Canada beat Czechis on the first day of the tournament. Can they do it again in the semi-finals?
photo: Tim Austen/IIHF
There are all sorts of ways to look at the semi-finals matchup tomorrow night between Canada and the Czechs. Historically, Canada has held a large advantage (21-2-4 vs. Czechia), but more recent results skew those numbers to the Czechs.
The Czechs have won three of the last five games, including the quarter-finals game last year, 4-3. Their tournament results in the last three years—silver, bronze, bronze—are as impressive as Canada’s—gold, 5th, 5th.
And on Boxing Day last week, Canada won a wild one, 7-5, a game both nations would like to forget. Neither goalie was particularly strong, and in front of them the defensive play both ways was lacking. But that was only the first day of the tournament. Both teams have developed and grown. The players have gotten used to each other as teammates, polished all aspects of their game. Truly, a week can make a big difference.
As well, for many players on both sides, this game is a 2.0 update of the U18 quarter-finals in Allen, Texas, won by Canada, 3-2, in overtime, on a Cole Reschny goal. Canada went on to win gold with six players who are here in St. Paul, including goalie Jack Ivankovic, who had a perfect 6-0 record and was named IIHF Directorate Best Goalie. The Czechs have seven players from that team here. They all remember that game well.
Canada is the top-ranked team in goals scored, 32, while the Czechs are third, 24. Perhaps more significant, Canada’s power play has been working at a ridiculous clip of about 47 per cent, scoring eight times on just 17 opportunities. Their puck movement has been outstanding. Rather than just get the puck to the point for a shot and scramble in front, the Canadians have been moving the disc east-west for scoring chances, often going east-west-east to create that open side of the net.
The Czechs have six goals in 19 tries, about 32 per cent, and have good distribution of scoring. It’s not a matter of focusing on one player; it’s their tyle that has been effective.
The penalty kill also favours Canada by a significant margin. They have allowed only one goal while short-handed 12 times, while the Czechs have surrendered four in 16 such situations.
But what these numbers don’t show exactly is perhaps Canada’s biggest nemesis—discipline. Several penalties have come about because of poor decisions or reacting poorly to situations which require maturity beyond their years. If the Czechs can exploit this, and goad Canada into senseless penalty-box time, that might turn the momentum.
Ivankovic looks like he will be the starter, and for the Czechs it will likely be Michal Orsulak, who was backup at the U18.
Of the tournament’s top 12 scorers, six are from Canada and three from Czechia, so the individual star power is there. The abrasive Zayne Parekh leads all scorers with ten points, while Michael Hage (CAN) and Vojtech Cihar (CZE) share the lead in assists, with seven.
When asked about the 7-5 game on Boxing Day, Reschny said: “We have to clean up defensively. It was a high-scoring game. We didn't think it would be like that. We'll take another look at the game, see what they've changed, and create a plan.”
After beating the Swiss in the quarter-finals, Czech forward Matej Kubiesa noted: “We don't care who we play. We have to win to get to the finals, and that's what we want to do. We need to have a better start.”
Indeed, the first ten minutes might well decide the game. If Canada can take advantage of a slow Czech start by coming up with one of their patented World Junior released-from-the-cage starts, it might be over quickly. But if the Czechs can hang in there, take advantage of what chances they get, it could be a great game.
The Czechs have won three of the last five games, including the quarter-finals game last year, 4-3. Their tournament results in the last three years—silver, bronze, bronze—are as impressive as Canada’s—gold, 5th, 5th.
And on Boxing Day last week, Canada won a wild one, 7-5, a game both nations would like to forget. Neither goalie was particularly strong, and in front of them the defensive play both ways was lacking. But that was only the first day of the tournament. Both teams have developed and grown. The players have gotten used to each other as teammates, polished all aspects of their game. Truly, a week can make a big difference.
As well, for many players on both sides, this game is a 2.0 update of the U18 quarter-finals in Allen, Texas, won by Canada, 3-2, in overtime, on a Cole Reschny goal. Canada went on to win gold with six players who are here in St. Paul, including goalie Jack Ivankovic, who had a perfect 6-0 record and was named IIHF Directorate Best Goalie. The Czechs have seven players from that team here. They all remember that game well.
Canada is the top-ranked team in goals scored, 32, while the Czechs are third, 24. Perhaps more significant, Canada’s power play has been working at a ridiculous clip of about 47 per cent, scoring eight times on just 17 opportunities. Their puck movement has been outstanding. Rather than just get the puck to the point for a shot and scramble in front, the Canadians have been moving the disc east-west for scoring chances, often going east-west-east to create that open side of the net.
The Czechs have six goals in 19 tries, about 32 per cent, and have good distribution of scoring. It’s not a matter of focusing on one player; it’s their tyle that has been effective.
The penalty kill also favours Canada by a significant margin. They have allowed only one goal while short-handed 12 times, while the Czechs have surrendered four in 16 such situations.
But what these numbers don’t show exactly is perhaps Canada’s biggest nemesis—discipline. Several penalties have come about because of poor decisions or reacting poorly to situations which require maturity beyond their years. If the Czechs can exploit this, and goad Canada into senseless penalty-box time, that might turn the momentum.
Ivankovic looks like he will be the starter, and for the Czechs it will likely be Michal Orsulak, who was backup at the U18.
Of the tournament’s top 12 scorers, six are from Canada and three from Czechia, so the individual star power is there. The abrasive Zayne Parekh leads all scorers with ten points, while Michael Hage (CAN) and Vojtech Cihar (CZE) share the lead in assists, with seven.
When asked about the 7-5 game on Boxing Day, Reschny said: “We have to clean up defensively. It was a high-scoring game. We didn't think it would be like that. We'll take another look at the game, see what they've changed, and create a plan.”
After beating the Swiss in the quarter-finals, Czech forward Matej Kubiesa noted: “We don't care who we play. We have to win to get to the finals, and that's what we want to do. We need to have a better start.”
Indeed, the first ten minutes might well decide the game. If Canada can take advantage of a slow Czech start by coming up with one of their patented World Junior released-from-the-cage starts, it might be over quickly. But if the Czechs can hang in there, take advantage of what chances they get, it could be a great game.