CZE 3:2 FIN | Czech Republic - Finland (Euro Hockey Tour)

Euro Hockey Tour

Czech Republic – Finland

3:2 (end)

final

Czech Republic

3:2 (0:0, 2:1, 1:1)

Finland

Thursday 25.04.2013, 18:00 • Kajot Arena, Brno, Czech Republic • Euro Hockey Tour

		That's all from Brno tonight. Be sure to check back with us, though, for more Euro Hockey Tour action on Saturday and Sunday. (20:15:11)
		Players of the Game: FIN Ville Viitaluoma, CZE Petr Hubáček.
		The Czechs dominated the first half of this game and got the lead with 2 goals 50 seconds apart in the middle of the second period, but the Finns battled back to tie it. Just 1:16 after the game was tied, though, Zbynek Irgl scored the game-winning goal with 13:29 remaining. The Czech Republic wins the first game of the Czech Hockey Games and is now tied with Russia with 15 points atiop the Euro Hockey Tour standings. Russia is currently trailing Sweden 4-0 in the 2nd period.
	60:00	Game over.
	59:38	A Czech attempts a shot at the open net from the neutral zone, but it's deflected out of play. There's currently a discussion as to where the faceoff will be, but it's going to be at the Finnish blueline. Ortio returns to the ice.
	59:23	Finland enters the Czech zone, Ortio goes to the bench.
	58:59	Timeout Finland. The faceoff isn't in an ideal location to take your timeout, but this might be the last chance they get.
	58:59	The puck is cleared by a Finnish player in the neutral zone into the Czech bench. The faceoff will come just outside of the Finnish blueline.
	57:53	. . . on the counter-attack, Kaspar to Koukal on a 2 on 1, but he just misfired with room upstairs.
	57:10	Finnish rush, a shot and a save by Kovar, puck cleared to the corner.
	56:20	Hubacek tried to find Hertl at the side of the goal for an insurance marker, but the pass was just out of his reach.
	56:09	Another Finnish offside.
	54:28	Offside Finland.
	54:05	The Finns buzzed for a bit more but were unable to get any more quality shots. Petr Vrana did a great job of ragging the puck to kill off quite a bit of time late in the penalty.
	52:30	One-time slapper from the point, pad save Kovar and the puck is iced.
	52:05	now Jakub Kovar fires the puck over the glass trying to get it out of danger and he's assessed a delay-of-game penalty. Finland's coming on and now they have another chance to tie.
	51:29	Now Jakub Kovar stops a long shot and covers it.
	50:58	A great chance for Finland with Juhamatti Aaltonen alone in front, but he one-times the centering pass just wide of the post.
	50:04	Timeout Czech Republic. Alois Hadamczik obviously feels his team is back on its heels and running around a bit, so he wants to settle them down and get back to the solid defence that we saw for the better part of two periods.
	50:04	Finland comes back and tries to apply some pressure, but play is stopped because they had a forward parked in the Czech goal crease. Actually there were two of them. Faceoff outside.
	48:30	A dangerous Czech rush includes a pretty passing play in the attacking zone, which finishes with a pass to the trailer Koukal, who fires a shot but Joni Ortio makes a great save to keep his team in the game.
	46:51	The puck lands on the back of the Czech goal and Kovar puts his glove on it, stopping play.
	46:31	Goal for Team Czech Republic! And the Czechs answer right back and take the lead. Another great effort from Petr Hubacek who leads the rush, then centers in front to ZBYNEK IRGL, who deposits the puck behind Ortio for the go-ahead goal. Assist: Petr Hubacek.
	46:21	An energized Finnish team is pressing now. Niklas Hagman had a chance to give them their first lead of the game but he hits Jakub Kovar in the mask from point-blank, which stops play.
	45:15	Goal for Team Finland! The early part of the power play again looked dismal, but finally Saraki Salminen sends a pass from the boards to VILLE VIITALUOMA at the far post, and he taps it in to tie this game. Assist: Saraki Salminen
	44:09	Tomas Mojzis is called for holding in his own zone, giving Finland a chance to tie on the power play, but they're going to have to get more going that they did on their first two opportunities.
	43:52	Vondrka curls at the top of the slot and fires a low wrister that Ortio overs again.
	43:44	Krejcik with a wrister from the point, stopped and covered by Ortio.
	42:15	Kovar covers a loose puck in the Czech zone.
