WJC: 2023 Czech Team

[Czechboy]

Svozil also had a couple points.

I'm not surprised by the minutes. Svozil-Spacek was the best pairing and they seemed to be out there a lot.

I caught myself.lol

Agreed on Svozil Spacek. Spacek is like his Dad.. underrated.

 

[unkempt]

Geez! It’s been at least a decade since I’ve seen such a dominnt performance by a Czech(oslovakian) tam!
Way to go!
It’s just one game though. Keep them coming! Yay!

 

[Czechboy]

Geez! It’s been at least a decade since I’ve seen such a dominnt performance by a Czech(oslovakian) tam!
Way to go!
It’s just one game though. Keep them coming! Yay!

I maintain that knocking out the US 5 months ago in the Quarters was more impressive!

 

[czechcanadian]

I maintain that knocking out the US 5 months ago in the Quarters was more impressive!

Nah. This was more impressive imo. This is a loaded Canada team and Czechs played them very well. The USA roster from summer is inferior to Canadas in this tournament for sure.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Nah. This was more impressive imo. This is a loaded Canada team and Czechs played them very well. The USA roster from summer is inferior to Canadas in this tournament for sure.

I agree. This team Canada has been (still is) considered perhaps their best since McDavid's junior years. They have 3 players who already played quite a few NHL games this season, the rest are absolute stars in their junior leagues. They had been widely expected to win the gold without a single point loss until the last night. It was apparent yesterday their individual quality was terrific. Beating them has been a huge, huge achievement for the Czechs. I expect Canada to have a series of in-depth tactical meetings now, and steamroll through the rest of the group stage.

 

[Czechboy]

Nah. This was more impressive imo. This is a loaded Canada team and Czechs played them very well. The USA roster from summer is inferior to Canadas in this tournament for sure.

That was a undefeated first place roster and an elimination game. We had 1 victory and were 4th in our group.

Don't get me wrong, not arguing. I'll take both!

For me, here, it's what we do after this big win. Czech teenagers are a bit bipolar at this thing.lol

 

[czechcanadian]

Damn good game from the boys! Who would’ve expected that! Always good to keep expectations low and get surprised.
Impressed by
Svozil, Jiricek, Suchanek of course.

Pleasantly surprised by Chmelar and Brabenec.

Spacek started poorly I thought but really picked it up.

Sturzc was quite impactful overall as well.

Love the look of this team so far.

Thought that Jiricek and Svozil should have had more PP time. Spacek was not that great there imo.

 

[Czechboy]

I agree. This team Canada has been (still is) considered perhaps their best since McDavid's junior years. They have 3 players who already played quite a few NHL games this season, the rest are absolute stars in their junior leagues. They had been widely expected to win the gold without a single point loss until the last night. It was apparent yesterday their individual quality was terrific. Beating them has been a huge, huge achievement for the Czechs. I expect Canada to have a series of in-depth tactical meetings now, and steamroll through the rest of the group stage.

I think they win gold and the group.

A similar example was a few years ago, I think at home, they lost 6-0 to Russia and then beat them for Gold.

Yesterday, I think their teen emotions got to them.

Don't get me wrong, I have NOTHING against a Michigan. But I think they wanted to do a big hit, score a fancy a goal (they kept trying for Michigans and failed) and run us out of the building 10-0. When we blocked a few Michigans and stood our ground defensively it all fell apart because they didn't think we'd step up. We dodged some big hits too and the one they did land got their player kicked out of the game.

A Michigan goes in, Cech gets laid out and no Penalty and yesterday is a 7-0 loss again.

The offside call was a brilliant move from coaching staff... if it was 2-0 we were in trouble.

Also, that Canadian goalie is having an awful season in the OHL and he was awful yesterday! I think we did them a favor on the way to gold as they know to not play him again.lol

Last babble... a lot of people thought Bedard was carrying Svozil. Svozil had 2 points last night and won the game against Bedard. That HAS to feel good for Stan. And yes I realize Bedard is amazing and the better player. But imagine those texts: 'you couldn't beat me with Wright and Fantilli and 10 first rounders and a few NHLers?haha

The good news is we can't meet again till semi's and I care about is winning the quarter and fighting for a medal.

