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DenmarkCzech juniors celebrate bronze medal and are top European U18 team
Czech women´s hockey can already celebrate one of the 2013-14 season objectives as fulfilled. The Under-18 national team is coming back from World Championships in Budapest with bronze medal, finishing third only to Canada and the United States and thus becoming the top team in the category. It is the first bronze medal for the Czechs in six years and it has come thanks to their strength as well as team play.
And after all it were the 1996-born players who motivated the others to create a strong team with willingness to win the medal. The cornerstone of the success was laid in the opening game with the Czechs beating Finland 4-3 after shootout. Following a tough 3-1 win against Japan, they also managed to keep the Canada game scoreless for a long time before allowing five goals, none of which was answered.
The team went on to quarterfinals advancing from second place in the preliminary group. They would go on to face Sweden, the team that beat them in the bronze-medal game last year. "We sure can beat them just like we did at a pre-WJC tournament here," said backup goalie Zechovská. "We want to win," added Vendula Přibylová prior to quartefinals. And the team would beat the Swedes, 3-0.
The semifinals saw the Czechs facing the United States and it would only be a surprise if they continued to the finals. However, they got close to upsetting the Americans, holding a tie after two periods despite the big difference in shots on goal. The U.S. would add two goals in the third and advance after the 3-1 win though.
In the bronze-medal game, the Czechs squared off with Team Russia that had a good game in the semis against would-be champions from Canada. The Russians played well defensively, but allowed one goal when captain Aneta Tejralová broke the tie. Czech goalie Klára Peslarová, however, managed to keep the goal shut and recorded a shutout so the Czechs could celebrate a 1-0 victory. Peslarová was also honored as the top goalie of the entire tournament.
Right now the focus of many junior players is on the World Women´s Championships of Division I in Přerov. Nine of them managed to crack the preliminary lineup and will help the team to get back to the elite division. "Two world championships in a row are going to be a tough test, but I think we can do it," says Tereza Vanišová. "I think we are able to go on and celebrate another success. We have an ambitious team that´s willing to do everything in order to advance back to the top division," added Dominika Lásková.