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Team Czech Republic and Team Canada engaged in a wild, goal-scoring parade in Břeclav in a pre-tournament exhibition game. The Czechs led 3-1 and 4-2 but the Canadians came storming back to win 7-5. Czech Jakub Zbořil and Canadian Lawson Crouse led their respective teams with 2 goals and 1 assist each.
It was only an exhibition game, but the fans who came out to watch Saturday´s pre-tournament encounter between the host Czechs and defending champion Canadians were thoroughly entertained. They saw 12 goals, end-to-end rushes and some nice saves. The two teams were especially dangerous on the power play - the Czechs were 3-for-8 while the Canadians went 2-for-5.
The Czechs got their first power play just 1:20 in when Lawson Crouse was sent off for 12 minutes in total for checking to the head. Jakub Zbořil made it count, as his shot from the point found its way through a crowd and past Canadian starting goalie Callum Booth. Both Crouse and Zbořil figured prominently on the scoresheet in the game. Zbořil got his second point two minutes later when he assisted on Martin Weinhold´s goal to make it 2-0 while the teams were playing 4-on-4. Finally, at the seven-minute mark, Mitchell Marner got the Canadians on the board when his blast beat Czech starting goalie Daniel Vladař under the crossbar.
The second period was the wildest part of the game, as five goals were scored and seemingly non-stop back-and-forth action, including a penalty shot. Filip Suchý and Crouse traded goals early on, then the Czechs took a 4-2 lead when Lukáš Jašek cashed in on the power play. The teams changed goalies near the halfway mark of the game, and new Canadian netminder Zachary Sawchenko got quite a welcome to the game when he had to face a penalty shot less than a minute later. Roman Dymáček actually seemed to have him beaten but the puck skipped over the blade of his stick as he tried to shoot. Canada then went to the power play and Crouse´s second goal of the game was a beautiful backhander into the top corner. Crouse then fed Lawson Hobbs on the rush 55 seconds later, and his shot from the right wing beat Jan Růžička to tie the score 4-4.
Canada took its first lead of the game at the 2:39 mark of the third period when Jansen Harkins converted a rebound, then the Canadians went to the power play and Jérémy Roy´s blast from the point beat a screened Růžička to make it 6-4. Zbořil scored his second power-play goal of the game to make it a one-goal game and the Czechs had a chance to tie it with a 5-on-3 power play for 1:03 but couldn´t convert. Crouse had the chance for the hat-trick when he went in alone on Růžička with 5:25 left but he was denied, but Travis Konecny finished the scoring just seconds later.
Canada now travels to Piešťany, where they will begin defence of their Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup title against Switzerland, while the Czechs will host the Americans in Břeclav on the same day.
Czech Republic 5 : Canada 7 (2:1, 2:3, 1:3)
Goals and assists: 3. Zbořil (Chlapík), 5. Weinhold (Zbořil), 23. Suchý (Dufek), 29. Jašek (Zbořil), 47. Zbořil (Weinhold) – 7. Marner (Strome), 26. Crouse (Merkley), 33. Crouse (Konecny, Spencer), 34. Hobbs (Crouse), 43. Harkins (Vande Sompel), 45. J. Roy (Marner), 55. Konecny (Spencer).
Penalty minutes: 10:26, including 10-minute misconduct to Crouse (CAN). Power-play goals: 3:2. Referees:: Hradil, Šír – Gebauer, Lederer.
Czech Republic: Vladař, 30. Růžička – Zbořil, Weinhold, Krenželok, Kalina, Hájek, Doudera, Zajíc, Kaňák – Dymáček, Chlapík, Jašek – Stránský, Kaše, Koblížek – Anděl, Šoustal, Suchý – Gago, Dvořák, Dufek – Duráč.
Canada: Booth, 30. Sawchenko – J. Roy, Spencer, Brisebois, Meloche, Sompel, Bear, Hobbs – Knott, Strome, Marner – Crouse, N. Roy, Merkley – Harkins, Barzal, Konecny – Soy, Beauvillier, Musil – Stephens.