The Czechs did not meet the Finns at last year’s championship. However, in Tampere in 2022, the opponents did not even score a goal in the group match (0:3) and a year earlier the same scenario was seen in the quarter-finals of the tournament in Riga (0:1).
Rulík’s selection also has fresh experience with Suomi from the Czech Games in Brno, where he fell 1:4. While EHT won six games before the last venture, they did not get a single point in Brno, losing to the Swedes and the Swiss in addition to the Finns.
WC in hockey 2024
The 87th World Ice Hockey Championship is taking place in the term 10-26 May 2024 in the Czech Republic, the tournament will be divided between the cities of Prague and Ostrava.
Since then, the Czech roster has changed drastically, and Rulík’s coaching staff no longer has 22 forwards. In the end, the implementation team eliminated four candidates from the NHL from the nomination. At the last minute, on the other hand, he welcomed David Kämpf from Toronto, who was given a place on the roster by Spartan Pavel Kousal.
While it is clear that forwards Radan Lenc, Michal Kovařčík and defender Jan Ščotka will remain out of the game for the time being, it is uncertain who will start the opening duel in goal. Petr Mrázek is expected to take the number one position. Nevertheless, Lukáš Dostál caught two of the three duels at the Czech Games. Karel Vejmelka did not intervene in the game at all.
Nine games, eight wins
In recent years, the Finns have been among the most successful teams at the world championships. However, after three finals in a row, where they won two golds and one silver, they finished seventh at the home tournament last year, falling short of Canada in the quarterfinals. Jukka Jalonen will lead Suomi as head coach at the tenth anniversary World Cup. So far he has won three golds and one silver. He still has a bronze from 2008 as an assistant.
The biggest Finnish star will be striker Mikael Granlund. He should line up in the center of the first formation. The 32-year-old forward spent this year in below-average San Jose, where he scored a solid 60 points (12+48). Otherwise, the Finns will not rely too much on players from the NHL. In addition to Granlund, the team was strengthened by Detroit defender Olli Määttä and forwards Jesse Puljujärvi and Valtteri Puustinen from Pittsburgh.
Competition: The biggest hockey fan
Send a fan photo and win valuable prizes in a competition on Novinky.cz
Unlike the Czech team, Finland had a great preparation for the final event of the season. Including the Czech Games, they won eight out of nine matches. The Finns were able to defeat the Swedes four times out of five, and in Brno at the Betano Hockey Games they won all three games and dominated the EHT tournament.
Bookmakers assign the role of slight favorite to the Finns. The last time the Czechs beat their Friday opponent was at the World Championship seven years ago in Paris, when they overturned an unfavorable result and won 4:3 after raids.
