(source: TASR)
Slovak goals were scored by Andrej Meszároš and Marián Gáborík. Jan Urbas scored for Slovenia.
Game Summary: Slovakia - Slovenia 3:1 (0:1, 0:0, 3:0); Scorers: Meszároš (48.), Gáborík (55., 60.) - Urbas (7.).
During the first two matches, against Denmark and Belarus, most of the goals were scored by defenders, however, forwards Marek Viedenský and Marko Daňo have also been successful.
Before the match, the first Slovak forwards formation consisting of Tomáš Kopecký, Marián Gáborík and Marko Daňo are a disappointment of the championships.
“I cannot be satisfied with the performance so far,” admitted Kopecký, who is also the captain of the team, for the Sme daily. “We have chances, we shoot. We have to continue to try and think positively.”
According to coach Vladimír Vůjtek, who considers this year’s team stronger than last year’s, they have to be patient, “but on the other hand each match is important for us”.
Vůjtek added that the wish was to score more goals during the first two matches, while he was hoping for five points.
The coach plans one change, but it will not touch upon the composition of the first forwards formation.
(source: TASR)
There are several NHL players on the national hockey team while especially NHL forwards are considered to be quality, especially Marián Gáborík and Tomáš Tatar.
Slovaks are playing in group B of the preliminary round with Belarus, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, and USA. The Slovak team won its game against Denmark (on shootouts), Belarus (in overtime), and Slovenia and it has 7 points in the preliminary round.
The biggest success for the Slovak ice hockey was the Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2002. Slovakia won the gold medal game, defeating Russia 4–3. In 2014, The Slovak team lost in the quarterfinals at the World Cup in Minsk, Belarus. Their latest big success was in 2012, when they won the silver medal in Helsinki, Finland.
Programme of the preliminary round - Group B:
May 2 (Sat) 12:15 GMT + 2, Slovakia – Denmark (4:3, on shootouts)
May 3 (Sun) 16:15 GMT + 2, Belarus – Slovakia (1:2, in overtime)
May 5 (Tue) 20:15 GMT + 2, Slovakia – Slovenia (3:1)
May 6 (Wed) 20:15 GMT + 2, Norway – Slovakia
May 9 (Sat) 16:15 GMT + 2, Finland – Slovakia
May 10 (Sun) 20:15 GMT + 2, Slovakia – Russia
May 12 (Tue) 16:15 GMT + 2, USA – Slovakia
Games summary:
May 5 (Tue): Slovakia – Slovenia; 3:1 (0:1, 0:0, 3:0), Scores: URBAS Jan (0:1; 6:20), MESZÁROŠ Andrej (1:1, 47:57), GÁBORÍK Marián (2:1, 54:16), GÁBORÍK Marián (3:1, 59:58)
May 3 (Sun): Slovakia – Belarus; 2:1 in overtime (0:0, 0:0, 1:1 - 1:0), Scores: KOSTITSYN Sergei (0:1; 51:27), MESZÁROŠ Andrej (1:1, 52:31), MESZÁROŠ Andrej (2:1, 61:55)
May 2 (Sat): Slovakia – Denmark; 4:3 on shootouts (0:0, 0:1, 3:2), Scores: BJORKSTRAND Patrick (0:1; 25:05), SERSEN Michal (1:1; 48:08), VIEDENSKÝ Marek (2:1; 49:26),HARDT Nichlas (2:2; 49:57), GRAŇÁK Dominik (3:2; 51:11), NIELSEN Daniel (3:3; 57:46)