	41:33	Koukal deked on the penalty shot, had Ortio down and out, and then hit the post with his high backhander. Still 2-1. Faceoff coming up in the Finland zone.
	41:33	Petr Koukal is tripped from behind and is getting a penalty shot.
	41:24	Off the draw, a shot from the point hits Tomas Hertl and deflects up and hits the scoreboard. stopping play. Hertl is in some pain on the bench.
	41:16	Icing Czech Republic.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Teams have returned to the ice and the 3rd period will begin shortly.
		That period was a bit more open than the first and we got a few more scoring chances and 3 goals. The Czechs maintained the edge in play and the score reflects that at 2-1. 3rd period begins at 19:34 CEST.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:31	Petr Koukal loses and edge and goes down hard beside the Czech goal. He was trying to catch a Finnish player and fans whistled for a penalty, but it didn't appear the player touched him. Play is stopped and he eventually leaves the ice on his own power.
	39:02	Another Czech rush into the Finnish zone, Kaspar drops to Tomas Voracek and his shot is covered by Joni Ortio. We have some pushing and shoving after the whistle.
	38:42	Jakub Krejcik with a shot from the point through traffic that Ortio stops and covers with just :01 left in the penalty.
	37:52	Offside Czech Republic, :51 left in the penalty.
	37:13	Petr Hubacek leads a rush and gets a great chance, trying to beat Ortio five-hole but the Finnish goalie squeezes the pads and holds on. 1:30 left in the penalty.
	36:43	And now the Czechs are going to the power play as Ossi Vaananen got his stick caught between the legs of a Czech player and he's called for tripping.
	36:30	The Czechs clear the zone as the penalty ends, by my count only that one Finnish shot on the power play and it came from the neutral zone.
	35:08	Finland having trouble again getting anything done on the power play. They take a long looping shot from the neutral zone that Kovar catches and holds onto. 1:20 left in the penalty.
	34:28	Lukas Pech is getting an interference penalty, as the railroaded a Finnish forward into the Czech goal. Finland to the power play for the second time, they're 0/1.
	32:34	Another shot is deflected out of play in the Czech zone. Apparently off a Finn this time because the faceoff is coming outside.
	31:46	The puck is deflected into the netting atop the glass in the Czech zone, faceoff inside.
	31:30	Now at the other end, a shot from the boards hits Jakub Kovar, and he covers it for a stoppage.
	31:01	The teams trade chances on that sequence, which finishes with Joni Ortio catching a long, high shot and holding on.
	28:35	Goal for Team Finland! Now they do score. Instead of shooting this time, Aaltonen passes to JANNE PESONEN, who beats Kovar five-hole. Assist: Juhamatti Aaltonen.
	28:24	Finland nearly gets one back as Juhamatti Aaltonen's low wrister from the point is tipped along the way and goes into Kovar's pads, who didn't see it coming. He covers it for a stoppage.
	28:07	Offside Finland.
	26:59	Goal for Team Czech Republic! Just 50 seconds later they strike again. Tomas Hertl eludes a check at the Finnish blueline and makes a beautiful feed across to PETR TENKRAT, who beats Ortio stick side. Assist: Tomas Hertl.
	26:09	Goal for Team Czech Republic! It seemed like only a matter of time before they broke through. Novotny with the pass from the boards to PETR HUBACEK in the slot, who unleashes a wrist shot that beats Ortio to the glove side. Assist: Jiri Novotny.
	25:45	Back at full strength, the Czechs are going back to the attack, getting good puck possession in the attacking zone but not getting quality shots. Fans into the game, though.
	24:45	FInland didn't get many chances on the power play, but just after it ended there was a 2 on 1 that was just tipped wide.
	23:00	A shot from the point is deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Czech zone with 1:41 left in the penalty.
	22:39	Michal Vondrka is getting a penalty for holding as he put the clutches on a Finnish defenceman in the attacking zone. Finland to the power play for the first time.
	22:16	Offside Czech Republic, as the puck barely came outside the line.
	21:10	Weak shot from the point by Mikko Maenpaa, easily turned away by Kovar.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Teams have returned to the ice and the 2nd period faceoff is moments away.
