Pardubice wins big in last game before hosting Brno outdoors

With all the excitement of the World Junior Championships and the Spengler Cup, the Tipsport Extraliga has continued along in the week between Christmas and New Year's, with most teams playing three times in that span.

Martin Bartek and the rest of Eaton Pardubice had a relatively easy
time against Slavia Praha on Thursday. Photo: Martin Prokop,
hc-slavia.cz.

The last day of play before the new year was Thursday, with a slate of five games. Highlighting it was a visit by Eaton Pardubice to O2 Arena in Prague, where they took on Slavia Praha. For Pardubice, it was the last game before the highly anticipated outdoor game, which will take place on Sunday against Kometa Brno at Pardubice-Svítkov Speedway.

If Slavia thought they would be able to catch their visitors distracted about the upcoming spectacle, they were dead wrong. Pardubice jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 11 minutes and cruised to a 5-1 victory. They were led by two goals and an assist from Martin Bartek and three assists from Radovan Somík.

The other participants in Sunday's outdoor contest, Kometa Brno, were also winners on Thursday, though they took home only two points, beating Vítkovice Steel 3-2 in a shootout.

Despite the loss, Vítkovice picked up a single point and still sits atop the Extraliga standings with 66 points and a four-point lead over Oceláři Třinec, who were idle, and Bílí Tigři Liberec, who beat BK Mladá Boleslav 3-2 in overtime. In fourth place is Pardubice with 59 points, followed by PSG Zlín with 57 and Kometa with 56. Zlín lost 4-0 in České Budějovice. Kometa can tie Pardubice in points if they win in regulation on Sunday.

Sunday's game begins at 12:30 Central European Time, 6:30 AM Eastern Time. It can be seen in the Czech Republic on ČT4 Sport, and elsewhere online at http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/211471290130058-hokej/?streamtype=WM3

Czechs fall to Sweden, face all-important game vs Russia on New Year's Eve

Jakub Jeřábek tries to protect the puck against
Swedish pressure. Photo: hokej.cz.

It is said that the two powerhouses in Group B are Canada and Sweden. The performance of the Czech Republic against each team seems to bear an uncanny resemblance.

As they did against Canada, the Czechs struck early against Sweden, this time it was Milan Hlinka on a power play at 3:09. But then Sweden's Johan Larsson answered on a power-play of their own. As was the case against Canada, when they gave up a short-handed goal on a five-minute power-play, the biggest blow came when the Czechs trailed 2-1. This time, the knee-capping goal came when Jesper Fasth's seemingly harmless shot along the ice beat Marek Mazanec and Sweden took at 3-1 lead to the first intermission.

After the lead was increased to 4-1, Czech coach Miroslav Přerost made the curious move of replacing Mazanec with Filip Novotný in goal. With an all-important game against Russia coming tomorrow, it would seem that playing a rested Novotný would be the most sensible way to go if he was unhappy with Mazanec's performance. In any event, Novotný was beaten on the first shot he faced and Fasth had his second of the game to make it 5-1.

Just when all hope seemed lost, 17-year-old Martin Frk struck twice to bring the Czechs within two at the second intermission. His first was an impressive wrist shot that beat Swedish goaltender Fredrik Petersson-Wentzel to the stick side and the second was a slapshot from the point on a power-play. Both of his goals were assisted by team captain Jakub Jeřábek. Frk was thrown out of the Czechs' last game when he was penalized for spearing, and it was initially not clear if he would be able to play this game.

Eventually, it was all for naught, Sweden won 6-3, meaning they will face Canada on Friday in a showdown for first place in the group and an automatic berth in the semi-finals. As for the Czechs, they face Russia on Friday and, assuming Russia beats Noway, the game will determine which team gets third place in the group and advances to the quarter-finals and who will be sent to the relegation round. In Europe, the game will actually begin in the new year, at 1:00 CET on ČT4 Sport.

Click here to watch the Czech Republic-Sweden game in its entirety.

Šenkeřík won't play vs Sweden, Frk will

Petr Šenkeřík, seen here in the tournament opener against Norway,
won't play Thursday. Photo: Andre Ringuette, HHOF-IIHF Images.

After being carried off on a stretcher during Tuesday's game against Canada, IIHF.com's Martin Merk is reporting that Czech defenceman Petr Šenkeřík is feeling better, but is still feeling the effects of a slight concussion and won't play Thursday against Sweden.

“Luckily, it’s not as bad as it looked yesterday,” the Czech team’s general manager Petr Komers said. “He feels better, but he won’t play tomorrow.”

19-year-old Šenkeřík, who split last season between the WHL's Kootenay Ice and Prince George Cougars, now plays in the Czech First League with HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod. He was unconscious and wheeled off on a stretcher after being hit by Canada's Zack Kassian in the second period of Canada's 7-2 win. Though it did not appear that Kassian intentionally targeted Šenkeřík's head, he caught him with a hard shoulder to the chin at high speed. According to IIHF rules, any hit to the head or neck area must be penalized, and anything causing injury carries the minimum of a major penalty and game misconduct.

