The Finns were the clear favorite. After all, in seven matches of the basic group, thanks to their places up to the machine defense, they collected only five goals. The sold-out Nokia Arena in Tampere was even more shocked when the pets lost 0: 2 after sixteen minutes …
But Suomi did not panic. He still believed in his game, thanks to which he won the world championship in Bratislava or this year’s Olympics in Beijing three years ago. He did not push forward at any cost, on the contrary, he waited for the opponent’s mistakes. And the reward was a turn of 4: 2.
In the picture on the right, the general manager of the Slovak hockey team, Miroslav Šatan, and his assistant, Oto Haščák.Photo: TASR / ProfimediaProfimedia.cz
“I was embarrassed for the Finns. They have eleven NHL players and they won’t let them play hockey. Against the young inexperienced team, they back behind at five. If they played ahead as Canadians, we would have much bigger problems, “quotes the angry Haščák server sport.sk.
“Their system is destroying hockey. It strikes me as shot. This is not hockey. It’s just a defense. Waiting for mistakes. But they deserve credit that they can use it and have their strength, “Haščák continued, who is finishing at the Slovak national team and will be the general manager of the Bratislava Slavs from the new season.
The Slovaks were still close to the Finns in the 49th minute, but Slafkovsky’s shot was stopped by a stick. “If it went in, (the Finns) would, in my opinion, shake so much that we would win in overtime or a penalty shot. For today’s performance, I have to take off my hat and give the team a huge credit. But also for the whole tournament, “the Slovak forward praised the Slovaks, who won two bronzes with Czechoslovakia at the World Championships and in 1997 celebrated the extra – league title with Vsetín.
The Slovak super-talent amazed the spectators with a solo across the course.Video: CT sport, SPORT.CZ
“It’s not easy to come up with such an inexperienced team and play against such experienced opponents as the Finns. It is almost a miracle how we can play a balanced game in such difficult matches, “said Haščák.
In addition to Slafkovsky and the German, the 17-year-old forward Adam Sýkora may have said the first round of this year’s NHL draft, and forwarded forward Filip Mešár will be drafted. Pavol Regenda already shone at the Beijing Olympics. The 22-year-old forward of the Michalovce, who is headed to Mladá Boleslav, has now scored five goals in Finland.
Slovakia has the future of hockey. They will show it in the next drafts. Big changes must come in the Czech Republic. Discussion in IMPACT EXTRA.Video: Sport.cz
It is thus a question of whether he will really come to the Central Bohemian club. There is a lot of talk about people from the NHL … “He helped himself a lot towards the NHL. I know that there are many teams that are interested in him, “reveals Haščák, who sees the future of Slovak hockey very optimistically.
“We have another rising generation in the form of Dalibor Dvorský or Samuel Honzek. Slovak hockey has nothing to worry about. On the contrary, the nice hockey years are beginning. We have types of players who will mean something in world hockey. The skeleton of the representation begins to form. It is starting to be around the character and conscientious players who want to represent not only when they need it, but when the national team needs it, “said 58-year-old Haščák.
