National ice hockey team is world champion

The Czech Republic are the new ice hockey world champions after dethroning Russia and ending their 27-game World Championship winning streak May 23 in Cologne, Germany. The Czechs beat Russia 2-1 in the May 23 final.

"We proved that nothing is impossible," said forward Jaromír Jágr moments after an underestimated Czech squad beat the star-studded Russians lead by forwards Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin.

Undefeated in World Championship play since 2007, Russia had been looking for their third successive title. But it was the Czechs who got off to a flying start, scoring just 20 seconds into the match through Jakub Klepiš, who fired on an unguarded post.

"It was a beginning that we could have only dreamed of," Klepiš said after the game.

In the second period, the Czech Republic scored their second goal when Karel Rachůnek passed to team captain Tomáš Rolinek in the Russian zone a minute before the end of the period.

Russia struck back in the final period, netting a power play goal with just 36 seconds remaining on the clock, but it was not enough to deny the Czechs the world title.

Goaltender Tomáš Vokoun made 35 saves for the Czechs, who have won the World Championship title six times since the separation of Czechoslovakia. They also finished first in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2005.

"When you look at the players they have, there is no way we should have been able to beat Russia on an even level," said Vokoun. "In one game, anything can happen. I highly doubt that we would beat them in a playoff series four times to knock them out."

In fact, the Czech hockey community and the team began the tournament devoid of confidence. The Czechs got off to a poor start and even lost to underdog Norway 3-2 in the second game of the group stage.

"After that game, we didn't believe we could make it further than the quarterfinals in this tournament," Vokoun said.

Moments after the game against Norway, Jágr even criticized NHL-based Czech players - who have just completed a grueling season - for their refusals to join the national team in Germany. Should they keep refusing in the future, Jágr warned "a loss against Norway by one goal could soon be considered a good success."

"It could well happen that we would struggle against Mongolia in the World Championship low divisions," Jágr said at the time.

Following another loss to Switzerland in the second group phase, the Czech team faced the real danger of failing to qualify for a playoff round for the first time ever. However, a remarkable recovery followed, with wins against Sweden, Latvia and Canada earning the Czechs a spot in the quarterfinals against Finland. The Czechs advanced through the quarterfinals for the first time in four years after a penalty shootout.

In another penalty shootout, the Czechs beat Sweden in the semifinals. In arguably the biggest thriller in the tournament, the Czechs brought the game to overtime, scoring just seven seconds before the end of regulation. Defenseman Karel Rachůnek's uncompromising slap shot found a gap between the Swedish goalie's pads and landed in the net.

"This is something that happens once in lifetime," Rachůnek said after the game.

Ten minutes of scoreless overtime followed before Sweden succumbed in a penalty shootout.

Rolinek said the amazing reversal of fortune resulted from the players' effort to avoid embarrassment after a slow start to the tournament.

"We were so close to it, but we did not want to leave in shame," Rolinek said.

The team returned to a hero's welcome May 24 on Prague's Old Town Square.

František Bouc can be reached at
fbouc@praguepost.com