Sweden has an insane record against us and Germany has beat us the last 3. Boys need to regrouop, get humble and put their work boots on! Austria first tonight in a game that hopefully doesn't have my heart rate at 160 for 3 hours.

 

[Czechboy]

Damn good game from the boys! Who would’ve expected that! Always good to keep expectations low and get surprised.
Impressed by
Svozil, Jiricek, Suchanek of course.

Pleasantly surprised by Chmelar and Brabenec.

Spacek started poorly I thought but really picked it up.

Sturzc was quite impactful overall as well.

Love the look of this team so far.

Thought that Jiricek and Svozil should have had more PP time. Spacek was not that great there imo.

Sapo with over 20 minutes and 70% on the dot. He is the ulitimate work horse.

Chmelar was my big surprise.. he looked as good as our core of stars. Scored the disallowed goal, breakaway in first minute (and he did a lot of work to get that air pass from his ass to his stick in mid flight) and a real goal later. He was dominant.

Spacek looked every bit as good as Svozil and Jiricek. He is unreal. Minnesota have him and Walstedt coming. Smart drafting!

Our D ran the show and beat Canada.... something I have not typed in 20 years.lol Remember, Nagano was won by a Slegr and Svoboda point shot.lol

Hope you got your luggae. I wonder if Jiricek gets more minutes next game.. he was 3rd or 4th in ice time. I think they sheltered him because of the travel and equipment issues because he's a horse meant to play 20+.

Off to see if Cech is okay!

 

[57special]

Damn good game from the boys! Who would’ve expected that! Always good to keep expectations low and get surprised.
Impressed by
Svozil, Jiricek, Suchanek of course.

Pleasantly surprised by Chmelar and Brabenec.

Spacek started poorly I thought but really picked it up.

Sturzc was quite impactful overall as well.

Love the look of this team so far.

Thought that Jiricek and Svozil should have had more PP time. Spacek was not that great there imo.

He had one awful giveaway(which didn't result in a goal), but besides that was fine, to me.

Now the team has to be consistent, and not lose to someone like Germany, or this is all for nothing. Being smart, and not taking penalties, is key.

 

[Rob]

Are the games on TV or do you have to stream them?

 

[tunnelvision]

Thought that Jiricek and Svozil should have had more PP time. Spacek was not that great there imo.

Jiricek will get plenty of it as a PP1 pointman. Svozil was on the 2nd unit, do you think he should replace one of the PP1 Fs going forward? I liked the special teams lineups, I wouldn't change a thing based on game 1.

As a Jackets/Svozil fan I'm happy that Rulik gave him so much PK duties against top Canadian prospects. I think it's very beneficial for his defensive development considering how little he's played on PK for his WHL team this year.

 

[Czechboy]

Here is a newspaper clipping from the last team 'we' beat Canada in regulation. God bless Demitra!

 

[BigBadBoar]

One of this team's strengths is the coaching staff. Rulík is an experienced and confident coach, he knows how to work with a team and is a great hockey expert too. He has been having a very good season coaching Pardubice in the Extraliga, which also contributed to his confidence and the right mood for sure. The same applies to the assistant coaches. It was appararent yesterday that for example Židlický knows well how to manage the rotations of defensemen. Nobody got dinosaur minutes which would exhaust him completely, nobody was sitting for too many minutes, Židlický really did a good job to keep all defensemen in the game, concentrated, warmed up. This is a great positive change from some of the previous tournament, when the coaches were not always exactly competent and it was looking like they were afraid of their own players sometimes (Přerost, but not just him).

 

[BigBadBoar]

Are the games on TV or do you have to stream them?

Only the Czech team games are on TV. The rest we need to stream. It probably wouldn't pay up for any TV in CZE to buy broadcasting rights for games which are played in the night (Central European Time). There is one TV which is broadcasting selected NHL games, but not this tournament.

 

[smitty10]

Cech out for next game?

If so, will Alscher be in?

