Out of the Frying Pan, Back into the Frying Pan: Czechia vs Canada

Czechia faced a new rival in the final game of the group stage, the team they defeated in last year’s semifinals. They suffered a tough loss, but came back with a vengeance against old rivals Finland in the first game of the knockout round.

Game 3 vs Canada

Although this game ended in a 5-0 shutout for the Canadians, there was a lot to like in Czechia’s game and a very clear picture of the team’s flaws, which should help them prepare for the next stage in the tournament.

Canada’s first three goals came as the result of them being able to establish net-front presence, either on the cycle or on the rush, and Czechia being unable to harry or disrupt that setup enough. The fourth came on a very unfortunate collision that saw Daniela Nováková beneath two of her teammates in the crease with her helmet coming off when the puck sailed over her head. The fifth goal looked to be the result of fatigue, five minutes from the end of the game, and it took the remaining wind out of Czechia’s sails.

Czechia did a decent job of disrupting Canada and establishing the positioning they needed to move the puck up the ice and keep the offensive zone. The issue was that Canada has a lot of individual talent to fall back on even if their flow is disrupted. The other issue was that Canada did a better job of disrupting Czechia’s play, particularly on the power plays, which struggled to enter and maintain the zone. 

In each period, Czechia seemed to hit their stride right at the end of the period, establishing momentum when it was too late to capitalize. They seemed constantly on the verge of making something happen: their passes, their shots, and their sticks in lanes were always just a few inches short of being on target. In that way, it’s easy to see how one or two finishers– the kind they had last year in Adéla Šapovalivová– could be the difference in a game like this.

I’d like to have seen this team able to take advantage of their brief opportunities. A 5-on-3 advantage was squandered with tentative play, which you understand in the context of the pressure Canada had brought to bear all game. That’s a time where experience can also make the difference in utilizing that extra moment. 

Adéla Pánková was named player of the game for Czechia, which feels right. Her line is an energy line and a skill line, very capable of smothering opponents and forcing pucks up the ice, then creating plays with stick-handling and skating. 

Game 4 vs Finland

You can tell a team is having a great game when it feels like they have more players on the ice than their opponents do. While Czechia felt constantly a step behind Canada, they felt a step ahead of Finland, able to execute their gameplan in all three zones. They got ahead of the Finns with speed, they won physical battles, they forced turnovers and icings, and they did a great job of creating their own gaps and engaging cycles. Finland recorded only two shots on goal in the first period.

A goal five minutes into the first from defender Adéla Fromová set the tone, and a power play marker from Magdaléna Felcmanová 18 seconds into the second maintained it. Captain Linda Vocetková notched her third of the tournament and the third of the game at the midway point, but Finland stayed in the game until a third period penalty turned into a pair of short-handed goals from Viktorie Jílková and Andrea Kantorová. Those goals took the fire out of the Finns, which allowed Dana Březinová’s goal with just over five minutes left in the game.

The Czech penalty kill has looked dangerous all tournament, but it wasn’t until this game that they were able to break through on their chances. They’ve been playing an energetic system to disrupt opponents’ power plays and create opportunities. Against faster or more structured teams, this method succeeded in running down the clock and allowing changes. Here, it created goals.

The danger of this style of play, both on the PK and at even strength, is that it’s a risk-reward system that can allow chances the other way. In this game, there were three separate instances where, but for lucky bounces in the crease, Finland would have converted. This game could easily have been much closer than 6-0. That will be something to watch out for going forward, but at the same time, this dangerous style of play is part of the team’s identity. 

With a short-handed goal and an assist, Jílková was named Czechia’s player of the game. The other players on her line, Březinová and Felcmanová, each registered a goal and an assist themselves. 

Although the skaters in this game deserve their roses, goaltender Daniela Nováková should also get a nod. Making 18 saves was hardly her toughest challenge of the tournament, but a few of them were dangerous shots. The benefit of going into the semifinals on a shutout performance is notable.

Takeaways

With this quarterfinals victory, Czechia will move on to the semifinals on Saturday, where they will play Canada again for the chance to compete for a gold medal. The good news is that Czechia will have some very fresh video to watch. The bad news is that they will have some very fresh video to watch.

The blowout loss could make the Czechs feel like they have no chance to beat Canada. The blowout win against Finland could rejuvenate their confidence and put them back in their stride going into the semifinals. The defense needs to protect the net front better, the forwards need to remain calm and play to their strengths when they have opportunities, and Daniela Nováková should keep doing what’s she’s been doing. 

Most importantly, the coaching staff needs to remind these players that this is not new ground. They’ve lost to Canada before, but they’ve beaten them as well, at this same point. Nothing is decided until the game is over.