Kassian received an automatic one-game suspension when he was assessed a match penalty on the play by the referees. He was further suspended an additional game by tournament disciplinarian Dan Marouelli, which will keep him out of action for the remainder of the tournament's group stage. The tournament has come down hard on checks to the head in this tournament, with two Slovak players, Martin Marinčin and Peter Hraško, each given three- and two-game suspensions for incidents in their game against the USA.

It's not known if or when Šenkeřík will return in the 2011 World Junior Championships, but it has been confirmed that Martin Frk will not face further disciplinary action after being assessed a major penalty for spearing and a game misconduct in the third period of the same game. Kromers and the Czechs were originally informed that Frk would not be allowed to play against Sweden, "but we were told that the tournament directorate will not penalize Frk further. He was given a warning, but he can play."

Frk, who just turned 17 in October, is the youngest player on the Czech team. The Halifax Moosehead was the leading rookie scorer in the QMJHL at the time he left for the Czech U20 team camp and won't be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2012. He wasn't added to the team's preliminary roster until Dmitrij Jaškin was forced out with a knee injury.

The Czech Republic (1-1) faces Sweden (2-0) Thursday at 3pm Eastern Time, 21:00 Central European Time. The game can be followed on TSN and RDS (Canada), NHL Network (USA), ČT4 Sport (Czech Republic), or Eurosport 2 (Europe).

Canada ends Sparta's run at Spengler Cup

In fine Don Cherry fashion, a costly too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty was the undoing of Sparta Praha at the 2010 Spengler Cup. Tied 3-3, the Czech club was whistled for having too many players on the ice in overtime in their quarter-final match-up against Canada. On the ensuing power-play, Mickey Dupont's blast from the point beat Tomáš Pöpperle to send Canada into the semi-finals and send Sparta home.

Sparta did well to force overtime in the first place. They trailed by scores of 2-0 and 3-1 in the second period, but goals by Emmanuel Peter cut the deficit to one each time. Peter, a fifth-round draft pick by the Calgary Flames in 2002, is now in his tenth year in the Swiss A League, where he currently plays for EHC Biel and was picked up by Sparta for this tournament. Late in the second, team captain David Vyborný tied the score on a power-play, and the game went to overtime following a scoreless third period.

Sparta won the Spengler Cup back-to-back years in 1962 and 1963. More recently, they reached the tournament final in 2004. They were trying to become the first Czech team to win it since Dukla Jihlava did so in 1982.

Canada has participated in the Spengler Cup every year since 1984. Since the disbanding of its standing national team in the late nineties, a team comprised of Canadians playing in various European leagues has been assembled to compete in the tournament. This year's Canadian squad, coached by Mark Messier, now advances to play in the semi-finals on Thursday against host HC Davos. In the other semi-final, SKA St. Petersburg takes on Genf-Sevette HC.

Czechs crushed by Canada at WJC, Sparta 0-2 at Spengler Cup

When Antonín Honejsek of the Moose Jaw Warriors opened the scoring for the Czech Republic just 49 seconds after the opening faceoff, perhaps some thought the pre-game predictions of a one-sided Canadian victory wouldn't come to fruition. However, Canada cashed in on the power play twice late in the opening frame to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

Still, the game was within reach. In the sixth minute of the second period, Canadian Zack Kassian hit Czech defenceman Petr Šenkeřík in open ice, a collision between two number 9s, and Šenkeřík went down. He remained on the ice for some time before being removed from the ice on a stretcher. Kassian's shoulder caught Šenkeřík in the jaw, and though there did not appear to be any attempt to target the head, he was assessed a match penalty, which results in an automatic one-game suspension and a disciplinary review to be led by former NHL referee Dan Marouelli to see if further punishment is warranted. As of yet, there is no word on Šenkeřík's status, or of any further disciplinary action against Kassian.

At this point, the Czechs were given a five-minute power-play and a golden opportunity to get back into the game. Honejsek almost did just that when he beat two Canadian penalty-killers single-handedly before being turned back by Canadian goaltender Olivier Roy in an attempt to score his second goal of the game. Seconds later, Louis LeBlanc converted on a pretty play short-handed to give Canada a 3-1 lead, and for the Czech Republic it was all downhill from that point.

In the end, it was 7-2, with Jakub Jeřábek of Plzeň 1929 scoring a late goal. Martin Frk of the Halifax Mooseheads was also assessed a spearing major and a game misconduct in the third period, and could also face further disciplinary action.

Now 1-1, the Czechs play Sweden on Thursday and Russia on Friday. They will have to beat at least one of them in order to advance to the quarter-finals.

Sparta celebrates an early goal, but the lead didn't last.
Photo: spenglercup.ch.

At the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, Sparta Praha will play in the quarter-finals despite losing both games of its group stage, as all teams in the tournament go at least that far. On Wednesday, they fell 4-1 to SKA St. Petersburg. Petr Kafka opened the scoring for Sparta, but the KHL club responded with two goals late in the first period and never looked back.

Sparta defenceman Doug O'Brien, who hasn't seen any action yet in the tournament, will hope to get back into the lineup on Wednesday when his team plays against Team Canada at 20:15 Central European Time (2:15 PM ET). The game can be seen in Canada on TSN2 and in Europe on Eurosport 2.

