Finland-Czech Republic can already be called a quarter-final classic.
The teams meet each other in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships for the fourth time in a row.
Last fall in Denmark, the Czech Republic emerged as the winner for the first time. Finland succumbed dramatically in overtime and was left out of the medal games for the first time in history. In the placement matches, Finland defeated Hungary after extra time, but lost For Japan at the end of the shootout, (you will switch to another service)which meant relegation to B group.
However, Naisleijonat in the B group managed to go unbeaten with a clear goal difference of 26–3 and made it to the next games as the group winner.
The Women’s League’s most powerful chain mates will also face each other in Kaukalo Julia Liikala and Michaela Pejzlova. Pejzlova won the regular season point exchange with 32+50=82, while Liikala was found in third place on the same list (28+38=66). The Czech striker also won the point exchange for the playoffs (11+13=24).
– I love playing against Finland! We think we are on the same level. That’s why you never know who will win, Czech striker Pejzlova starts.
– But at the same time, games are also the most emotional of all. Only one of us moves on and the other is not so happy.
Liikala nods next to him. Last fall, it was his turn to leave disappointed.
– We haven’t really talked about it, and neither of us ever tried to rub it in the other’s face. Of course I was happy for Misha and Czech. At the point when we lost, I was hoping they would take the medal home.
And in the end, the Czech Republic managed and won its first women’s World Cup medal in history. Switzerland fell 4–2 in the bronze medal match.
This year, Liikala does not want the trick to be repeated.
– Can’t give any line. Even if there’s a good guy on the other side, you just have to go hard and when necessary throw it at the wall if that’s what it takes!
However, Liikala and Pejzlova don’t understand one thing – why they, representing two fairly similar countries, meet every year in the quarterfinals. And they are not the only ones wondering about the women’s World Cup format.
– Maybe the system shouldn’t be like that. It seems that Switzerland has gotten there quite easily. They always end up at the bottom of the group and then always play in the middle of the A group, so they practically can’t drop out of there. However, the number one in Group B is always tough and we are pretty even with the Czech Republic. I think either of us would be in Group A rather than Japan and Switzerland.
Friends travel in and out of the rink
Pejzlova and Liikala played key roles this season when HIFK celebrated its first championship in history. The feared duo wreaked havoc both in the regular season and in the playoffs.
It also goes outside the rink: the friends live as roommates and have a great time together.
– Julia is a great friend. He is really responsible and you can rely on him for many things. At the same time, he’s really funny. We are quite similar, Pejzlova begins.
– Misha is a relaxed guy and has a good sense of humor. Maybe you’ll notice that the game goes well when it’s fun and relaxed even outside the rink. We don’t even need to see where the other is going when we can already predict where it is and put the puck there. That’s where it is, Liikala knocks.
In Kaukalo, the duo has done so well that even Pejzlova’s grandmother had sent her tips for the World Championships.
– Whenever we play against Finland, my grandmother says to remember that you are playing against Julia, not with Julia! Remember not to feed him!
Women’s ice hockey has developed rapidly in the Czech Republic
Pejzlova has followed the development of women’s hockey in her home country from a close distance. When he first played with the women, the team wasn’t even in the main competition yet – and now they are the reigning World Cup bronze medallists.
– When I started playing ice hockey, women didn’t get much support from the union. This has changed in recent years. We have been given better conditions and every year we are taken more seriously, Pejzlova is happy.
– Support is not yet where it should be and where we would like it to be, but the direction is right.
Pejzlova says that there are still many people in the country who think that hockey is only a man’s game. However, the attitudes of more and more people have changed.
– Many have approached me and told me that they had never watched women’s hockey, but then I saw you at the Olympics and started following you on social media. Now they have become our fans.
A big reason for success can be found in coaching: the coaching team has grown and become more and more professional. Pejzlova especially thanks the team’s former coach Tomas Pacinawho piloted the Czech Republic to the Olympics.
– He took the team many steps forward. Now Carla ( Rae MacLeod) has kind of followed in his footsteps, but has also brought in a female angle. In the last few years, I have been really happy playing in the national team.
One reason for the development is that more and more girls are going abroad to develop. For example, more than half of this year’s under-18 girls World Cup team already played outside their home country. They were also seen in the women’s league: for example TPS Eliska Hotovaof HPK Barbora Jurickova and Tereza Pistekova.
Now in the Czech Republic, the focus is even on what was talked about for years in women’s ice hockey in Finland: challenging the USA and Canada.
– That is the next step. There used to be a big gap between us and Finland, which we have now bridged. I dreamed that one day I could be part of the team and then we could talk in the locker room about how we beat the USA and Canada… Someday!