German Cup (hockey): Slovakia – Switzerland 7: 1 – ŠPORT.sk

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Coach Craig Ramsay’s charges started in a truncated formation with only three attacks, as a coronavirus appeared in the team just before the duel. Filip Krivošík and Jozef Baláž also had positive tests, and their roommates Michal Ivan and Samuel Buček, who remained in quarantine, did not take part on Thursday. Nevertheless, the Slovaks showed a quality performance and finally outclassed the opponent.

At the Krefeld tournament, they will meet on Saturday with the Olympic team of Russia (18.00 h) and on Sunday with the home Germany (14.30 h). The event is the first of two preparations before the February Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The Slovaks had to defend themselves in the first minute when Krištof fouled unnecessarily. They managed the unpleasant situation and immediately after the weakening took the lead. Krištof pulled the puck on the left side, passed in front of the goal Holešisný, who failed to get him for Wüthrich, but in front of the goal area was a strong Gríger and opened the score – 1: 0. The match continued at a good pace, the game spilled over from side to side and both teams created a few chances. In the 10th minute, Takáč could have increased to 2: 0, but he did not move from the finish line and by a backhand for two minutes. The Swiss could turn in less than two minutes, but took advantage of only one of the opponent’s two big mistakes. In the 13th minute, Kňažko lost the puck in his own zone, Corvi went alone against Tomek and overcame it between the concrete – 1: 1. A minute later, they were renumbered 2 to 1, but Martschini did not hit the puck after a nice combination with Ambühl. In the end, the Slovaks played a power play, but did not get anything out of it.

At the beginning of the second act, Thürkauf Holešinský fouled, and even though the intervention did not look very dangerous, the Swiss center hit the opponent’s head and the referee sent him to the locker room prematurely after watching the video. Slovakia was thus given a great opportunity to improve its lead, but during the five-minute power play it came up little. Apart from Hrehorčák’s shot, Wüthrich had no work at all. In the offensive, they did better in a steady state, which was confirmed in the middle of the match, when they took the lead again. After a good attack by Hrehorčák, he again emphasized the goal in front of Gríger and with his second goal in the match he adjusted to 2: 1. Ramsay’s charges kept the baton of the game in their hands in the second period and were much more dangerous. From the 37th minute they played another power play and Gríger had little time to complete the hat-trick. In the last minute of the third, a newcomer to the Mešár team performed a nice individual action, he got rid of two defenders with a twist, but he shot him against Wüthrich.

The Swiss could have reduced in the 42nd minute, when they again renumbered two to one, but Ambühl missed Tomek’s goal. Then they played a short power play, which ended after a foul by the Swiss captain, and 5 against 4 were played by Slovaks. This time they managed to take advantage of the numerous advantage when Krištof prevailed. In the next course, the Slovaks guarded the lead, played reliably in the defense and did not put the opponent under significant pressure. The Swiss recalled the goalkeeper for the final three minutes, which was used by Holešinský and Hetrik Gríger, who added two goals to the empty net. After them, Takáč also scored at his premiere in the A-team and adjusted Hrehorčák to 7: 1 in the power play.