Czechs check in with smiles
By MIKE ZEISBERGER -- Toronto Sun
Sheets of rain pelted weary Czech Republic players as they lugged their equipment bags into Lakeshore Lions Arena yesterday.
Jaromir Jagr and his teammates had just spent 12 hours on a Europe-to-North America flight that included a fuel stop in Greenland. After enduring such a trip, the last thing you expected was a procession of players wearing huge grins .
Just why were they smiling?
"Hey, we're in the final four," Maple Leafs defenceman Tomas Kaberle said. "No one expected it."
By upsetting the heavily favoured Swedes, the Czechs earned a date in Saturday's semi-final at the Air Canada Centre. Once again they will find themselves as the heavy underdogs against a host Canadian squad that disposed of the Slovaks last night.
"It will be awesome playing in Toronto versus Canada," Kaberle said. "It will be like playing at home ... at least my second home, anyway."
Only this time, Kaberle will be the enemy. Not only will he dress in the visitors quarters instead of the usual friendly confines of the Leafs dressing room, he'll be the recipient of more jeers than cheers from the pro-Canada crowd.
"We're happy we beat Sweden but we must be ready," Kaberle said. "Every Canadian team is tough because they will have their best players ready to go.
"It's going to be a great matchup. It's like a one-game playoff with the loser going home."
Kaberle chuckled when it was pointed out that he is one of four Leafs defencemen whose teams remain alive in the World Cup, joining Ken Klee and Brian Leetch of Team USA and Aki Berg of Finland.
The Czechs looked like a moribund crew in losses to Sweden and Finland in the preliminary round before finishing off with a 7-2 waxing of the Germans.
In their defence, the Czechs claim the trauma of dealing with the sudden death of coach Ivan Hlinka is partially to blame for their slow start. Hlinka was killed in a car accident prior to the tournament.
"When the tragedy happened it was a sad few days," Kaberle said. "You couldn't help but think about it. We still do, but not on the ice."
