Czechs seek return to glory
Spirits always drop after loss, Havlat says to success

Allen Panzeri
The Ottawa Citizen

August 29, 2004


HELSINKI - In the space of two years from 2000 to 2002, Martin Havlat, the Ottawa Senators' precocious right-winger, played on three international teams for the Czech Republic and scored a rare double with gold in the 2000 world hockey championship and the world junior hockey championships.

That, as it turns out, may have been the moment when Czech hockey was at its very peak. The Czechs had just won the 1998 Olympics and the 2000 world championship was the second of three consecutive titles.

Since then, the Czechs haven't been quite as good. They were knocked out of the 2002 Olympics in the quarterfinals -- they lost 1-0 to the Russians, thanks to spectacular goalkeeping from Nikolai Khabibulin -- and they've been out of the medals in the past three world championships, including this year's tournament in Prague.

That's why, with the heat on, the Czechs are taking the long view even as they prepare for their first game, here tomorrow against Finland.

It's as simple as black and white, Havlat said. "Everyone expects us to play well, but the most important thing is what we do in the fourth (quarterfinal) game," he said.

"If you win, everything is fine. If you lose, everything is bad. You can win all three games in the group and then lose the quarterfinal and everything would be bad."

Notwithstanding that goal, Havlat said the Czechs also realized they had to smooth their passage as much as possible. The top two finishers in the European group play host to the two quarterfinals on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, and the Czechs would like to be one of the hosts.

That may be difficult

Of the four European teams, the Czechs and Germany have the more difficult schedules since each will play two of its three games on the road.

For the Czechs, after starting against the Finns, it's Sweden in Stockholm on Wednesday. There's no break until Friday, when they play host to Germany, but that may be too late if they get off to a slow start.

Havlat says he and his Czech teammates still feel a bit sluggish. It's a bit of a shock to end summer vacation with a high-tension tournament for which there hasn't been much time to prepare.

On paper, the Czechs, like the Swedes, are stacked.

They have a deep, veteran lineup -- Havlat, 23, is the youngest -- with plenty of offensive ability and a promising No. 1 goalie in Tomas Vokoun. So no excuses, no time for complacency.

"The chances are always there, but it's important how we come together as a team before the quarterfinals," Havlat said. "It's important because you want to finish first in the group, and then maybe play Germany. You'll be home and that's important, too. We have two tough road games to start, but there are not going to be any easy games.

"There's not a bad team in the tournament. There are a lot of great players," he said. "It's going to be a good tournament."

And run through Babelfish...

live: Two preparation portions are played, the Worldcup 2004 stand before the door, how their result precipitates?

Havlat: Safe the play was with the undecided against Finland more balanced than the portion today against Germany, but despite some losses we could show, what immense potential in our crew put.

live: Both teams left today tactical obligations in the cab apparent. Was so planned from its side?

Havlat: That necessarily, but at least does not come to meet us such a open play happening like today when learning offensive actions and/or with finding our spielerischen harmony.

live: Quarterlyfinally - defeat with the World Championships in the own country against the USA shifted Tschechien completely into a shock condition. Now is the large compensation on one of the largest stages, which it gave ever in the world ice hockey, announced?

Havlat: Surely we want to rehabilitate ourselves, but within shortest time the crew changed its face again. Besides another goal is the center of attention.

live: And that would be?

Havlat: After the tragic death of Ivan Hlinka has itself completely Tschechien swore, in order to win this tournament for it.

live: And their personal goals? They had tremendous injury pitch and were to a large extent condemned to watching with the WC.

Havlat: It was naturally heavy for me very, since I was ill and could take part in only two plays in very weakened condition. Of course I want to show also everything now in Europe, what I can do really.

live: Europe is a good keyword. Would the DEL be a possible destination in the case of strike?

Havlat: There I have really still no conceptions. Everything is conceivable - except Russia, there I want not.