Slovakia & Czech Republic Advance to Semi-Finals of World Hockey Championships (Finland Beat USA)
Slovaks score late, win 4-3
Getzlaf major leads to Handzus's goal, Slovakia to semis
17-05-12
HELSINKI - Michal Handzus scored with 2:28 left in regulation to break a 3-3 tie and take Slovakia to the semi-finals. The goal came on a five-minute power play after a knee-on-knee hit by Canada's Ryan Getzlaf on Juraj Mikus, who had to be helped off the ice.
Slovakia will play the winner of Sweden-Czech Republic in one semi-finals on Saturday.
Click here for a video with post-game comments.
"He jumped inside on me," Getzlaf explained. "He's a smaller guy. All I tried to do was get a piece of him with my shoulder, which I did. It's a sick way to lose; it's a tough pill to swallow. It hurts. It hurts like hell right now. To lose in that fashion is not easy to swallow. The guys worked way too hard to be delivered something like that."
It was Slovakia's first win against Canada in seven tries, dating back to the 2002 World Championship when Slovakia won its first and only gold. Canada is going home after losing in the quarter-finals for the third straight year and will likely finish fifth (sixth if Norway beats Russia later today).
"We're still flying under the radar," offered Andrej Sekera. "We just tried to play hard 60 minutes as a team, fight for each other, and get the goals. We have a great team, especially off the ice. We help each other and try to make everybody else's life easier and more comfortable."
It was a game in which Canada started off slowly and then took control, but a meltdown on several fronts in the third period virtually handed the victory to the Slovaks. Handzus tipped in an Andrej Sekera point shot just four seconds after Getzlaf was given five minutes and a game misconduct for a dangerous hit in centre ice.
The Slovaks jumped into an early 2-0 lead courtesy of two strange goals. On the first, Branko Radivojevic took a simple wrist shot from just inside the blue line, but the puck bounced off the pants of Tomas Kopecky as he charged to the net and went in over the glove of Cam Ward.
On the second, defenceman Kris Russell failed to corral a stretch pass and the puck ended up in the slot where veteran Miroslav Satan knocked it in through a maze of players.
Canada had a lacklustre and unemotional period but managed to pull within one thanks to a nice play by Getzlaf. He brought the puck out of the corner and went hard to the net, and Evander Kane pushed the loose puck over the line.
Canada took control in the second period, outshooting its opponents 17-7. Jeff Skinner scored with the man advantage on a play that started with a breakaway pass from Dion Phaneuf to Jordan Eberle. Eberle was stopped by Laco, but the puck came to Skinner who lifted it over the goalie to tie the game.
The Canadians then had a great chance to go ahead on a lengthy two-man advantage but failed to do so. But at 17:43 Alexandre Burrows made it 3-2 when the puck came in the slot and the eluded defenceman, Rene Vydareny, long enough to push the puck over the line. The tentative start by Canada was now a thing of the past, and the confident Slovaks who had built an impressive 2-0 lead now looked completely lacking in confidence.
The Slovaks tied the game with six and a half minutes left in the third. The play started on a giveaway by Evander Kane deep in the offensive end that led to a three-on-two break. Milan Bartovic's first shot was blocked, but the rebound came right to him. He fired a wrister to the far side that beat Ward and open the gates to the semi-finals.
ANDREW PODNIEKS
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Michalek sends Czechs to semis
Russia vs. Finland, Czech Republic vs. Slovakia on Saturday
17-05-12
STOCKHOLM - Old rivals renewed their IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship playoff battle as the Czech Republic defeated the home team Sweden 4-3. Milan Michalek’s goal in the waning minute of the game proves the winner. With the win, the Czechs move into the semifinals in Helsinki to go up against Slovakia on Saturday.
"I think it was a great forecheck," said Michalek. "I got the puck, and it was 2-on-1, and I knew the goalie was going to go down. The defenceman took away the pass, so I obviously shot glove side and it went in. I’m happy."
Since 2008, these teams have either met in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Over the last two tournaments the path to a medal meant these two elite hockey nations would have to go through the other.
In 2008 Sweden defeated Czech Republic 3-2 in overtime in Quebec City before bowing out in the semi-finals to Canada.
Again in 2009 they met in the quarterfinals in Bern where Sweden defeated the Czechs 3-1 before losing the semis also to Canada.
Things would change, however, in 2010 they met again in the quarterfinals. The Czechs defeated Sweden 3-2 to go on and defeat Russia for the gold medal.