 

[Rob]

Only the Czech team games are on TV. The rest we need to stream. It probably wouldn't pay up for any TV in CZE to buy broadcasting rights for games which are played in the night (Central European Time). There is one TV which is broadcasting selected NHL games, but not this tournament.

Well that makes sense.

Do they broadcast the gold medal game or does the Czech team have to be playing?

 

[BigBadBoar]

Well that makes sense.

Do they broadcast the gold medal game or does the Czech team have to be playing?

I am not sure tbh. They did in some years, not sure about this year.

 

[Czechboy]

One of this team's strengths is the coaching staff. Rulík is an experienced and confident coach, he knows how to work with a team and is a great hockey expert too. He has been having a very good season coaching Pardubice in the Extraliga, which also contributed to his confidence and the right mood for sure. The same applies to the assistant coaches. It was appararent yesterday that for example Židlický knows well how to manage the rotations of defensemen. Nobody got dinosaur minutes which would exhaust him completely, nobody was sitting for too many minutes, Židlický really did a good job to keep all defensemen in the game, concentrated, warmed up. This is a great positive change from some of the previous tournament, when the coaches were not always exactly competent and it was looking like they were afraid of their own players sometimes (Přerost, but not just him).

I'm also an Oiler's fan and this is what we do!

Nurse plays 30 minutes and our 5/6 D guys play 8 minutes. They do the same forwards too. McDavid and Drai play 25 minutes in a regular season game and our we will have 5 forwards with less than 10 minutes. It does NOT work at all.

You make an awesome point because because all our D were between 15 and 22 minutes!

Zidlicky did a great job with the D... I think he sheltered Jiricek well too. Just felt like our D were all playing to their strengths all night. And this team is built around the D without question!

 

[Czechboy]

In case you missed it.lol

What is crazy is how many goals are scored with our D on Canada's goal line! Jiricek and Svozil both setup goals from behind Canada's net or beside Canada's net. Just crazy how many 'runs' they had.

It is amazing to me how much room they gave Svozil in the first minute of the 2nd. He just walked right in!

Or watching the Canadian Dman falling and the goalie backwards on the Mensik goal!

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

How has Kulich looked?

 

[czechcanadian]

Sapo with over 20 minutes and 70% on the dot. He is the ulitimate work horse.

Chmelar was my big surprise.. he looked as good as our core of stars. Scored the disallowed goal, breakaway in first minute (and he did a lot of work to get that air pass from his ass to his stick in mid flight) and a real goal later. He was dominant.

Spacek looked every bit as good as Svozil and Jiricek. He is unreal. Minnesota have him and Walstedt coming. Smart drafting!

Our D ran the show and beat Canada.... something I have not typed in 20 years.lol Remember, Nagano was won by a Slegr and Svoboda point shot.lol

Hope you got your luggae. I wonder if Jiricek gets more minutes next game.. he was 3rd or 4th in ice time. I think they sheltered him because of the travel and equipment issues because he's a horse meant to play 20+.

Off to see if Cech is okay!

Yeah Sapo was amazing.
And yes we got our luggage last night thankfully!!

 

[Czechboy]

How has Kulich looked?

He was very good but didn't score. Hustled both ways. He gets it and is a beauty team player. Bought into the 'win as a team' mentality and seems very coachable. Something tells me he'll score a few goals before this is over. Svozil and Sale just LOVE to pass and Jiri loves to shoot. Matter of time!

 

[Czechboy]

That U18 tourney going on? We beat the Finn's this morning 3-1... Stancl with 2 goals.

What is with all this winning?lol

There is also a U17 tourney where we just beat the FInn's 2-1... our point getters were Kos, Benak, Svozil and Jecho. Again, what is happening?????

AND

In U16 we beat the Swiss TODAY 3-1. I don't follow it close enough to say anything about U16 players.

We won at Spengler, 2x at U18, beat Canada at U20, U17 victory and U16 victory in roughly 24 hours. This may be our best 24 hours since 2000!!!

I NEVER get to type reports like this.. like, ever.

 

[Czechboy]

Oops.. still playing Swiss now 3-2. I blame myself for jinxing it!