Post-Game Recap: Czechia vs. Finland Women’s Euro Hockey Tour Opener
Well, that wasn’t quite the start Team Czechia had hoped for. In the opening round of the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour, Finland skated away with a 5–2 victory in a game that tested goaltender Michaela Hesová and revealed both experimentation and early-season rust across the Czech lineup.
Hesová was thrown into the fire against a fast Finnish attack and responded with poise. Most of the goals against came from blown coverages, odd-man rushes, or flashes of individual brilliance from Finnish stars, but lets give Finland credit, they played fantastic and looked ready from the initial puck drop. Her secondary reactions and compete level kept the score line far closer than it could have been, an encouraging sign for a goalie who continues to solidify her place at this level.
Defensively, the outing was uneven. Sara Čajanová impressed with a steady game and earned an assist on Kristýna Kaltounková’s goal. Noemi Neubauerová played with understandable caution but looked confident and reliable. Elsewhere however, the unit struggled. We saw limited minutes and impact from newcomers Adela Fromová and Klára Šrámková (although we were happy to notably see Klára getting physical against bigger and better players). Miscommunications and costly breakdowns created chances Finland ruthlessly converted. Daniela Pejšová, normally one of the steadier presences on the back end, had a rare off-night. Expect her to rebound quickly, she has the experience and composure to shake this one off.
The brightest stretch of the game came from the Mlýnková-Hymlárová-Vanišová line, whose energy and creativity were evident every shift. Mlýnková’s slick setup to Vanišová for a one-timer equalizer was the highlight of the day. Kaltounková also made her presence felt, jumping into the offense with smart positioning and earning a goal of her own. But discipline remains an issue for her; penalties cut into her impact, and Czechia as a whole struggled to sustain momentum due to repeated trips to the box. This isn’t new though, it was a huge talking point in this teams identity last season. If they want to be successful continuing to adopt a rough and tough mentality, they still need to find ways to blend that physicality with the offensive sparks and creativity they have on this roster.
Finland’s veterans, led by stars like Michelle Karvinen, punished every Czech mistake. Yet, at the end of the day, context matters: for many Czech players, this was the very first competitive game of the new season, while much of Finland’s roster already had preseason reps and camp sharpness under their belt. Yes, it was a tough loss, but it’s early days. This roster featured new looks, some shuffling, and an element of experimentation from Carla MacLeod. The bigger story is that hockey is back, and this team has plenty of runway to grow.
Heads up, ladies. Onward from here. Tomorrow Team Czechia take on Switzerland at 1900CEST / 1300EST.
