Started on 26th December in Ostrava-Vitkovice and Trinec, the old steel-manufacturing centres of North Moravia and Czech Silesia.
Trinec, slightly nearer the Slovak border, is hosting Group A, which features Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and Kazakhstan. The Swedes have won both their games so far, the Kazakhs have lost both theirs, and the other three sides have a win and a draw each. Four of the five sides qualify for the quarter-finals, with Slovakia's narrow win over Kazakhstan on Friday already looking to have secured their advance. However, they were obliterated 8-1 by Finland yesterday, and don't look capable of winning another game.
The Vitkovice group looks quite a bit stronger. The Czech Rep, Canada, Russia, the USA and Germany all have a win and a loss from their opening two games. Germany held off a late Czech onslaught yesterday to beat the hosts 4-3, then Russia smashed Canada 6-0 in the evening, with all the goals coming in the first two periods. Whichever team from this group misses out on the last eight will think they were unlucky with the draw.
Both venues are easily reachable from my part of Slovakia, and I'm looking forward to days out at both ; for Sweden vs Kazakhstan in Trinec tomorrow and the afternoon quarter-final in Vitkovice on January 2nd.
Outside the rinks, Ostrava is a gloomy-looking place in mid-winter but is at least a big city with a few things to see, and could be quite fun for visiting fans. It has a famous entertainment street called Stodolni with 67 pubs, bars and clubs on it. This was quite a phenomenon 15 years or so ago, but has gone quiet in recent times. Perhaps the tournament will help liven it up a bit.
As for Trinec, besides the steel-plant and the ice-rink, there is nothing at all. Slovak fans will be travelling in and out and not hanging around, while Swedes, Finns and Swiss who've done any research will probably stay in Cieszyn (just inside Poland) or up in the nearby hills. The following is the best the official tournament site could come up with in terms of visitor attractions in or near Trinec :
'A wooden church in Guty was a unique architectural landmark, however, it burned down in 2017, and currently, the Roman Catholic Dioscese of Ostrava-Opava is planning its reconstruction.'
Back on the ice, I'm backing Russia for the title. This is based mostly on last night's performance and the way they brushed Slovakia aside (9-1) in the last warm-up game here in Zilina. They are beatable though, as the Czechs proved on the first day. It looks an intriguing competition.
Trinec, slightly nearer the Slovak border, is hosting Group A, which features Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and Kazakhstan. The Swedes have won both their games so far, the Kazakhs have lost both theirs, and the other three sides have a win and a draw each. Four of the five sides qualify for the quarter-finals, with Slovakia's narrow win over Kazakhstan on Friday already looking to have secured their advance. However, they were obliterated 8-1 by Finland yesterday, and don't look capable of winning another game.
The Vitkovice group looks quite a bit stronger. The Czech Rep, Canada, Russia, the USA and Germany all have a win and a loss from their opening two games. Germany held off a late Czech onslaught yesterday to beat the hosts 4-3, then Russia smashed Canada 6-0 in the evening, with all the goals coming in the first two periods. Whichever team from this group misses out on the last eight will think they were unlucky with the draw.
Both venues are easily reachable from my part of Slovakia, and I'm looking forward to days out at both ; for Sweden vs Kazakhstan in Trinec tomorrow and the afternoon quarter-final in Vitkovice on January 2nd.
Outside the rinks, Ostrava is a gloomy-looking place in mid-winter but is at least a big city with a few things to see, and could be quite fun for visiting fans. It has a famous entertainment street called Stodolni with 67 pubs, bars and clubs on it. This was quite a phenomenon 15 years or so ago, but has gone quiet in recent times. Perhaps the tournament will help liven it up a bit.
As for Trinec, besides the steel-plant and the ice-rink, there is nothing at all. Slovak fans will be travelling in and out and not hanging around, while Swedes, Finns and Swiss who've done any research will probably stay in Cieszyn (just inside Poland) or up in the nearby hills. The following is the best the official tournament site could come up with in terms of visitor attractions in or near Trinec :
'A wooden church in Guty was a unique architectural landmark, however, it burned down in 2017, and currently, the Roman Catholic Dioscese of Ostrava-Opava is planning its reconstruction.'
Back on the ice, I'm backing Russia for the title. This is based mostly on last night's performance and the way they brushed Slovakia aside (9-1) in the last warm-up game here in Zilina. They are beatable though, as the Czechs proved on the first day. It looks an intriguing competition.
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