		The Czechs held the edge in play in that first period and had some chances on the only power play, but overall a pretty defensive period that ends scoreless. 2nd period begins at 18:43 CEST.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	18:50	Another chance for Vrana from the opposite side, this time Ortio makes a stick save on his low one-timer.
	18:27	Offside Czech Republic.
	17:15	A Czech rush and Petr Vrana rips a high slapper just wide.
	17:03	Play in the Czech zone, Kovar manages to cover a loose puck at the side of the net.
	16:31	Offside Czech Republic.
	15:30	Antti Pihlstrom cuts in from the boards and takes a shot from a weak angle that Kovar kicks out.
	12:00	Icing Finland.
	11:40	Peterri Wirtanen gets in the clear for Finland and tries to go top shelf but fires high. Finland still with only 1 shot.
	11:10	The Czechs continue to be the more dominant team, buzzing around the Finnish zone . . .
	08:48	Offside Czech Republic on a missed pass.
	07:37	The puck goes out of play and the whistle goes with :01 left in the penalty, Melart is standing in the box. Faceoff in the neutral zone.
	07:06	Wrist shot from the top of the slot by Tomas Mojzis, caught and held by Ortio. :32 left in the penalty.
	06:44	Following a scramble, Ortio covers the puck. He's been by far the busier of the two goalies today. :54 left in the penalty
	06:30	Shot from point blank by Milan Gulas, Ortio gets a glove on it and then it's cleared.
	05:38	The game's first penalty is going to Finland's Ilari Melart for throwing a pick on Lukas Kaspar at the blueline. The Czechs go to the power play.
	04:52	Icing against the Czech Republic.
	02:58	Viitaluoma gets Finland's first shot on goal, Kovar the save and he hangs on.
	02:45	Pech passes to Vondrka, who winds and fires a long slapper that hits Ortio in the arm. He holds for another faceoff in the Finland zone.
	01:02	Shot by Hudacek, Ortio stops and covers for the game's first stoppage.
	00:15	The Czechs go on the attack right off the opening faceoff and Ortio had to make a couple of saves in close.
	00:01	Game started.
		The national anthems of Finland and the Czech Republic have been played and the opening faceoff is moments away.
		Starting Lineups: Czech Republic: Kovář (Salák) – Voráček, Čáslava, Nakládal, Krejčík, Mojžíš, Linhart, Trončinský, Kubát – Irgl, Novotný (C), Hubáček – Hertl, Vrána, Tenkrát – Kašpar, Koukal, Vondrka – Gulaš, Pech, Rachůnek Ivan – Rachůnek Tomáš. Coach: Alois Hadamczik Finland: Ortio (Engren) – Lajunen, Lepistö, Hietanen, Mäenpää, Kousa, Väänänen, Kukkonen (C), Melart – Jormakka, Viitaluoma, Salminen – Aaltonen, Hytönen, Pesonen – Hagman, Wirtanen, Pihlström – Haataja, Lahti, Sallinen – Anttila. Coach: Jukka Jalonen. Referees: Sergeyev, Anisimov – Gebauer, Lederer.
		The standings of the 2012-13 Euro Hockey Tour, with each team having played 9 of 12 games: Team, GF:GA, points 1. Russia 28:14, 18 2. Finland 21:18, 15 3. Czech Republic 12:16, 15 4. Sweden 13:27, 6 The two teams in tonight's game are tied for second place, and have a chance to be tied with Russia for first with a win and a Russian loss to Sweden.
		The final stop of the 2012-13 edition of the Euro Hockey Tour is Brno, Czech Republic. The action kicks off Thursday night as the Czechs host Finland. As it is the last series of games before the World Championships, many players will be using this as a final chance to earn spots on their respective teams.
		Welcome. This game starts at 18:00 CEST local time in the Czech Republic, 19:00 EEST in Finland, 16:00 GMT, 12:00 EDT.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 27. Hubacek (Novotny), 27. Tenkrat (Hertl), 47. Irgl (Hubáček) – 29. Pesonen (Aaltonen), 46. Viitaluoma (Salminen)

Czech Republic: Kovář (Salák) – Voráček, Čáslava, Nakládal, Krejčík, Mojžíš, Linhart, Trončinský, Kubát – Irgl, Novotný (C), Hubáček – Hertl, Vrána, Tenkrát – Kašpar, Koukal, Vondrka – Gulaš, Pech, Rachůnek Ivan – Rachůnek Tomáš. Coach: Alois Hadamczik

Finland: Ortio (Engren) – Lajunen, Lepistö, Hietanen, Mäenpää, Kousa, Väänänen, Kukkonen (C), Melart – Jormakka, Viitaluoma, Salminen – Aaltonen, Hytönen, Pesonen – Hagman, Wirtanen, Pihlström – Haataja, Lahti, Sallinen – Anttila. Coach: Jukka Jalonen.

Referees: Sergeyev, Anisimov – Gebauer, Lederer

1st period
	05:38
1st intermission
2nd period
	22:39
	26:09
	26:59
	28:35
	34:28
	36:43
2nd intermission
3rd period
	44:09
	45:15
	46:31
	52:05
Final