World Hockey Championship: Czech Republic claims title Monday, May 16, 2005
By Stephan Nasstrom, The Associated Press
VIENNA, Austria -- Martin Rucinsky made sure the Czech Republic wouldn't need overtime or a shootout to win the world hockey championship.
Rucinsky set up Vaclav Prospal's first-period goal, and scored one of his own in the third as the Czech Republic denied Canada its third consecutive title and won the world championship, 3-0.
"Scoring a goal in a world championship final is already fantastic, but winning is even better," Prospal said. "Canada was tough, but we were better."
Tomas Vokoun, named the tournament's best goalie, made 29 saves in earning the shutout.
The Czechs (8-1) hadn't won the gold since 2001 when they captured their third in a row. It is their fifth world championship since 1996.
"It was a very tough game, but we always believed in ourselves," forward Jaromir Jagr said.
A year ago in Prague, the United States eliminated the Czechs from the quarterfinals with a shootout victory.
This one didn't come easy. The Czechs got revenge and beat the United States in a shootout to win their quarterfinal game Thursday, and then eliminated Sweden -- the runner-up the past two years -- in overtime Saturday.
Rucinsky gave the Czechs a 2-0 lead 3:14 into the third period. Jagr, a five-time NHL scoring champion, set up the goal.
With his first world title, Jagr, 33, became one of 15 players to win a Stanley Cup crown and gold medals in the Olympics and world championships.
Earlier in the day, Maxim Afinogenov had two goals and an assist to lead Russia to a 6-3 victory against Sweden in the bronze-medal game. Russian center Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins' No. 1 draft choice in 2004, had two assists.
skol !
