“We didn’t expect this at all, but we are very happy that we succeeded,” Pilsen forward Adam Benák admitted to CT that the full point gain exceeded expectations.
Against the Germans (6:2) it was not as exciting a spectacle as the day before against the USA, which is quite understandable considering the quality of the opponent. However, coach David Čermák’s men were in full control of the game, and the key passage came at the end of the second period, when the home team jumped from 1:0 to 4:0 with three goals in a span of 123 seconds.
But then a certain satisfaction followed, the Czechs fell out of pace, which the Germans were able to use to reduce the score to 2:4. Against a stronger opponent, such a failure could be avenged.
“When we scored a few goals, we started to think that it would go away by itself. We got a little out of the game we want to play,” Pilsen striker Adam Benák nodded in an interview with CT, who followed up his three-point win against the USA on Monday evening with a goal and an assist, making him the most productive player in the Czech national team.
Advance to Friday’s semi-finals; additionally from the first place; young Czechs have within their reach. On Wednesday against the Swedes, who suffered a 1-6 debacle from the USA on Tuesday, even a five-goal defeat will ensure them. In that case (assuming the expected victory of the Americans over the Germans), the top three teams would have six points, and the best score from each other’s matches would speak for the Czechs in the mini-table.
Photo: Václav Šálek, CTK
Czech under-18 hockey players defeated Germany. From left, Jacob Ficenec from Germany, Adam Benák from the Czech Republic and Manuel Schams from Germany.
“We have to do it clearly better against Germany. We mustn’t underestimate the Swedes in particular, we have to fly into it like the Americans and we have a chance. I hope we all get a good night’s sleep for this, because we are all tired,” Třinec striker Šimon Pohludka, who scored the opening goal and added an assist against the Germans, reminds hokeki.cz of a demanding program in the form of three duels in three days.
“We want to be the first in the group and win absolutely everything,” Benák refuses, saying that the Czechs would be influenced by the progress math against the Tre kronor selection. they last won a medal at Hlinka six years ago, when they won silver.