Lionesses Close Out Kloten with Back-to-Back Wins, Top Sweden 2–1
The Women’s Euro Hockey Tour in Kloten ended on a high for Czechia. After a shaky start against Finland, the Lionesses found their stride, defeating Switzerland in a shootout and then finishing with a hard-fought 2–1 win over Sweden on Saturday.
The game against Sweden showed progress in areas that clearly pleased the coaching staff. Head coach Carla MacLeod addressed the team in the locker room with purpose, stressing the importance of being intentional in implementing systems and building on individual strengths game after game. That sense of growth was evident in how Czechia managed the contest.
The first period ended scoreless, but chances flowed both ways. Sweden rattled the post early, while Czechia pressed with quick counterattacks that lacked only the finishing touch. The breakthrough came midway through the second. Vendula Přibylová, who in our opinion had quietly impressed all week with her tireless play, was finally rewarded. She took a crisp pass down the wing, delayed for a beat, and ripped the puck past the Swedish netminder for 1–0. It was a deserved goal for one of the team’s most consistent forwards throughout the tournament.
The joy was short-lived though. After young defender Klára Šrámková was assessed a five-minute penalty, the Swedes poured on pressure and eventually equalized through Ebba Hedqvist, whose sharp-angle shot slipped in over Michaela Hesová’s shoulder. It was a tough bounce for the Dartmouth sophomore, who had replaced Klára Peslarová midway through the game. The goal deflected off teammate Noemi Neubauerová before crossing the line, a cruel bit of luck. Otherwise, both Czech goalies turned in steady, if unspectacular, performances.
The decisive moment came in the third period. With the Lionesses on the power play, Natálie Mlýnková laid out with a diving pass to keep the play alive. Moments later, Klára Hymlárová muscled into position at the crease, banging home a loose puck with her backhand for the 2–1 lead. It was a goal that demonstrated exactly why Montreal fans should be exited. Gritty, opportunistic, and perfectly timed. “The girls played well, my job was to stand in front of the goal and screen… The puck fell in front of me and I hit it into the goal. That’s my job,” Hymlárová told ceskyhokej.cz after the win.
Hymlárová also highlighted the team’s improved defensive play. “We worked on defense all camp to be better, and today we finally confirmed it. We played what the coaches wanted from us, and it showed,” she said. After conceding five goals to Finland and three to Switzerland, limiting Sweden to just one felt like a step forward.
Offensively, the high-caliber players delivered once again. Mlýnková capped off a three-game set where her speed and offensive hockey IQ stood out as a difference-maker. Alongside her, we have to call Denisa Křížová and Kristýna Kaltounková, both consistently drove play and created chances, rounding out a strong core that powered Czechia’s attack in Kloten.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Lionesses had secured two wins from three games, leaving the tournament with five points and, more importantly, momentum. “It’s always good to end on a winning note,” Hymlárová reflected. It’s clear this team wants to take the time it needs to find its rhythm and build upon its strengths early in the year, steadily sharpening their game as the season unfolds. As Carla MacLeod stated, it will be up to each player to remember what they’ve learned this camp, and take the momentum and positives and bring it back when they meet again in a few months time.
