CZE 7:4 LAT | Czech Republic - Latvia (U18 World Championship)

U18 World Championship

Sweden2 – Finland	7:3 (end)	\|	Czech Republic – Latvia	7:4 (end)	\|	USA – Canada2	2:1 (end)
Switzerland – Denmark	2:1 (end)

final

Czech Republic

7:4 (2:1, 4:1, 1:2)

Latvia

Friday 20.04.2012, 15:00 • Arena Znojmo • U18 World Championship

		Welcome. Game starts at 15:00.
		Starting lineups: Czech Republic: Polivka (Hrachovina) – Sidlik (C), Sulak, Kostalek, Houfek, Behal, Stencel, Knot – Machac, Volek, Tomecek – Slovacek, Chlapik, Hudecek – Vrana, Soumelidis, Simon – Matejicek, Zadrazil, Prochazka – Sedlacek. Latvia: Merzlikins (Punnenovs) – Skuratovs, Augstkalns, Rosinskis, Kalvitis, Freimanis, Zemitis, Gelazis, Makarovs – Ozolins, Golovkovs, Kulda – Lavrovs, Jevpalovs (C), Blugers – Kondrats, Sevcenko, Lipsbergs – Bukarts, Jelisejevs, Riekstins. Referees: Koch (SUI), Salonen (FIN) – Ponomarjow (GER), Vikman (FIN).
		Both teams and referees are on ice. Elvis Merlikins and Patrik Polivka, goalies of both teams are ready.
	00:01	Game started.
	00:05	Starting faceoff for Czech team.
	00:16	And also the first icing of the game by Czechs.
	00:40	Great pass by Rosinskis on Jevpalovs, but he was offside.
	01:10	Easy save by Elvis Merzlikins.
	01:45	Good save by Latvian goalie.
	02:51	First game interuption by Polivka.
	03:27	Polivka didn't have to save an attempted shot by Ozolins.
	04:06	Icing by Czechs.
	04:33	Latvians are better so far.
	04:55	Good move by SImon. Merzlikins saved his great shot.
	06:09	Machac's shot blocked by Latvian defender.
	07:11	Slovacek was in the breakaway and his shot was saved by Elvis Merzlikins.
	08:10	Huge miss by Latvian forward. But he was fouled, so Sedlacek (CZE) is penaltied for hooking.
	09:11	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Great shorthanded goal by MATEJ ZADRAZIL, who plays for Energie Karlovy Vary. His backhand shot couldn't be saved by Merzlikins.
	09:55	Goal for Team Latvia! Powerplay goal scored by RUDOLFS KALVITIS from the blue-line. Assisted by: Nikita Jevpalovs and Teodors Blugers.
	10:23	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Goal scored by MARTIN PROCHAZKA. He just pushed the puck in the net. Assisted by: Dominik Volek.
	12:02	Another chance by Czech team. Merzlinkins's saves are good.
	12:48	Knot (CZE) – 2 minutes for tripping.
	13:21	Simon got in the semi-breakaway and his shot was blocked.
	13:55	Shot by Ozolins was deflected out.
	14:49	Home team at full strength.
	14:59	Not a team play at all by Czechs. Machac could pass to Sedlacek for an easy empty-netter, but decided to shoot. And Merzlikins saved it.
	15:40	Another penalty for Czech team. Simon (CZE) – 2 minutes for slashing.
	15:57	Save by Merzlikins. Good penalty killing showed by home team.
	17:44	Good save by Polivka after counter-attack by Latvians.
	17:40	Home team at full strength.
	18:13	Jelisejevs (LAT) – 2 minutes for tripping.
	19:05	Few shots by Sidlik from the blue line, but not good enough.
	19:35	Puck is behind Polivka.
	20:00	First period finished.
		Shots on goal: CZE: 15 LAT: 10
		Good first period from both teams, especially 10th and 11th minute. Three goals was scored in this two minutes. Everything looks good for home team.
	20:01	Second period began.
	20:13	Visiting team at full strength.
	20:45	Latvians with the puck behind their own net.
	21:32	Lipsbergs got the puck in attacking zone.
	22:35	Goal for Team Czech Republic! JAKUB VRANA scored with a good shot from the left circle that came through Merzlikins. Assisted by: Dominik Simon and Eustathinos Soumelidis.
	24:22	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Kostalek's shot was saved by Merzlikins, but then came VOJTECH TOMECEK with a rebound shot in the empty net. Assisted by: Jan Kostalek and Patrik Machac.
	24:22	Visiting team timeout. Punnenovs change Merzlikins in Latvian net.
	25:42	Goal for Team Latvia! NIKOLAJS JELISEJEVS pushed the puck behind the goal line to score a goal. Assisted by: Rihards Bukarts
	27:16	Great shot by Jevpalovs. He shot while he was falling on ice, but Polivka had to make a good save.
	27:36	Blugers (LAT) – 2 minutes for hooking.
	28:21	Power play is played well by Czech team.
	29:36	Visiting team at full strength. No good shot came by Czech team.
	31:03	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Simon hit the post and JAKUB VRANA scored with the rebound shot in the empty net. Assisted by: Dominik Simon and Libor Sulak.
	32:41	Offside by Latvians.
	32:59	Goal for Team Czech Republic! And another goal by Czech Team. After great pass by Vrana DOMINIK SIMON managed to score a goal. Assisted by Jakub Vrana and Libor Sulak.
	34:01	Kondrats (LAT) – 2 minutes for slashing.
	36:01	Visiting team at full strength.
	36:55	Good shot by Latvian forward.
	37:11	After breakaway on the left side by Simon, Punnenovs had to make a good save.
	39:16	Game is quite boring now.
	40:00	Second period finished.
		Shots on goal in the second period: CZE: 11, LAT: 6.
		Another good period by Czech team. They manage to score six goals in second 20 minutes. It will be interesting to watch, what the third period will be about.
	40:01	Third period began.
	40:30	Volek (CZE) – 2 minutes for interference.
	41:03	Latvians are behind their net.
	41:20	Polivka held the puck in his glove.
	41:27	Stencel (CZE) – 2 minutes for game delaying.
	41:33	Latvians behind Punnenovs.
	42:04	Goal for Team Latvia! 5-on-3 power-play and Latvians scored a goal. With the deflected shot by ROBERTS LIPSBERGS. Assisted by: Rudolfs Kalvitis.
	43:27	Home team at full strength.
	44:47	Latvians try to score next goal.
	46:04	Jelisejevs got into the attacking zone.
	46:38	Latvians actions intercepted well by Czech defenders.
	47:15	Goal for Team Latvia! EDGARS KULDA got to the attacking zone via left side and shot well under the bar. Assisted by: Georgs Golovkovs.
	47:15	Home team timeout.
	48:07	Both teams on the move.
	50:20	Great shot by Vojtech Tomecek from the left circle saved by Punnenovs.
	51:04	Two faceoffs in front of Polivka in the short time.
	51:18	And now icing by Czech team.
	51:47	Good Punnenovs' save on shot by Simon.
	52:39	Czech icing.
	53:57	Augstkalns (LAT) – 2 minutes for tripping.
	55:08	Save by Punnenovs.
	55:22	And another one.
	56:39	Great save by Polivka!
	57:20	Czech defend briantely now.
	57:29	And Rosinskins (LAT) is penaltied. 2 minutes for slashing and 10 minutes for abuse of referee.
	58:52	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Another goal scored by DOMINIK SIMON. Assisted by: Jakub Vrana and Libor Sulak.
	59:37	Latvians are behind their net.
	60:00	Game over.
		Shots on goal in the third period: CZE: 9, LAT: 13.
		Important win for home team. They deserve it and with this win, Czechs made sure that they will play the A-divison of World Championship U18 next year.
		Best players: LAT: Edmunds Augstkalns CZE: Dominik Simon (17:03:47)

