Czechs in North America

[Big McLargehuge]

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Petterson just traded from Pittsburgh. Vincent Desharnais incoming

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How the f*** has Kral not been called up? Who's blocking him?

The Penguins penchant for having half a dozen guys to fill the #7 role, really.

Grzelcyk being dealt is probably what it's going to take, short of the injury bug knocking a couple guys out.

 

[Czechboy]

The Penguins penchant for having half a dozen guys to fill the #7 role, really.

Grzelcyk being dealt is probably what it's going to take, short of the injury bug knocking a couple guys out.

Driving me crazy lol

 

[Czechboy]

4 point night.. best player in 2025 so far. Named first star of month too! Seems to want to get into the top 5 and I welcome it!

 

[msboylan]

Seattle Thunderbirds with a crazy shootout win over the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight. Pekař had a beautiful goal and Mrtka had an assist plus the shootout winner (!).

 

[Czechboy]

Seattle Thunderbirds with a crazy shootout win over the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight. Pekař had a beautiful goal and Mrtka had an assist plus the shootout winner (!).

Feels like pekar is picking up steam. Shame he had such a slow start but better late than never. I was thinking top 100 in draft originally. Now maybe a 7th rounder?

Mrtka looking like a first round lock!

 

[Czechboy]

8th Czech goalie to play in NHL. Skarek gets in ahead of patera and stezka.

 

[Czechboy]

Here is the goal race for the year. Calling it early, Kulich ends up 4th for the Czechs.

 

[Czechboy]

I believe that is a new record for us. Only other one with any hope is Patera in Vancouver.

 

[Chainshot]

Kulich ate a puck tonight, returned wearing a full bowl later but I'm curious to see if the puck survived hitting his jaw.

Dostal also had a rough moment late in the game - lifted the net up coming over to the post and that allowed enough space for Jokiharju to score the eventual game winner.

 

[Czechboy]

Kulich ate a puck tonight, returned wearing a full bowl later but I'm curious to see if the puck survived hitting his jaw.

Dostal also had a rough moment late in the game - lifted the net up coming over to the post and that allowed enough space for Jokiharju to score the eventual game winner.

These aren't the best updates.lol

Czech return after 4 nations hasn't been that great! Pasta had a good night. It's been bad for us.

 

[Chainshot]

These aren't the best updates.lol

Czech return after 4 nations hasn't been that great! Pasta had a good night. It's been bad for us.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.



Post-game the coach said he is having trouble breathing so I imagine it got him in the nose.

 

[Czechboy]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.



Post-game the coach said he is having trouble breathing so I imagine it got him in the nose.

Since we are talking Kulich.. can you explain how is in line 1 which is scorching hot and not getting points?lol. Eg. Tage and peterka score 4 goals.. get 3 points each and he gets zero.lol

 

[Chainshot]

Since we are talking Kulich.. can you explain how is in line 1 which is scorching hot and not getting points?lol. Eg. Tage and peterka score 4 goals.. get 3 points each and he gets zero.lol

Part of it is what he's doing off puck. I don't mean to drag ancient history into this, nor bring a German into this, but right now that line reminds me of when Briere with Hecht and Pominville back in the 2000's. Thompson and Peterka are the Briere and Pominville characters and Kulich is doing the Hecht job - being the responsible one, the one hard on the back check that is causing an opponent into a turnover that is then going back the other way or being the one who is back on the play so the other two can gallop.

He's such a joy to watch because he really does do things the right way. He gets on the right side of the puck. He pursues on the backcheck like he's chasing down someone who stole his grandma's purse. He took Radek Duda's summer coaching about getting to and sticking around at the net in such a way that I would write an endorsement for it myself on a professional employment website.

After getting the puck in the face, Ruff put him on wing. I'm not sure how long that will last - he was with McLeod and Zucker (and once with Krebs) and they also were running well though it was against the Ducks. We'll have to see - Carolina game is next and they as a structured, strong defensive team give the Sabres absolute fits year after year.

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As for Dostal, I feel for him. He wasn't getting a lot of help especially late in the game. There were only two Ducks who had a positive or neutral shot differential, everyone else got run. Tuch's goal is a 50-50 puck in the crease that Helleson just couldn't get to but he'd stonewalled the Sabres through two periods. The Jokiharju goal is the one that he probably wants back but with how guys push off and jam the post in the reverse VH, so often the net becomes unsettled. Peterka's goal was one of the nicest passing plays I've seen this week, ending on a one-timer from the opposite flank that Dostal still almost got.

I wouldn't worry about him, he's the real deal.