Just as the tournament slogan promised, the world did come. Team Belarus, the Canadian coaching staff, a Finnish scout and Dave Christian, a member of Team USA in 1979, were among the 1,400 people at Moorhead Sports Center Thursday for an exhibition between Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The Czechs won 4-2, scoring an empty-net goal in the final 50 seconds while at a two-man disadvantage.
Although they politely applauded the action, most spectators were as neutral as the ice between the blue lines. And how was the hockey?
"If this is an example of what we'll see the next couple of weeks, we'll see some great hockey," Christian said. Not that Thursday's exhibition finale felt less than real.
Slovakia took a 1-0 lead with 2 seconds left in the opening period. Six-foot-7 defenseman Boris Valabik, the 10th pick in the 2004 draft, collected the puck following a faceoff and fired a wrister past Czech Republic goalie and 17th overall pick, Marek Schwarz.
However, the Czech Republic, which will open the preliminary round against Belarus at 4 p.m. Saturday in Thief River Falls, answered with three consecutive goals.
Vrana tallied the fourth after Slovakia pulled within 3-2 in the final 3 minutes.
Slovakia, which will meet tournament favorite Canada in its first preliminary game at 3:38 p.m. Saturday in Grand Forks, finished 0-2 in exhibitions.
The Czech Republic went 1-0-1.
"We knew we had to be really patient," said Valabik, who plans to join the Atlanta Thrashers next season. "You can't really play open ice against this team because they can hurt you. We tried to wait for their mistakes. It was a good game."
One that got chippy late.
Seven penalties were called in the third period. Valabik and Czech Republic star Rostislav Olesz, the 7th pick in last year's draft, traded shoves on the ice and words in the penalty box. But afterward, the teams -- unlike many spectators -- shared a common language and submarine sandwiches.
"A lot of the guys know each other," said Vrana, a speedy center who signed with the New Jersey Devils in May. "We play on the same team or in the same league, but on the ice you have no brother."
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Slovakia, Valabik (Markovic) 19:58.
SECOND PERIOD: 2, Czech Republic, Frolik (Petrozalek, Gulaji) 28:18. 3, Czech Republic, Cervenka (Kvapil, Olesz) 32:36.
THIRD PERIOD: 4, Czech Republic, M. Polak (Hrdel) 42:31. 5, S, Bulik 57:10. 6, Czech Republic, Vrana 59:56 (sh, en).
SAVES: Czech Republic, Schwarz 12-4-x--16, Kovtsky x-4-5--9. Slovakia, Halak 11-5-x--16, Novotny 3-8--11.