Commentary by

Vladimír Koča

@vkoca

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 10. Zadrazil (Simon, Sidlik), 11. Prochazka (Volek), 23. Vrana (Simon, Soumelidis), 25. Tomecek (Kostalek, Machac), 32. Vrana (Simon, Sulak), 33. Simon (Vrana, Sulak), 59. Simon (Vrana, Sulak) - 10. Kalvitis (Jevpalovs, Blugers), 26. Jalisejevs (Bukarts), 43. Lipsbergs (Kalvitis), 48. Kulda (Golovkovs)

Czech Republic: Polivka (Hrachovina) – Sidlik (C), Sulak, Kostalek, Houfek, Behal, Stencel, Knot – Machac, Volek, Tomecek – Slovacek, Chlapik, Hudecek – Vrana, Soumelidis, Simon – Matejicek, Zadrazil, Prochazka – Sedlacek.

Latvia: Merzlikins (25. Punnenovs) – Skuratovs, Augstkalns, Rosinskis, Kalvitis, Freimanis, Zemitis, Gelazis, Makarovs – Ozolins, Golovkovs, Kulda – Lavrovs, Jevpalovs (C), Blugers – Kondrats, Sevcenko, Lipsbergs – Bukarts, Jelisejevs, Riekstins.

Referees: Koch (SUI), Salonen (FIN) – Ponomarjow (GER), Vikman (FIN)

1st period
	08:10
	09:11
	09:55
	10:23
	12:48
	18:13
1st intermission
2nd period
	22:35
	24:22
	25:42
	27:36
	31:03
	32:59
	34:01
2nd intermission
3rd period
	40:30
	41:27
	42:04
	47:15
	53:57
	57:29
	58:52
Final