Exhibition Game
April 22, 2004
Prague, CZE

Goals Galore as Czechs BeatCanada8-5 in Final Tuneup

By: Andrew Podnieks
 
Canada played its final tune up game for the 2004 World Championship, losing 8-5 against theCzech Republic, in front of a sold out crowd inPrague.
 
Canada jumped into an early 1-0 lead before the Czechs scored twice to go up 2-1. But for the rest of the period, it was allCanada. Ryan Smyth had a great chance to tie the game, as did Shawn Horcoff and Derek Morris, who hit the post, but it was the Czechs who scored the next goal.Canadareplied near the end of the period and headed into the dressing room down 3-2, and in the second the Canadians scored early twice to regain the lead, 4-3.
 
The Czechs answered with three goals in the final five minutes of the period, Josef Beranek finishing a nice play to put the Czechs in the lead and Petr Prucha finishing a lovely play with the man advantage at19:37, Stacey Roest in the box forCanada.
 
The Czechs moved three goals up early in the third period when Radek Dvorak was credited with a goal when his shot ricocheted off the backboards and off the back of the leg of goalie J-S Giguere, who had replaced starter Roberto Luongo midway through the game. Although Jan Alston brought the score a goal closer forCanada, Jaromir Jagr closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal at19:32that he actually directed into the goal with his skate. The referee went upstairs, and the video goal judge confirmed Jagr did not kick the puck into the empty cage! Final score Czechs 8,Canada5.
 
Friday is a practise day for both teams before Saturday’s official start to this year’s World Championships inPragueandOstrava.Canadaopens the championship on Sunday versusAustria.