Last year Sweden defeated the Czechs 5-2 in the semi-finals before losing to Finland in the gold medal game.
As he had done in Sweden’s final Preliminary Round game against Latvia, Loui Eriksson scored the first goal of the game. Johan Franzén worked along the wall behind the net passing the puck to Henrik Zetterberg.
Zetterberg thread a pass between David Krejci to Eriksson who patiently skated around Jakub Nakladal for a high percentage shot that beat Viktor Fasth.
Shortly after the goal Daniel Alfredsson almost scored another as momentum very early on favoured the Swedes.
The Czech Republic settled things down and were able to answer back with 8:10 remaining in the period when Petr Nedved scored. Ondrej Nemec was able to fight off a check to find Nakladal for a wrister that was redirected by Nedved.
Then with 3:04 remaining the first period Milan Michalek found Jiri Novotny in front to make it 2-1.
Over the first seven minutes of the second period both teams traded some of their best chances of the game.
Sweden’s best chance came when Jakub Kovar stopped Erik Karlsson down low. Two minutes later Kovar would also stonewall Viktor Stålberg from between the faceoff circles.
The Czechs significant missed opportunity occurred when Tomas Plekanec blocked a Victor Hedman shot that sent him through the neutral zone on a two on one. He passed to Frolik who hit the side of the net.
The score remained 2-1 until Martin Erat gave his team a two-goal lead with a power play goal at 10:27.
A tripping call on Jonathan Ericsson was, to say the least, wildly unpopular with fans in attendance. But the Czechs converted with a Krejci backhand pass from the side of the net to Erat in front.
For Ericsson, it was only his second game played at these World Championships.
With 45 seconds remaining in the second period the Globe Arena spectators erupted when Zetterberg scored to cut the deficit to 3-2. He worked the puck one handed behind the net, bringing it out in front of the goal and banging in a rebound off Kovar.
45 seconds into the third Ericsson equaled the score at three when he threw a shot on net that made its way through. At 19:15, it was a new game.
The period was the most entertaining of the three as the pace was strong and both teams played up and down hockey.
With 29 seconds left in the game, Milan Michalek created a turnover from Niklas Kronwall who was attempting to move out of the zone. Michalek took the puck and drove to the net putting it high over Fasth at 19:31.
"We thought we had the game in hand," said Swedish forward Gabriel Landeskog. "We were starting to play well, getting pucks to the net, just like we wanted to play. It’s tough to let that one go in with 29 seconds left."
With the win, the Czechs now move to Helsinki to take on Slovakia in the late game on Saturday night at Hartwall Arena.
"We speak the same language, and we have lots of friends on their team," said Michalek of the matchup. " It’s a semi-final, so it’s going to be a great game. They beat Team Canada and that’s one of the best teams here. Their goalie is playing well. It’ll be a tough game."
JOHN SANFUL
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Joensuu scores winner with nine seconds left, hosts to semis
17-05-12
HELSINKI - Jesse Joensuu scored his second goal of the night with nine seconds remaining in the game as Finland beat Team USA 3-2 to advance to the semi-final against Russia on Saturday afternoon (14:30).
Cheered on by the home crowd, Finland rallied back from 2-1. Jesse Joensuu scored his second of the night off a nice feed from Petri Kontiola from behind the net, to win the game for Finland, 3-2, with just 8.8 seconds remaining in the game.
Petri Vehanen made 24 saves for Finland.
"I've watched the World Championships on TV for 18 years, and to be here now is fantastic, but I try to not think about it too much, and just focus on my work here," said Joensuu whose first goal in the game was also his first in the national team.
"When we were down by a goal in the third period, I top line came through. It looked like no other line couldn't score, so fortunately they did," Joensuu said.
"The crowd gave us energy, and it helped us through the tough periods in the game," said defenseman Lasse Kukkonen.
In the first two periods, the teams exchanged scoring chances, with the US having control of the game. Coach Scott Gordon pulled goaltender Jimmy Howard with 1.2 seconds remaining in the first period, and the faceoff in Finland’s zone. The U.S. won the faceoff their shot went wide, and the period was scoreless.
The second period was very entertaining, and the game was 27:35 minutes old when the first penalty was called. Max Pacioretty pulled down a Finnish forward in front of the U.S. net, and Finland got its first power-play opportunity, but the Americans killed off the penalty.
