Recap: Women’s Euro Hockey Tour First Leg - Kloten, Switzerland

The National Team made a powerful statement in the opening weekend of the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour (WEHT), kicking off the season with a series of intense matches against Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden. The tournament, held in Kloten, Switzerland, saw the Czech team finishing at the top of the group, where they often looked far ahead of the competition, setting a strong foundation for the season ahead.

Game 1: A Hard-Fought Victory Against Finland

The tournament began with a highly anticipated rematch against Finland, a team that had narrowly defeated Czechia for the bronze medal at the IIHF World Championships just 135 days earlier (in case you hadn’t noticed, we were unbelievably excited about the intensity this game would provide, and it didn’t disappoint!). The Czech team, led by an outstanding performance from goaltender Klára Peslárová, managed to avenge that loss with a 3-2 victory. Peslárová, who has become synonymous with reliability between the pipes for the national team when healthy, was a brick wall against the Finnish offense, stopping multiple high-danger chances and keeping her team in contention throughout the game.

Peslárová was quick to share the credit, praising her teammates for their collective effort. "We worked as one team, we all deserve praise," she said after the match in an interview with CeskyHokej. Goals from PWHL stars Tereza Vanišová and Denisa Křížová helped ground the Finns early, setting the pace for the game. 

However, the match wasn’t without its challenges. In the third period, Finland ramped up their efforts, bringing the game within a point after goals from Petra Nieminen and Noora Tulus (who got the Finns within just one with less than three minutes to go in the third). The Czechs held firm despite the push, demonstrating resilience and securing a valuable win over their Nordic rivals, one I’m sure felt cathartic in the locker room post-game.

Game 2: A Disappointing Draw Against Switzerland

The second match against Switzerland saw Czechia dominate for large stretches but ultimately fall short in a frustrating shootout loss. Michaela Pejzlová opened the scoring with a beautiful top-corner goal, giving the Czechs a 1-0 lead that they held onto until the third period. Despite outplaying the Swiss for much of the game, the Czechs struggled with finishing, a theme that followed them throughout the tournament.

The Swiss capitalized on a rare lapse in the Czech defense, tying the game late in the third period, and eventually winning in the shootout. Captain Aneta Tejralová acknowledged the team's missed opportunities, lamenting the inability to convert more of their chances. "We had a lot of chances, but we would [liked to have finished them]…to put it into an empty goal [at the end]," she said. The frustration was evident, as the Czechs knew they had let a win slip through their fingers, a valuable lesson in maintaining composure and capitalizing on scoring opportunities.

Despite the loss, we were thrilled to see Michaela Hesová get the nod in goal for the Czechs. Hesová, who will soon be a freshman goaltender at Dartmouth University, performed admirably throughout the match. Although she faced minimal challenges until late in the game, she stepped up when it mattered most. Her performance included several crucial saves in the final five minutes and one particularly spectacular save in the last minute of overtime, which sent the game to a shootout.

Game 3: A Resounding Win Over Sweden to Claim the Tournament Title

In the final game of the weekend, the Czech team faced off against Sweden with a chance to secure first place. The Czechs came out firing, with Natálie Mlynková scoring twice in the first period to give her team a commanding lead. Despite a brief lapse in the second period where the Swedes managed to tie the game on two quick successive goals, the Czechs regained control and never looked back. Goals from Klára Hymlárová (our top goal from the weekend), Noemi Neubauerová, and Denisa Křížová sealed a 6-3 victory, securing the top spot in the tournament.

Head coach Carla MacLeod was pleased with the team’s performance, particularly their ability to bounce back from the disappointment against Switzerland. "I'm very proud of the girls, we came back to our game, improved our body play, and especially didn't panic unnecessarily when playing with the puck," she said. It was a complete victory, easily their best performance of the three games, and in many respects, demonstrated just what can happen on the ice when the girls put forth a coordinated effort.

Standout Performances and Points to Ponder

Several players stood out during the tournament that we cannot go without highlighting. Andrea Trnková, who was named Defender of the Tournament, showed her skill and tenacity on both ends of the ice. Trnková’s defensive prowess was key in a number of instances throughout the tournament, on a number of occasions saving odd-man rushes, and playing physical along the boards and in the corners where she excelled in shutting down momentum. This, combined with her ability to contribute offensively (with a goal and an assist in the final game against Sweden), her accolade is more than deserved. (As we mentioned in our last article, we’re super excited to see her performances at RPI this season!)

The Czech goaltending trio of Klára Peslárová, Aneta Šenková, and Michaela Hesová also impressed. Peslárová was as reliable as ever, and with another full, healthy season ahead, we expect her performance to remain consistent. However, Šenková and Hesová, who both will continue developing their games in North America this year, showed great promise. While there were moments of vulnerability in both of their performances, both young goaltenders demonstrated that they have the potential to compete at the national level in the future. With an already stacked backlog of goaltending talent behind Peslárová (with Blanka Škodová and Viktorie Švejdová looking to step in whenever called), it’s incredibly exciting to see this level of depth from the national program, something many other countries would dream of having.

Offensively, Natálie Mlynková continued to impress, showcasing the quick-strike ability that will make her a player to watch in her upcoming season at the University of Minnesota. She was inches away from a hat-trick in the game against Sweden. If her talent combined with the caliber of her teammates she’ll play with on the Gophers are any indication, her performances at the national level will be a delight to watch this year. We expect even more impressive growth. And if you haven’t been paying attention to her already, Sara Čajanová also had a strong tournament, particularly with her brilliant pass that set up a goal for Kateřina Mrázová in the very first game against Finland, highlighting her exceptional two-way play we’ve grown so accustomed to seeing. We fully anticipate that she will continue her dominance with Brynäs in the SDHL as it kicks off the next few weeks, and can’t wait to see the strides she makes this season.

However, the team’s discipline late in games remains a concern and is perhaps the biggest question mark after this first weekend of international play. In both the Finland and Switzerland games, the Czechs allowed their opponents to climb back into contention due to penalties and a lack of composure. At one particularly stressful instance, killing a 5v3 in OT in the match against Switzerland. While the team dominated in possession and physicality (trademarks of the playing style being heavily implemented under HC Carla MacLeod), they will need to find a balance that allows them to maintain leads without giving their opponents opportunities to capitalize on mistakes. While the methodology behind these strategies are obvious at first glance, there will need to be a refinement of this style in order to truly dominate their peer competitors and put a significant gap between them and the others.

Looking Ahead: Building on Success

As the Czech team moves forward, they can take a great deal of confidence from their performance in the first WEHT stop. Winning the tournament sets a positive tone for the rest of the season and reinforces their status as one of Europe’s top teams, putting to bed any notion that their Bronze Medal set-back in April would be indicative of any kind of recession. With a roster that effectively blends veteran leadership with young talent, the Czechs are well-positioned to continue their ascent.

The season ahead is full of promise, with key players like Mlynková, Trnková, and Čajanová expected to play bigger and more pivotal roles alongside their PWHL counterparts and leaders. The goaltending depth is also a significant asset, providing the team with stability and a a confidence that their netminders can steal games if called upon. If the team can address their issues with discipline and finishing, they have the potential to challenge the best in the world and continue their march toward the top of women’s hockey.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on how this team develops and whether they can carry this momentum into future tournaments, culminating in the World Championships in České Budějovice. If this opening weekend is any indication, Czechia is on the right track to achieving their lofty goals.

More to come…. We’re excited, and we hope you are too….