaromír Jágr, who was then operating in Omsk, was initially bothered. He also lost to Norway, and before the last match of the eight-final group with Canada, he was in danger of not advancing to the quarterfinals at the World Cup for the first time.
However, the Czechs managed the battle with the overseas team and in the quarterfinals they were able to turn around the unfavorable duel with the Finns. Although he sent Kontiola to the lead in the first minute, who is in the Suomi cadre in Riga this year as well, in the 42nd minute Klepiš equalized and in the raids the Czechs Lukáš Kašpar decided and the winning shot was Jan Marek.
Subsequently, in the semifinals, the national team again eliminated the Swedes after the raids, only to shock the Russians in the finals and after five years to win gold again at the World Championships. The last ever …
| WC 2010 in Cologne, quarterfinals: |
| Czechia – Finland 2: 1 SN (0: 1, 0: 0, 1: 0 – 0: 0) |
| Goals and recordings: 42. Klepiš (Blaťák), decisive alone. raid Marek – 1. Kontiola (Niskala, Nummelin). Transformed raids: Kašpar, Marek – Immonen. Unchanged raids: Klepiš – J. Jokinen, Kontiola. Judges: Savage (CAN), Sjöberg – Sabelström (both Swedes), Bechard (CAN). Exclusion: 5: 4. Utilization: 1: 0. Attendance: 9258. |
| Czechia: Vokoun – Rozsíval, Mojžíš, Němec, Čáslava, Blaťák, K. Rachůnek, Gřegořek – Jágr, Vampola, Klepiš – Voráček, Marek, Rolinek – Kašpar, Červenka, Novotný – Kvapil, Koukal, Hubáček. Coaches: Vladimír Růžička, Josef Jandač and Ondřej Weissmann. |
| Finland: Rinne – Nummelin, Jaakola, Hietanen, Kukkonen, Vatanen, Niskala, Mäenpää – Miettinen, Immonen, J. Jokinen – Aaltonen, Korpikoski, Kontiola – Pihlström, Hytönen, S. Kapanen – Komarov, Osala, Hahl – Lehterä. Coaches: Jukka Jalonen, Timo Lehkonen and Risto Dufva |
WC 2015 in Prague: Czechia – Finland 5: 3
After eleven years, the hockey championship returned to Prague and Ostrava, and the home national team, led by Jágr, Voráček or Pavelec, did not want to finish it at any cost without winning a medal.
The Czechs, led by Vladimír Růžička, finished third in the basic group after Canada and Sweden, and in the quarterfinals they went to the Finns in the O2 arena in Prague. And it was a memorable evening by Jaromír Jágr and the captain of the current national team fighting in Riga, Jan Kovář.
Both contributed two goals and an assist to the 5: 3 triumph over the Finns. Jágr’s reaction to his goal at 4: 3 in the 55th minute is memorable, after which he raised his hands to the ceiling of the O2 arena and the sold-out hall almost fell as Czech fans roared. “It’s unbelievable. It was a great match, one will not experience much in one’s life, “said Jan Kovář at the time.
Jan Kovář celebrates one of his goals for Finland in the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup.
Vlastimil Vacek, Right
The Czechs could continue to dream of a medal until a painful sobering came in the semifinals with Canada and subsequently in a bronze duel with the USA. The national team did not score in them once and finished fourth.
| WC 2015 in Prague, quarterfinals: |
| Czechia – Finland 5: 3 (1: 1, 2: 1, 2: 1) |
| Goals and recordings: 9. Jan Kovář (Erat, Klepiš), 34. Jágr (Voráček, Jan Kovář), 36. Jan Kovář (Jágr, Voráček), 55. Jágr, 60. Sobotka – 18. T. Ruutu (Kontiola, Lepistö), 24 J. Jokinen (Lepistö, Donskoi), 45. Barkov (J. Jokinen). Judges: Olenin, Gofman – Lazarev (all Rus.), McIntyre (USA). Exclusion: 3: 5. Utilization: 2: 0. Attendance: 17,383 (sold out). |
| Czechia: Pavelec – Jordan, Hejda, Nakládal, Kolář, Němec, Čáslava, Krejčík – Voráček, Sobotka, Klepiš – Jágr, Novotný, Červenka – Erat, Jan Kovář, Vondrka – Simon, Koukal, Zaťovič. Coaches: Vladimír Růžička, Ondřej Weissmann and Jaroslav Špaček. |
| Finland: Rinne – Lepistö, Hietanen, Lindell, Salmela, Ohtamaa, Jaakola, Jokipakka, Mäntylä – Louhivaara, Kontiola, T. Ruutu – Barkov, J. Jokinen, Donskoi – Pihlström, Immonen, Komarov – Aaltonen, Kemppainen, Pesonen. Trainer: Kari Jalonen. |
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