It was written on May 14, 2010 and the daily Pravda came up with a headline about a third of the horror. Slovak hockey players lost at the world championship in Cologne with Denmark 0: 6. Half a dozen were collected in the first third.
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Photo: TASR/AP, Oksana Dzadan
The hockey players of Denmark celebrate a goal. Will they survive against the Slovaks?
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We pay attention Program, results, interesting facts. All about the World Hockey Championship 2021
Eleven years later, Craig Ramsay’s charges run into the same opponent again. In a duel for three points that can bring them closer to the quarterfinals. They haven’t played in it since 2013. In the A-group table they have nine points, their opponent has eight. He defeated Belarus 5: 2.
However, after Thursday’s debacle with Switzerland (1: 8), the Slovaks will again be in the position of the favorite.
“Beware of the Danes, although they did not bring top players to Riga, they also have a few hockey players from the home competition on the team, but they certainly trust ours. From their point of view, we do not belong to the group of top teams, “says Ľuboš Pisár, a former goalkeeper who caught twelve seasons in the Danish league.
He also knows Danish coach Heinz Ehlers. He is said to be strict and very well organized, he requires discipline. “And they also have an excellent goalkeeper Sebastian Dahm, who won the league in the multinational IHL,” he recalls.
Danish hockey style?
It is said that there is no such thing. The scribe claims that they, but also Slovaks, are primarily trying for modern hockey. “It simply came to our notice then. Everyone skates a lot. I like the direction Slovakia is heading. He plays aggressively, attacks, walks into the goal, “he praises and adds a recipe that could apply to the opponent today.
“He certainly won’t like it when he plays without a puck. The Slovaks should keep it in the offensive third and, if they lose it, immediately actively attack it. The Danes do not have enough hockey quality to withstand constant pressure. They would have a big problem with that, “writes Pisár.
The Slovaks will play two matches in quick succession. Sweden will be their opponent on Sunday. The team that shockedly lost to Denmark and Belarus and lost to the Czech Republic on Thursday, over which it already led 2: 0. He is in a complicated situation, although he defeated Great Britain 4: 1 on Friday, but it is still true that any loss of points will almost certainly cost him to advance to the playoffs.
The hockey calculator says that Slovaks can only have one victory in the last three group matches for the quarterfinals. But it doesn’t have to be if the Czechs and the Swedes succeed in their remaining matches. Thanks to numerous surprises, there are still plenty of promotion options, and it will be much clearer after Sunday’s match against Tre Kronor.
However, the Slovaks have to add significantly compared to the duel with the Swiss. Otherwise, all hockey calculations will be irrelevant.
“Beware of exclusions. Strong teams will punish any unnecessary foul. You need to play compactly and block your opponents’ shots even more. We managed the first three matches beyond expectations, the next three are waiting for us and we have to score in them. We probably needed a slap from the Swiss, let’s get back to simple and fast hockey now, “emphasizes defender Martin Gernát before a demanding weekend.
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