CZE 0:4 1CA | Czech Republic - Canada2 (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Finland – USA	3:2 (after OT)	\|	Switzerland – Sweden2	3:2 (end)	\|	Slovakia2 – Russia	1:2 (end)
Czech Republic – Canada2	0:4 (end)

final

Czech Republic

0:4 (0:2, 0:1, 0:1)

Canada2

Monday 05.08.2013, 19:00 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup

		Welcome. This game starts at 19:00 CEST, 13:00 EDT.
		The Czech Republic and Canada are on the ice for pre-game warmups. This is the first game for each team in this year's tournament. The Czechs are the home team and are wearing white uniforms with blue and red trim, red pants and blue helmets. Canada is the visiting team and are wearing red uniforms with white and black trim, black pants and helmets.
		Starting Lineups: Czech Republic: Vaněček (Pechek) – Zbořil, Pyrochta, Pýcha, Mašín, Mikliš, Zahradníček, Ščotka, Matula – Karabáček, Zacha, Kotala – Pastrňák Veselý, Vrána – Vopelka, Kovařčík, Jeniš – Černoch, Kuťák, Švarc. Coach: Petr Jakub. Canada: Bilia (McDonald) – Hickets, Ekblad, Fleury, McKeown, Pilon, Neill, Carrier – Bennett, Point, Watson, Dal Colle, Fabbri, Virtanen – Chartier, Bishop, Hawryluk – Lemieux, Audette, McCann. Coach: Dale Hunter. Referees: Hřibík, Šír – Hlavatý, Tošenovjan.
		The national anthems of Canada and the Czech Republic have been played, and the opening faceoff is moments away.
	00:01	Game started.
	00:52	Canada's starting line led a rush into the Czech zone but didn't get a shot. Czech Pavel Zacha registers the game's first shot, a long wrister. Bilia eventually covers.
	01:10	Canada is getting the game's first power play as defenceman Pavel Pycha gets called for hooking in his own zone.
	01:40	Czech goaltender Vitek Vanecek covers a loose puck with pressure around him.
	02:05	A shot from the point by McKeown followed by a cloud of dust around the Czech goal and a little skirmish. Nothing comes of it. Faceoff in the Czech zone with 1:05 left in the Canadian PP.
	02:09	Now it's Aaron Ekblad with a quick one-timer off the draw from the point, Vanecek stops and holds on.
	02:24	Goal for Team Canada! They cash in on the power play. Back to Ekblad again on the draw, this time he finds MICHAEL DAL COLLE for the tap-in at the side of the net. Assist: Aaron Ekblad, Robby Fabbri.
	03:20	Offside Czech Republic.
	03:35	Icing Czech Republic.
	04:21	Brendan Lemieux takes a shot from the left wing on a rush, then he tries to dig for his own rebound. Finally the whistle goes.
	04:50	Czech winger Lukas Vopelka shows some speed, winning a footrace to the puck and getting a good shot that Bilia had to be sharp on.
	05:45	Pressure down low forced a turnover deep in the Czech zone. Robby Fabbri had a shot from point-blank but Vanecek robbed him.
	05:54	Icing Czech Republic.
	06:10	Jayce Hawryluk throws a body check into the boards front of the Czech bench . . .
	06:55	Vaclav Karabacek takes a long shot through traffic that hits Bilia's pad and dribbles just wide.
	07:02	Hand pass called against the Czech Republic in the attacking zone, faceoff outside.
	07:10	Czech 2nd line now putting on some good pressure in the Canadian zone.
	08:30	Vopelka with another shot on a rush, stick save Bilia.
	09:21	Alex Pepin with a shot attempt that gets deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Czech zone.
	10:07	2-on-1 chance for the Czechs, Zacha fed Jakub Kotala, who ripped it just wide.
	10:52	Now Vanecek makes a diving save at the side of the net off of Jake Virtanen, which draws some reaction from the crowd.
	11:29	Some exciting back and forth action finishes with a save by Bilia. The crowd cheers the last sequence they just saw.
	11:45	Vopelka attempts a wraparound--he's been everywhere this first period and after a strong start for Canada the Czechs have been coming on lately.
	12:20	From the top of the slot, Sam Bennett fires a wrister high.
	12:35	Vanecek catches a long shoot-in and holds for a faceoff in the Czech zone.
	13:15	Whoa huge hit by Jakub Zboril on a Canadian player--I think it was Brendan Lemieux, but not 100% sure. It was right in front of the Canadian bench and he got off before I could tell who it was.
	14:05	Puck goes out of play in the Czech zone, faceoff inside.
	14:41	The puck once again hits the netting above the glass in the Czech zone, faceoff inside coming up.
	16:12	Offside Czech Republic.
	16:22	Icing Canada.
	16:34	The Czech Republic now going to the power play for the first time as Clark Bishop pulls down a Czech forward who had the puck right in front of the net. One of those that could be classified as a good penalty.
	17:00	Rourke Chartier ices the puck and the Canadian PK unit makes a change.
