SLOVAKS GRAB FOURTH IN GROUP AFTER WIN OVER FINNS

PORT ALBERNI, BC – It took four games, but Slovakia is on the board at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Tomas Jurco scored twice as the Slovaks recorded their first win of this year’s U17 tournament, defeating Finland 7-4 in the final preliminary round game for both. The victory means Slovakia will play in the seventh-place game for the first time since 2005.

Michal Murcek, David Bondra, Dominik Simcak, Matej Bene and Lukas Cingel also scored for the Slovakians, who recorded just their second win in their last 12 preliminary round games. Bene added three assists in the win, while Bondra, Cingel and Jurco had two helpers apiece.

Finland, who finished winless in the prelims for the first time since 2002, got two goals from Pyry Niemi and one apiece from Markus Nikander and Riku Vakiparta in the loss. The Finns will play for ninth place on Saturday.

Both teams will travel to Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo for the final games of their tournament. Slovakia will face Russia for seventh place, while the Finns will meet Atlantic in the ninth-place game. Check the event schedule for Saturday’s game times.