Beijing, 21 February 2022 (TDI): Slovakia made history by winning the first historic medal in ice hockey at the Beijing Olympics. This was Slovakia’s first bronze medal in Beijing Olympics after defeating Sweden.
Slovakia created history in Beijing Olympics
This is Slovakia’s second medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and the first Olympic medal in ice hockey. The national men’s ice hockey team won bronze after defeating Sweden 4:0.
The biggest Olympic success of the Slovak ice hockey team until now was fourth place in Vancouver in 2010. Two goals scored by Juraj Slafkovský, one by Samuel Takáč and one by Pavol Regenda turned the tide in Slovakia’s favor.
Slafkovský, who is only 17 years old, is the first player under 18 to score at an Olympic ice hockey tournament since 1984. In Beijing, Slafkovský scored seven goals and bagged the leading rank amongst shooters at this year’s Olympic tournament.
The Winning Moment
Slovakia landed two knockout blows in the second half to score a 4-0 shutout of Sweden. Teenage sensation, Juraj Slafkovsky demonstrated his deft scoring touch with his brace of goals to give his side the ultimate edge.
Slafkovsky swung the game in Slovakia’s favor when he sent the puck into the back of the net, three minutes into the second half. Slovakia turned up the pressure on the Swedish goal, which eventually paid off when Samuel Takac scored the first power-play goal with seven minutes left.
Slafkovsky landed another decisive blow a minute and a half from the time before Pavol Regenda scored an open netter seconds later (4-0).
Juraj Slafkovsky: Player Profile
Juraj Slafkovsky was one of the most eye-catching performers in men’s ice hockey at Beijing 2022. The 17-year-old scored seven goals to help Slovakia claim its first Olympic hockey medal.
The team’s Canadian coach Craig Ramsay said afterward, “It’s pretty amazing for a young boy for that… we believed in him. He’d had trouble scoring, he was stuck, but he did it.
Not only that, but he got to play with numerous wonderful players, and then we put him up on the first line even. It was quite a performance for any young person to put out.”
