In Sports News: the Czech squad wins its opener but loses its second match at World Ice Hockey Championships; in the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs Jágr’s Philadelphia face an uphill battle to make it to the next round; London football club Chelsea, together with star Czech goalie Petr Čech, win the FA Cup; Czech tennis star Petra Kvitová slips to World No. 4.
Czechs win opener but lose second match at World Ice Hockey Championships
Photo: CTK
The World Ice Hockey Championships, hosted by Finland and Sweden, are well underway: so far the Czech team has seen mixed results. The squad won its opener on Friday against a defensively-tough Denmark, with Aleš Hemský putting the Czechs on the scoreboard with seconds left in the second period, and Petr Tenkrát adding a second goal in the third. Montreal Canadiens’ Tomáš Plekanec assisted on both goals and goalie Jakub Kovář, premiering in his first big tournament, stopped 26 shots to earn the shutout.
The second match saw a more lopsided result, however, one not in the Czechs’ favour. The team was soundly outplayed by powerhouse Sweden – one of the tournament’s favourites. The final score was 4:1. The Czechs were only able to get on the scoreboard in the 3rd period. After the final whistle, Czech forward David Krejčí shrugged off the loss saying that the team had gelled better than in the opener. Here’s how his colleague Aleš Hemský saw the game:
“It was a tough match especially the first period but I think we played a little better in the second and third. They played really well in the offensive zone and it was too bad they scored when they did to make it 3:1. I think we need to take a page from their book: we didn’t move enough and had trouble keeping the puck in.”
NHL: Jágr’s Philadelphia on the ropes
Photo: CTK
Overseas, in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers, including star Czech player Jaromír Jágr, are on the ropes after winning only one game and losing three in their series against the New Jersey Devils. On Sunday, the Flyers were defeated 4:2, meaning they are on the brink of elimination. Seasoned Czech players Petr Sýkora and Marek Židlický helped drive nails in the coffin, each earning a goal and an assist. Game 5 takes place in Philly; the club faces an uphill battle needing two straight wins to force a Game 7.
Football: Chelsea, goalkeeper Čech, win FA Cup
Petr Čech, photo: CTK
London football club Chelsea, together with star Czech goalie Petr Čech, won the FA Cup on Saturday, defeating rivals Liverpool by a score of 2-1. It is the fourth time in six years that Chelsea clinched the championship and this year has marked a remarkable turn-around for the team, which has struggled to otherwise remain among the top five or so teams in the English Premier League. Later in May, the club will play Bayern Munich in Munich, Germany in the final of the Champions League.
Tennis: Kvitová slips to World No. 4
Petra Kvitová, photo: CTK
Czech tennis player Petra Kvitová has slipped to World No. 4 in the WTA rankings from third spot. The former world No.2 – who won Wimbledon last year – is behind Poland’s Agnieska Radwaňská, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, and Viktoria Azarenka of Belarus. In the men’s rankings, Czech player Tomáš Berdych remains World No.7.
