today 07:10
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Weeping defender Šimon Nemec’s shot into the Slovakian goal was heartbreaking. The Twenty20 captain and busiest player in the tournament knew he had made a mistake. In overtime, he threw the puck away for an illegal release and his teammates didn’t have enough strength to stop Connor Bedard from Canada’s ensuing attack.
The super favorite was only saved by his super talent. It is rumored that he could reach the pedestal in the NHL, where Sidney Crosby has been for years and which is now reigned by Connor McDavid. The young Slovaks did not complete the incredible turnaround of the match, in which they were losing 0:2 and 1:3, but they came as close as possible. During the dominant moments in the third period, when Martin Mišiak could have completed the surprising turnaround with 100% probability, the entirety of Halifax fell silent. The Canadians were shaken and eventually clinched promotion. In particular, Bedard, who wowed the hockey world.
Before the quarterfinals nobody believed the Slovaks. After a failed third spell with Switzerland, they were mentally down. He played a part when they realized they could have had average Germany in the quarterfinals and not giant Canada, who they never beat at the World Juniors. It continues to be so, even if the Twenty20 came close, as was the senior national team against the Finns at the last World Cup.
However, after a few days of tears, the sadness has to be replaced by hope and a smile. We can expect great things from this generation. Combined with older players, we can expect one or more medals from major tournaments in the future.
The crying of Canadian fans in discussions on social networks is a testament to what this team has accomplished. They complained that the Slovaks played too hard, Šimon Nemec was said to be dirty. From a country that almost always does something outside the rules when it loses, this is ridiculous.
But above all it is proof that Fenes’ departments have gotten under the skin of young Canadians. They were saved by a super-talent who hits the headlines just like Wayne Gretzky once did. However, the size of the Canadian crowd was on display at the end when they respectfully applauded the Slovakian team. We believe it would be fine even if the home team loses.
The Slovaks have alternated excellent moments with worse moments in the tournament. They did not advance to the desired semi-finals, but left mostly positive impressions. They found the best goalkeeper in the league in Adam Gajan. At the same time, just a few weeks ago, he was somewhere in fifth place in the hierarchy of the national team. Now there is talk of a project in the NHL, something he could only dream of a year ago in the Skalica junior team.
Šimon Nemec and Filip Mešár didn’t shy away from weaker minutes, just like the whole squad. However, they handled the enormous pressure. It’s just a pity that at least for a while the coaches didn’t try to connect Mešár with Dalibor Dvorský, who proved that he is not only an NHL talent, but also the first center of the senior national team for many years to come.
Besides Gajan, Pavol Funtek was the discovery of the tournament. The unknown defender joined the first pair with the German. It’s a shame that the highlight of his tournament didn’t become how he amazingly blocked Bedard’s shot heading towards goal. However, he played excellently. The tall full-back is also an interesting guy for the national team going forward. Just like other young people.
Peter Repčík, who was Pavol Regenda of this selection and for his performances, deserves a contract tomorrow from his native Košice, or the hard-working Adam Sýkora. Even though he suffered in the end, he worked hard. None of the team really disappointed, even if we could talk about weaker performances. However, after the spirited performance against Canada, there’s no need.
We’ll see what happens in a year. Sixteen players from this lineup can also come to Sweden for the 1920s. However, it is debatable whether captain Šimon Nemec will also be in the selection. It wouldn’t be surprising if he plays regularly in the NHL. However, the future looks very bright. Let’s enjoy it.