	18:10	Robby Fabbri's had a good opening period and he did a good job of ragging the puck to kill time off the penalty that last sequence--Czechs still without a shot this power play.
	18:33	Now with :01 left in the power play the Czechs are called for too many players on the ice. They did not get a shot on the power play and after 1 second Canada will go to the PP for the second time. The bench minor is being served by Jakub Vrana.
	19:10	Czechs ice it . . .
	19:26	Two attempts from the point by Ekblad, the first was blocked but the second got through to Vanecek, who holds on.
	19:52	Another shot from the point by Ekblad, this one was high and I don't think Vanecek saw it, but it hit him and went into the corner.
	19:57	Goal for Team Canada! The Czechs don't seem to have an answer to Aaron Ekblad on the point on the power play. Expecting shot, he finds HAYDEN FLEURY for the goal this time. Canada 2/2 on the power play. Assist Aaron Ekblad.
	20:00	1st period finished.
		The 2-0 score is maybe hard on the Czechs, who actually played mostly a good period, but Canadian power plays at the start and finish resulted in the two goals. 2nd period starts at 19:48 CEST, 13:48 EDT.
		Teams are on the ice and the 2nd period will begin shortly.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	21:20	Jakub Vrana and Aaron Ekblad battling down low in the Canadian zone, eventually David Pastrnak gets a shot that Bilia turns away.
	22:11	Puck goes into the Czech bench, faceoff in the Canadian zone (2nd period bench situation).
	22:16	Czechs get a shot right off the draw, glove save Bilia and he holds on.
	23:00	The puck is deflected out of play at the Czech blueline, the faceoff will be just outside.
	23:40	Alexandre Carriere gets a couple of chances from the point, one hits a skate and comes back to him, second held onto by Vanecek.
	40:00	What an effort by Spencer Watson, trying to beat two Czech defenceman and gets a quality shot on Vanecek, Bennett follows up trying to get the rebound and actually hits Vanecek (who was down) in the face with his stick. No call on either the Czech hold or Canadian high stick on the play.
	25:48	Canadians rolling lines now and getting shots on Vanecek.
	26:05	The Czechs are getting a power play as Jayce Hawryluk is called for interference in the attacking zone.
	26:40	The difference so far in this game has definitely been specialty teams. The Canadians have been dominant on their power plays while the Czechs have yet to generate a shot.
	27:13	Finally there's a shot by Dominik Masin, a wrister from the top of the circle that Bilia saw all the way. :52 left in the Czech PP.
	28:15	Canada with another strong kill and now the puck is in the Czech zone . . .
	28:37	Dal Colle with the shot, Vanecek stopped and Virtanen put the rebound wide with room on the near side.
	29:07	Now a power play to Canada as Ondrej Miklis is called for interference. The potent Canadian PP is back to work and, of course, Ekblad on the point.
	29:57	Sam Bennett with a high wrister that hits Vanecek in the shoulder, puck goes behind the net.
	30:39	Threatening rush from Canada's second PP unit, Vanecek makes another save. :28 left in the penalty.
	31:00	Mad scramble in the dying seconds of the penalty, Fleury and McKeown both fire rolling pucks wide with traffic in front.
	31:59	Just after the Czechs kill the penalty they are going to the power play as Carl Neill hauled down Jakub Vrana down low.
	32:25	Czechs threatening with the man advantage, Dominik Masin's shot is deflected in front and goes out of play. Faceoff inside.
	33:00	Canadians ice and change the PK unit.
	33:53	Czechs still can't break through, but the PP looks much better this time, particularly Masin on the point who had 3 shots, I think. :06 left in the penalty.
	35:15	Pavel Zacha takes a tricky-looking wrister from the left wing that Bilia snares.
	35:44	Joe Hicketts shoots the puck into the Czech bench. Crowd hollers for a penalty because that is a penalty in the Czech league, but not elsewhere. Faceoff in the Canadian zone.
	37:08	Czech captain Dominik Masin thwarts a Canadian chance by hauling down Jake Virtanen. Canadians back to the power play, they're 2/3.
	37:55	Now Spencer Watson is tripped heading in on goal and is being awarded a penalty shot.
	37:55	Goal for Team Canada! On the penalty shot, SPENCER WATSON fires it off the crossbar and in to make it 3-0 Canada. As a penalty shot goal does not cancel a power play, the Canadian power play has another 1:13 to work with.
	38:40	Ekblad with the slapper from the point, pad save Vanecek, Daniel Audette tried to put in the rebound but his angle was too sharp.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		Canada adds to their lead late in the second period on Spencer Watson's penalty shot goal. Defensively, Canada was superb that period, though the Czechs did threaten on the power play this time. 3rd period begins at 20:32 CEST, 14:32 EDT.
