Canada 4 - Czechia 6: Crosby Czeched!

Sidney Crosby had 2 more points tonight in a 6-4 loss to the surprisingly decent Czech squad. Crosby now has 11 points in 5 games and sits alone in first place.

From IWHC.net

The Czech Republic beat Canada 6-4 at Riga Arena tonight before 7.474 fans to move into second place ahead of Canada, now third, in Group E. Jaroslav Balastik's third-period goal stood up as the winner.

"We played hard in the first period and went to the net, and took lots of shots," said the Czech Republic's Tomas Kaberle. "We let them get back into it in the second period, when we gave up too many odd-man rushes."

In a game that was entertaining and exciting, a little weird and wacky, and altogether one of the best games so far in Riga, it was perhaps the sensible and beautiful refereeing of Richard Schuetz that was the game's best feature.

Schuetz read the game perfectly, calling a total of only nine minor penalties (four of which were offsetting), and the players responded in kind by playing high-speed, high-calibre hockey. No cheap hooks, and no cheap hooking calls, either.

A well-reffed IIHF game? Wow, that's a rarity.

Canada closes out the Qualifying Round with a game Monday night at Riga Arena against the Finns, while the Czechs play the USA in their finale.

(Edit: Yeah, the score was reversed. Wishful thinking?)