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.
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@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