Switzerland did battle with the unbeaten teams in Group A, downing the Czech Republic in a shootout. Philipp Kurashev scored the winning goal after a 1-1 draw in 65 lopsided minutes.
Kevin Fiala, who made his league debut today, flying in from Los Angeles a day after his wife Jessica gave birth to their daughter Maisie-Mae, celebrated fatherhood with a power play goal in the first period. Czech Matej Stransky scored the Czechs’ first PP goal of the tournament to tie the game.
“Maybe it was some new dad energy,” he smiled. βFirst, I want to thank my wife for letting me go. He was very supportive and wanted me to play. I am so thankful for that.
“We had good energy today. It was a long flight and I was a bit tired to be honest, but we got the win and we can move on.”
Fiala and Stransky both scored in the shootout, but the winner went to Kurashev. He mimicked the quick release that brought Stransky success at the other end, surprising Lucas Dostal with an early shot to settle the score.
“I just went down and saw what the goalie did, what he gave me,” Kurashev said of his game-winning play. “That quick shot was the choice and it worked.”
Switzerland’s power play was too hot for Austria yesterday, and brought the first breakthrough of the period. When Roman Cervenka sat for roughing it, the Swiss got to work and Fiala announced his arrival with the opening goal of the game. Czech defenseman Radko Gudas was too busy trying to cut off a passing lane for Nino Niederreitter between the chip markers, allowing Fiala to come through the boards and curl a shot over Dostal’s shoulder. After 78:36, the netminder was finally defeated in this tournament.
“We have to stay outside the box,” warned Cervenka, who continued to discuss that tough call with officials even after the anthems. “We know there are good teams here, with good PP. We have to play 5-on-5, stay disciplined all 60 minutes.”
When the teams played five-on-five, there wasn’t much to choose between them. Things took time to settle, with early shifts punctuated by frequent whistles. There were moments of danger, notably when David Spacek’s point shot went through the Swiss nets, but also very tough, physical hockey.
The Czech power play has not been as strong as the Swiss so far in this competition. He was 0-for-6 before today’s game, but when Fiala sat down to trip early in the second, there were good performances for Cervenka and Gudas.
In the midst of some irreconcilable play, tempers flared. Four players, two from each team, went to the box amid scuffles around Dostal’s net, and then Switzerland’s Roman Sigenthaler sat down for a save to put the Czech Republic back on the power play.
This time, the special team paid off: quickly working the puck around the zone, Cervenka fed Spacek, who fed Stransky in the left circle. The Swiss saw plenty of action for Davos this season but had no answer to a shot past Leonardo Genoni to level the game.
That turned the buzz up another notch, and when Dominik Kubalik twice shot wide of the target, the tension was up to 11. The Czech Republic finished the second period in the ascendancy and the home crowd responded.
Momentum kept changing hands. A Czech penalty kick just before the kicker gave Switzerland a power play at the start of the third. That was thwarted, but Kurashev had a great chance when the Czechs allowed a turnover in the middle and the Chicago forward found the Dostal net.
Chances were increasingly hard to come by and there was a sense that one mistake could prove decisive. Genoni almost gifted the Czechs a goal when his wayward clearance from the corner was headed home by Jakub Fleck. The Swiss goalkeeper saved with a diving stick save.
At the other end, Hischier attempted a difficult turn and shot. Dostal made the save and the ensuing collision with Ondrej Kase saw the Swiss striker pulled in the face. With the game tied right down to the last, Hischier returned to the game before the end of regulation and played his part in overtime.
Extra time was more open than the previous 60 minutes, but neither side could produce a winner. Even the Swiss power play couldn’t break the deadlock in the final 45 seconds as the game went inexorably to penalties.
Despite the first defeat of the tournament, the Czechs still have some positives. “We played our structure, the way we wanted to play,” David Kampf said. “We expected it to be this tight. We planned to play good defense and we did.”
I think we could have taken two points, but we can still be quite happy with one point.