CZECHS TAKE NINTH AFTER WILD THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK

TIMMINS, Ont. – They waited until the last possible game to do it, but the Czech Republic is into the win column at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Michal Svihalek completed his hat trick with two of the Czechs’ five third-period goals as they took ninth place with a 7-5 victory over Finland on Sunday morning, sending the Finns to their second-consecutive last-place finish at the tournament.

Ales Kilnar, Marek Hrbas, Lukas Sedlak and Tomas Hyka also scored for the Czechs, who were making their return to the U17s after a four-year hiatus. Trailing 3-2 entering the final period, Hrbas and Sedlak scored 18 seconds apart on the same Finnish power play, putting the Czechs ahead for the first time at 4-3.

After Aleksi Rekonen pulled the Finns even, Svihalek netted his second of the game to restore the lead, only to see Joonas Valkonen tie the game less than three minutes later. Hyka put the Czech Republic ahead to stay 27 seconds after Valkonen’s goal and Svihalek finished his hat trick into an empty net, capping a wild, seven-goal third period.

Sami Salminen scored twice to pace the Finnish offence, while Jesper Kokkonen also found the back of the net. Finland is the first team to finish 10th in back-to-back years since Germany in 2005 and 2006.