		Teams are returning to the ice. 3rd period faceoff is moments away.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:32	The Czech Republic's Filip Pyrochta is going off for interference. He lined up Roland McKeown in the neutral zone but when the pass missed McKeown he was committed and couldn't avoid it.
	41:24	Goal for Team Canada! Canada's power play strikes again, 4/6 if you count the penalty shot goal. DANIEL AUDETTE finishes off the play. Assists: Brayden Point, Aaron Ekblad (3a).
	42:22	Offside Czech Republic.
	43:55	Puck off the netting in the Czech zone, faceoff inside.
	44:21	The Czech Republic with a chance on the power play as Hayden Fleury gets called for kneeing in front of his own net
	45:10	Clark Bishop with a nice individual effort on the PK, gets a shot and then pays for it in front of the Czech goal.
	45:51	Czech clearing attempt is deflected out of play. Faceoff outside with :30 left in the penalty.
	47:00	Rourke Chartier circles the Czech net and fires a shot, kicked out by Vanecek.
	47:21	Offside Czech Republic.
	48:10	Canada keeping the puck in the Czech zone, Pilon with a shot that Vanacek holds.
	48:35	Canadian rush, McCann fires just wide from the right wing.
	49:32	Pavel Zacha is called for slashing in his own zone and Canada is headed back to the power play.
	50:15	Interesting, up 4-0 in the 3rd Canada has its top PP unit out there.
	50:48	Dal Colle shoots from the boards, Vanecek holds on.
	51:09	McKeown with the shot from the point, stopped and held by Vanecek. No shot totals have been announced today, but he's seen plenty of rubber. :23 left in the penalty.
	51:40	Play now in the Canada zone as the Czechs change up, back at full strength.
	52:06	Canada's Jayce Hawryluk called for interference at the Czech blue line. Power play Czech Republic.
	52:56	A shot from the point by Pyrochta through traffic and an off-balance Bilia makes the save.
	54:00	Canada just firing the puck into the Czech zone every chance they get.
	54:28	Offside Czech Republic, with the teams now back to 5 on 5.
	54:55	Not completely on cruise control as Robby Fabbri throws a big open-ice hit in the neutral zone.
	56:21	Filip Pyrochta put the clutches on Brendan Lemieux then let him go, but the ref calls it anyway. At this point, I'd have probably let it go, but anyway Canada goes once more to the power play.
	56:52	Point tries to find Watson at the side of the net, but Watson deflects it high and out of play. Faceoff outside.
	57:28	Another save by Vanecek with :53 left in the power play.
	57:45	Ekbland with a beautiful set-up to Audette but Vanecek makes a great glove save. He's done all he can today. That would have been a 4th assist for Ekblad on the power play if not for that save.
	58:37	A Czech 2-on-1 and Bilia has to slide across to make a nice pad save. He hasn't had a lot of work this period.
	58:57	Canada is now getting a penalty, it's Michael Dal Colle but I didn't see it or hear the announcement. Doesn't matter at this point.
	59:48	The Czechs are going to have a 2-man advantage to end the game as Clark Bishop is called for tripping, taking the skates out from under a Czech player.
	60:00	Game over.
		Brendan Lemieux had a shorthanded breakaway at the very end but the puck rolled off his stick as time expired.
		Players of the Game: CZE Vitek Vanecek, CAN Julio Bilia. Not to take anything away from Bilia, who obviously stopped every shot, but how can it not be Aaron Ekblad this game? Oh well.
		With 3 points, Canada moves into a first-place tie with Switzerland in the Breclav Group after day 1, while the Czech Republic and Sweden are both pointless. Tomorrow Canada plays Sweden at 15:30 CEST/09:30 EDT and the Czechs play Switzerland at 19:00 CEST. (21:07:26)

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 3. DalColle (Ekblad, Fabbri), 20. Fleury (Ekblad), 38. Watson (p.s.), 42. Audette (Point, Ekblad)

Czech Republic: Vaněček (Pechek) – Zbořil, Pyrochta, Pýcha, Mašín, Mikliš, Zahradníček, Ščotka, Matula – Karabáček, Zacha, Kotala – Pastrňák Veselý, Vrána – Vopelka, Kovařčík, Jeniš – Černoch, Kuťák, Švarc. Coach: Petr Jakub.

Canada2: Bilia (McDonald) – Hickets, Ekblad, Fleury, McKeown, Pilon, Neill, Carrier – Bennett, Point, Watson, Dal Colle, Fabbri, Virtanen – Chartier, Bishop, Hawryluk – Lemieux, Audette, McCann – Pépin. Coach: Dale Hunter.

Referees: Hřibík, Šír – Hlavatý, Tošenovjan

1st period
	01:10
	02:24
	16:34
	18:33
	19:57
1st intermission
2nd period
	26:05
	29:07
	31:59
	37:08
	37:55
2nd intermission
3rd period
	40:32
	41:24
	44:21
	49:32
	52:06
	56:21
	58:57
	59:48
Final