"I thought we deserved a couple of power plays. I don't know how many guys have to get hit from behind before we get one. It's disappointing," said Jack Johnson, Team USA captain.
Maybe the high tempo of the game got the best of the teams, but the second period was more open than the first. Both teams had a few turnovers that led to scoring chances but both Howard and Vehanen turned away everything that was thrown at them.
Almost.
At 13:37 into the second period, Jesse Joensuu fired a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle and beat Howard on his stick side, giving Finland a 1-0 lead in the game, a step closer to the semi-final against Russia.
But the U.S. fired right back. The announcer was still reading the names Antti Pihlström and Kukkonen, who picked up assists to the Finnish goal when the puck was in the Finnish net.
Joey Crabb and Jeff Petry cycled the puck on the right side of the Finnish zone, Petry fired a hard pass to the net, straight to Kyle Palmieri’s stick and he had an easy task to tap it in to tie the game, 1-1, just 21 seconds after the Finnish goal.
Finland started the third period strong, with their top line cycling the puck, pushing Team USA on their heels.
In the next shift, Justin Faulk snapped the puck towards the Finnish net, Vehanen made a pad save but Bobby Ryan grabbed the rebound and fired it through Vehanen’s five-hole to give the Americans the lead in the game, just 1:39 into the third period. It was Ryan’s fifth goal and Faulk’s eighth point in the tournament.
"We kept trying to preach not to sit back, to keep going and score another one," said Johnson.
"Coming out in the third and grabbing the lead was good for us, but maybe we sat back a little and tried to protect it," added Palmieri.
With 6:58 remaining in the period, Valtteri Filppula sent the puck to the net, and it got deflected off Mikko Koivu's skate into the net to tie the game. Jack Johnson has lost his stick a moment earlier, and couldn't defend like he wanted.
"My stick broke in half at the beginning of the shift, and I couldn't get off, couldn't get a stick. One guy tried to give me a stick but it was right-handed, so I gave it back. I played the whole shift without a stick," Johnson said.
And then it was Jesse's time again.
"Those were my first goals in the national team," Joensuu said, and sighed.
"Nice to get them now," he added.
The tournament continues for Finland with a semi-final rematch against Russia on Saturday. Slovakia will play the winner of Sweden vs. Czech Republic in the late semi-final on Saturday at 18:30.
RISTO PAKARINEN
Getzlaf major leads to Handzus's goal, Slovakia to semis
17-05-12
HELSINKI - Michal Handzus scored with 2:28 left in regulation to break a 3-3 tie and take Slovakia to the semi-finals. The goal came on a five-minute power play after a knee-on-knee hit by Canada's Ryan Getzlaf on Juraj Mikus, who had to be helped off the ice.
Slovakia will play the winner of Sweden-Czech Republic in one semi-finals on Saturday.
Click here for a video with post-game comments.
"He jumped inside on me," Getzlaf explained. "He's a smaller guy. All I tried to do was get a piece of him with my shoulder, which I did. It's a sick way to lose; it's a tough pill to swallow. It hurts. It hurts like hell right now. To lose in that fashion is not easy to swallow. The guys worked way too hard to be delivered something like that."
It was Slovakia's first win against Canada in seven tries, dating back to the 2002 World Championship when Slovakia won its first and only gold. Canada is going home after losing in the quarter-finals for the third straight year and will likely finish fifth (sixth if Norway beats Russia later today).
"We're still flying under the radar," offered Andrej Sekera. "We just tried to play hard 60 minutes as a team, fight for each other, and get the goals. We have a great team, especially off the ice. We help each other and try to make everybody else's life easier and more comfortable."
It was a game in which Canada started off slowly and then took control, but a meltdown on several fronts in the third period virtually handed the victory to the Slovaks. Handzus tipped in an Andrej Sekera point shot just four seconds after Getzlaf was given five minutes and a game misconduct for a dangerous hit in centre ice.
The Slovaks jumped into an early 2-0 lead courtesy of two strange goals. On the first, Branko Radivojevic took a simple wrist shot from just inside the blue line, but the puck bounced off the pants of Tomas Kopecky as he charged to the net and went in over the glove of Cam Ward.
On the second, defenceman Kris Russell failed to corral a stretch pass and the puck ended up in the slot where veteran Miroslav Satan knocked it in through a maze of players.
Canada had a lacklustre and unemotional period but managed to pull within one thanks to a nice play by Getzlaf. He brought the puck out of the corner and went hard to the net, and Evander Kane pushed the loose puck over the line.