Czechs win WJC opener over Norway

A couple of Czech teams began their post-Christmas tournaments abroad on Monday.

Jakub Osrava venutres into the Norway zone in the Czech
Republic's first game at the 2011 World Junior Championships.
Photo: Andre Ringuette, HHOF-IIHF Images.

The Czech national U20 team played its first game at the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, NY, defeating Norway 2-0. Marek Mazanec of Plzeň 1929 stopped all 21 shots he faced and the offence was supplied by Tomáš Rachůnek, formerly of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the second period and Antonín Hanejsek of the Moose Jaw Warriors on a third-period penalty kill.

The competition will get a lot tougher for the Czechs from this point, however, beginning with Tuesday's encounter with Canada. The game will begin at 4pm in Buffalo, 10pm Central European Time. In addition to various television outlets, including TSN in Canada, the NHL Network in the United States, ČT4 Sport in the Czech Republic, and Eurosport 2 elsewhere in Europe, it can be seen streaming online at:

http://www.tsn.ca/live/wjhc/default.aspx

Sparta goaltender Tomáš Pöpperle thwarts a Servette
attempt in Spengler Cup action. Photo: spenglercup.ch.

Meanwhile, Sparta Praha played its first game at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, falling 4-3 to Servette Geneva. Sparta got goals from Tomáš Kůrka, Yorick Treille (who was playing against his former team), and Félicien DuBois, a pick-up who normally plays for the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss A League. DuBois' goal early in the third period gave Sparta a 3-2 lead, but Servette came back with goals from Josh Hennessy of Boston, MA and Paul Savary to win.

Today they play SKA St. Petersburg in the last game of the round-robin. On Sunday, St. Petersburg beat Servette 3-1, meaning a victory by three goals or more would earn Sparta an automatic berth in the semi-finals, otherwise they will play a quarter-final game on Thursday. If Sparta manages to finish second in the group, their quarter-final opponent would be Spartak Moscow, with Dominik Hašek in goal.

Czechs finalize WJC roster

On Friday, the Czech Ice Hockey Association announced its final roster for this year's IIHF U20 World Championship, which will take place December 26 to January 5 in Buffalo, NY.

The roster includes five returning players from the team that finished seventh at last year's tournament: goaltender Filip Novotný, defencemen Jakub Jeřábek and Oldřich Horák and forwards Andrej Nestrašil and Michal Hlinka. It also includes four NHL draft picks, all forwards: Nestrašil (Detroit), Petr Straka (Columbus), Jakub Culek (Ottawa), and Roman Horák (NY Rangers).

But this list of players may be more notable for who isn't on it. Goaltender Petr Mrázek and defenceman Adam Polášek were expected to be their top players at those positions, but a prostest by HC Vítkovice Steel over their 2009 departures to Canada is keeping them off. As well, top 17-year-old draft prospects David Musil on defence and Dmitrij Jaškin up front will miss the tournament with injuries.

For an in-depth look at the roster and how they may fare at the upcoming World Junior Championship, check out my preview at hockeysfuture.com.

The Czech Republic plays in a group with Canada, Sweden, Russia, and Norway. From that, the top team will advance to the semi-finals and the second and third teams will play cross-over quarter-finals. Here is the Czech team's group schedule, with times (Eastern and Central European) and TV availability:

Mon, Dec 27 19:00 ET, 01:00 CET vs Norway
Tue, Dec 28 16:00 ET, 22:00 CET vs Canada, ČT4 Sport, TSN, RDS, NHL Network, Eurosport, NTV+
Thu, Dec 30 15:00 ET, 21:00 CET vs Sweden, ČT4 Sport, TSN, NHL Network, SVT, NTV+
Fri, Dec 31 19:00 ET, 01:00 CET vs Russia, ČT4 Sport, NTV+

From cslh.cz, here is the roster of Team Czech Republic U20:

Goaltenders:
Tadeáš Galanský (Saginaw, OHL)
Marek Mazanec (Plzeň)
Filip Novotný (Sparta Praha)

Defencemen:
Oldřich Horák (Hradec Králové)
Bohumil Jank (Č. Budějovice).
Jakub Jeřábek (Plzeň)
Martin Pláněk (Znojmo)
Dalibor Řezníček (Zlín)
Adam Sedlák (Ottawa, OHL)
Petr Šenkeřík (H. Brod)

Forwards:
Jakub Culek (Rimouski, QMJHL)
Martin Frk (Halifax, QMJHL)
Michal Hlinka (Vítkovice)
Petr Holík (Zlín)
Antonín Honejsek (Moose Jaw, WHL)
Roman Horák (Chilliwack, WHL)
Andrej Nestrašil (P.E.I., QMJHL)
Jakub Orsava (Třinec)
Ondřej Palát (Drummondville, QMJHL)
Tomáš Rachůnek (Znojmo)
Robin Soudek (Chilliwack, WHL)
Petr Straka (Rimouski, QMJHL)
David Tůma (Sparta Praha)