This afternoon in Red Deer the Swedes barely survived their
encounter with the Czech Republic, edging them 4-3.  This was a game the
Czechs were in a position to win, but undisciplined play cost them.  This
account is based on the telecast on TSN.  Forsberg and Nestak started in
goal.
        The game began with a quick penalty to the Czechs at 0:11 when
Jan Hlavac was sent off for hooking.  This pattern of taking penalties
was the Czech's Achille's heel.  On this power play Jesper Mattsson got
off a quick shot.  The Swedes got three more shots off on the power play,
but all from outside.
        The Czechs opened the scoring at 3:08.  Milan Hejduk scored on a
quick shot from a nice pass behind the net from Tomas Blazec.  Sweden
drew a penalty at 5:15 when Jesper Mattsson was called for holding the
stick.
        Sweden killed off the penalty well, even getting a shot on goal,
but just after the penalty ended Josef Marha had a nice chance in front.
The Czechs continued to put on the pressure with Zdenek Nedved getting
another chance.
        Peter Strom of Sweden went off for roughing at 14:46.  Again, the
Swedes got a 2x1, but it was not finished well.  Vaclav Varada at the end
of the penalty go a nice pass from Vaclav Prospal, but Forsberg made a
good save.  5' 7" Anders Soderburg got off a quick shot from the point
which was saved by Nestak.  Soderburg, with 4 goals and 1 assist is the
tournament's leading scorer at this point.  In the last minute Prospal
had a great backhand shot from the slot.
        This was an even period, with a lot of checking.
 
        The Czechs put on good pressure in the first minute of the second
period but Forsberg was up to the task.  Then Jaroslav Kudrna had a great
turnaround shot, and the rebound was threatening too, but Forsberg again
made the saves.
        The Czechs broke through again at 2:28 when off the face off
Vlastimil Kroupa's shot from the blue line went past Forsberg, who looked
shaky here.  Assist to Jan Hrdina.
        Again the Czechs put on pressure forcing Forsberg to make a
save.  The Swedes skated back getting a good shot on Nestak.  At 6:18
Swede Per Svartvadet went off for interference.  After the Swedes killed
the penalty Mattsson got a nice chance saved by Nestak.
        Ladislave Kohn boarded Per-Johan Axelsson who was shaken up on
the play but there was no call, the ref missed this one.  At 13:13 Marik
Malik was called for holding on the quick Soderburg.  This was a
borderline call and probably a make up.  In any event Mattson took a
foolish penalty in the offensive zone at 12:27 for hitting from
behind,negating the power play and also picking up a misconduct.  In a
game where Sweden is having trouble generating offense this was not smart.
        The Czechs took a hooking penalty at 14:14 on Jan Hrdina, then
another at 15:07 on Petr Buzek for cross checking creating a 2 man
advantage.  Then they took still another penalty on Malik at 15:34 for
cross checking.  This was a good call as Malik repeadedly crosschecked a
player down on the ice.  It could not be ignored.
        Nestak came up big on many shots, and 2 men down the Czechs even
got a break the other way.  However, at 17:06 Andreas Karlsson scored
from Andersson-Junkka and Back.
        Then Forsberg misses another long shot from marha to restore the
2 goal advantage at 19:44.  But Sweden came right back to score a big
goal at 19:57 by Niklas Sundstrom from Nylander and Svartvadet.
 
        At 3:36 of the third Vaclav Varada was called for a major at 3:36
for checking from behind.  THis too was a good call as Ohlund was checked
into the boards.  Niklas Sundstrom took a slashing penalty at 5:51
ruining the major.  At 11:26 Kohn was called for tripping.  This was a
bad penalty (not a bad call.) The Czechs played with fire too many times
and Andreas Karlsson tied the game at 11:37 on a rebound.  Assists to
Pihlstrom and Finnstrom.
 
[I have to skip some detail here, I'm running late]
 
        Sweden got the winner at 16:02 when Andersson-Junka scored on a
long shot which was deflected.  Just before the end of the game Mattias
Ohlund hurt his knee and was carried off on a stretcher.  He had tripped
over his own man.
 
        I'm sorry for spelling and other mistakes, but I've got to run to
my radio show and don't have time to check this.
 
Arthur Berman  [log in to unmask]