Canada took control in the second period, outshooting its opponents 17-7. Jeff Skinner scored with the man advantage on a play that started with a breakaway pass from Dion Phaneuf to Jordan Eberle. Eberle was stopped by Laco, but the puck came to Skinner who lifted it over the goalie to tie the game.
The Canadians then had a great chance to go ahead on a lengthy two-man advantage but failed to do so. But at 17:43 Alexandre Burrows made it 3-2 when the puck came in the slot and the eluded defenceman, Rene Vydareny, long enough to push the puck over the line. The tentative start by Canada was now a thing of the past, and the confident Slovaks who had built an impressive 2-0 lead now looked completely lacking in confidence.
The Slovaks tied the game with six and a half minutes left in the third. The play started on a giveaway by Evander Kane deep in the offensive end that led to a three-on-two break. Milan Bartovic's first shot was blocked, but the rebound came right to him. He fired a wrister to the far side that beat Ward and open the gates to the semi-finals.
ANDREW PODNIEKS
--------------------------------------
Michalek sends Czechs to semis
Russia vs. Finland, Czech Republic vs. Slovakia on Saturday
17-05-12
STOCKHOLM - Old rivals renewed their IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship playoff battle as the Czech Republic defeated the home team Sweden 4-3. Milan Michalek’s goal in the waning minute of the game proves the winner. With the win, the Czechs move into the semifinals in Helsinki to go up against Slovakia on Saturday.
"I think it was a great forecheck," said Michalek. "I got the puck, and it was 2-on-1, and I knew the goalie was going to go down. The defenceman took away the pass, so I obviously shot glove side and it went in. I’m happy."
Since 2008, these teams have either met in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Over the last two tournaments the path to a medal meant these two elite hockey nations would have to go through the other.
In 2008 Sweden defeated Czech Republic 3-2 in overtime in Quebec City before bowing out in the semi-finals to Canada.
Again in 2009 they met in the quarterfinals in Bern where Sweden defeated the Czechs 3-1 before losing the semis also to Canada.
Things would change, however, in 2010 they met again in the quarterfinals. The Czechs defeated Sweden 3-2 to go on and defeat Russia for the gold medal.
Last year Sweden defeated the Czechs 5-2 in the semi-finals before losing to Finland in the gold medal game.
As he had done in Sweden’s final Preliminary Round game against Latvia, Loui Eriksson scored the first goal of the game. Johan Franzén worked along the wall behind the net passing the puck to Henrik Zetterberg.
Zetterberg thread a pass between David Krejci to Eriksson who patiently skated around Jakub Nakladal for a high percentage shot that beat Viktor Fasth.
Shortly after the goal Daniel Alfredsson almost scored another as momentum very early on favoured the Swedes.
The Czech Republic settled things down and were able to answer back with 8:10 remaining in the period when Petr Nedved scored. Ondrej Nemec was able to fight off a check to find Nakladal for a wrister that was redirected by Nedved.
Then with 3:04 remaining the first period Milan Michalek found Jiri Novotny in front to make it 2-1.
Over the first seven minutes of the second period both teams traded some of their best chances of the game.
Sweden’s best chance came when Jakub Kovar stopped Erik Karlsson down low. Two minutes later Kovar would also stonewall Viktor Stålberg from between the faceoff circles.
The Czechs significant missed opportunity occurred when Tomas Plekanec blocked a Victor Hedman shot that sent him through the neutral zone on a two on one. He passed to Frolik who hit the side of the net.
The score remained 2-1 until Martin Erat gave his team a two-goal lead with a power play goal at 10:27.
A tripping call on Jonathan Ericsson was, to say the least, wildly unpopular with fans in attendance. But the Czechs converted with a Krejci backhand pass from the side of the net to Erat in front.
For Ericsson, it was only his second game played at these World Championships.
With 45 seconds remaining in the second period the Globe Arena spectators erupted when Zetterberg scored to cut the deficit to 3-2. He worked the puck one handed behind the net, bringing it out in front of the goal and banging in a rebound off Kovar.
45 seconds into the third Ericsson equaled the score at three when he threw a shot on net that made its way through. At 19:15, it was a new game.
The period was the most entertaining of the three as the pace was strong and both teams played up and down hockey.
With 29 seconds left in the game, Milan Michalek created a turnover from Niklas Kronwall who was attempting to move out of the zone. Michalek took the puck and drove to the net putting it high over Fasth at 19:31.
