Bet you thought the Jaromir Jagr love fest was over with after the Olympics, didn’t you? Guess again as the future hall of famer is playing for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championships, the seventh time he’s done so, and merely had three assists in the Czechs 6-2 win over France in their opening game of the tournament.
Despite working hard, the French simply lacked the physical tools and strategic sophistication to keep up with the 38-year-old Jagr and his teammates. Jagr, who became a Triple Gold Club member with the victorious Czech squad in Austria 2005, is playing in his seventh Worlds. The monstrously skilled winger first wore the colours of Czechoslovakia at the 1990 tournament in Switzerland.
Speaking of the Great Eight, he had the game-winning goal in Russia’s 3-1 win over Slovakia. Ovechkin was teamed up for most of the game with former NHL MVP Sergei Fedorov and his Washington Capitals teammate Alexander Semin to create a rather formidible unit. Capitals goaltender Semyon Varlamov didn’t play nor suit up in this game because, well, he doesn’t have any equipment after his airline lost that and his clothing.
“I have nothing to wear at all. I arrived in Domodedovo [Airport] on Monday wearing only flipflops. And that’s how I walk around like a tourist on the beach.”
All isn’t just fun and games for Russia, however. One reason for them to be worried is that while holding a 2-0 lead early in the third period, former Florida Panther Ivan Majesky scored for Slovakia to cut the lead in half which then lead to Russia taking their foot off the gas and going into a defensive shell the rest of the way, something we saw them do too often in the Olympics.
Russia plays Kazakhstan on Tuesday while the Czech Republic will play the Tore Vikingstad-free Norwegians.