The Czech National Ice Hockey Team beat Germany 4:1 on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
The Czechs scored three power-play goals en route to a 4-1 quarter-final win over Germany with a strong, controlled performance. This is the fourth time in eight Worlds that Czechia has advanced to the semi-finals.
The top Czech line was deadly. HC Olomouc’s David Krejci stepped up with a goal and a pair of assists, and his long-time Boston Bruins teammate David Pastrnak got a goal and an assist.
Captain Roman Cervenka, their linemate, had a goal and an assist as well and is bidding for the 2022 scoring crown (4+9=13). Jiri Smejkal added a single.
Czechia last won the gold medal at the 2010 Worlds in Cologne. They added bronze medals in 2011 in Bratislava and 2012 in Helsinki. They have not medalled since.
Coach Kari Jalonen’s Czech team controlled the tempo with confident puck movement. After a strong preliminary round, Germany was left chasing and playing catch-up at the worst possible time.
Moritz Seider had the lone goal for Germany.
The Czech team will face now Canada in the semi-final on Saturday, May 28.