"We thought we had the game in hand," said Swedish forward Gabriel Landeskog. "We were starting to play well, getting pucks to the net, just like we wanted to play. It’s tough to let that one go in with 29 seconds left."
With the win, the Czechs now move to Helsinki to take on Slovakia in the late game on Saturday night at Hartwall Arena.
"We speak the same language, and we have lots of friends on their team," said Michalek of the matchup. " It’s a semi-final, so it’s going to be a great game. They beat Team Canada and that’s one of the best teams here. Their goalie is playing well. It’ll be a tough game."
JOHN SANFUL
--------------------------------------------
Joensuu scores winner with nine seconds left, hosts to semis
17-05-12
HELSINKI - Jesse Joensuu scored his second goal of the night with nine seconds remaining in the game as Finland beat Team USA 3-2 to advance to the semi-final against Russia on Saturday afternoon (14:30).
Cheered on by the home crowd, Finland rallied back from 2-1. Jesse Joensuu scored his second of the night off a nice feed from Petri Kontiola from behind the net, to win the game for Finland, 3-2, with just 8.8 seconds remaining in the game.
Petri Vehanen made 24 saves for Finland.
"I've watched the World Championships on TV for 18 years, and to be here now is fantastic, but I try to not think about it too much, and just focus on my work here," said Joensuu whose first goal in the game was also his first in the national team.
"When we were down by a goal in the third period, I top line came through. It looked like no other line couldn't score, so fortunately they did," Joensuu said.
"The crowd gave us energy, and it helped us through the tough periods in the game," said defenseman Lasse Kukkonen.
In the first two periods, the teams exchanged scoring chances, with the US having control of the game. Coach Scott Gordon pulled goaltender Jimmy Howard with 1.2 seconds remaining in the first period, and the faceoff in Finland’s zone. The U.S. won the faceoff their shot went wide, and the period was scoreless.
The second period was very entertaining, and the game was 27:35 minutes old when the first penalty was called. Max Pacioretty pulled down a Finnish forward in front of the U.S. net, and Finland got its first power-play opportunity, but the Americans killed off the penalty.
"I thought we deserved a couple of power plays. I don't know how many guys have to get hit from behind before we get one. It's disappointing," said Jack Johnson, Team USA captain.
Maybe the high tempo of the game got the best of the teams, but the second period was more open than the first. Both teams had a few turnovers that led to scoring chances but both Howard and Vehanen turned away everything that was thrown at them.
Almost.
At 13:37 into the second period, Jesse Joensuu fired a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle and beat Howard on his stick side, giving Finland a 1-0 lead in the game, a step closer to the semi-final against Russia.
But the U.S. fired right back. The announcer was still reading the names Antti Pihlström and Kukkonen, who picked up assists to the Finnish goal when the puck was in the Finnish net.
Joey Crabb and Jeff Petry cycled the puck on the right side of the Finnish zone, Petry fired a hard pass to the net, straight to Kyle Palmieri’s stick and he had an easy task to tap it in to tie the game, 1-1, just 21 seconds after the Finnish goal.
Finland started the third period strong, with their top line cycling the puck, pushing Team USA on their heels.
In the next shift, Justin Faulk snapped the puck towards the Finnish net, Vehanen made a pad save but Bobby Ryan grabbed the rebound and fired it through Vehanen’s five-hole to give the Americans the lead in the game, just 1:39 into the third period. It was Ryan’s fifth goal and Faulk’s eighth point in the tournament.
"We kept trying to preach not to sit back, to keep going and score another one," said Johnson.
"Coming out in the third and grabbing the lead was good for us, but maybe we sat back a little and tried to protect it," added Palmieri.
With 6:58 remaining in the period, Valtteri Filppula sent the puck to the net, and it got deflected off Mikko Koivu's skate into the net to tie the game. Jack Johnson has lost his stick a moment earlier, and couldn't defend like he wanted.
"My stick broke in half at the beginning of the shift, and I couldn't get off, couldn't get a stick. One guy tried to give me a stick but it was right-handed, so I gave it back. I played the whole shift without a stick," Johnson said.
And then it was Jesse's time again.
"Those were my first goals in the national team," Joensuu said, and sighed.
"Nice to get them now," he added.
The tournament continues for Finland with a semi-final rematch against Russia on Saturday. Slovakia will play the winner of Sweden vs. Czech Republic in the late semi-final on Saturday at 18:30.
RISTO PAKARINEN