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	TEAM LINE UPS
	EVENT SUMMARY

NIAGARA, N.Y. - Team Czech Republic defeated Team Slovakia 5-2 in the last relegation game of the tournament.  Czech Republic continued their momentum of offensive opportunities as they fired forty shots on goal through three periods. Slovakia’s undisciplined play allowed Czech Republic to capitalize on four of nine power play chances.

As Slovakia’s Peter Trska was called for a two minute infraction, Czec forward Peter Holik recorded his first goal of the tournament and first goal of the contest as he wristed a shot on the power play past goaltender Juraj Holly. Less than three minutes later, Czech Republic’s forward Jakub Culek also netted his first goal of the tournament as he capitalized on their second power play opportunity to put Slovakia in a 2-0 deficit. Through the first period of play, Czech Republic’s solid defense limited Slovakia to just four shots on goaltender Filip Novotny.

In the second, the Czechs scored two even-strength goals in a thirty-second span to take a 4- 0 lead. Czech Republic’s third goal was notched at 20:24 when forward Tomas Rachunek grabbed a rebound in front of the net and shot the puck past Holly. The team’s fourth goal came at 20:54 when Andrej Nestrasil wristed a shot by Holly. After the fourth Czech goal starting goaltender Holly was relieved by Dominik Riecicky. 



Slovakia’s momentum increased with the change of goaltenders and less than three minutes later, Slovakia’s leading goal scorer, Richard Panik, scored his sixth goal of the tournament and handed the Slovaks a power-play goal on the scoreboard with a wrist shot past Fillip Novotny. 



Czech Republic’s Martin Frk countered Slovakia’s goal on their third power play at the 34:43 mark for a 5-1 lead.  



Panik answered Frk’s power-play goal with his second of the contest less than five minutes later. Panik’s two goals weren’t enough for an undisciplined Slovakian team who took eighteen penalty minutes.

In the third period of play, both teams played well defensively to keep each other off the board.

Slovakia struggled to play well defensively in front of Holly and Riecicky as both goaltenders faced a total of 40 shots throughout the game. Holly allowed four of the five goals and Riecicky allowed just one.

Both teams will look to rebound in next year’s U20 World Junior Championships in Alberta and Edmonton.