Hockey: goalie told to shorten leg pads ahead of championship, coach awaits new arrivals

The Czech Republic’s starting goalie at the Ice Hockey World Championships, Ondřej Pavelec, has been told by officials to change part of his equipment ahead of his first game. He will have to shorten his leg pads which were reportedly a centimetre too long. The goalie expressed surprise over the decision, saying the equipment was exactly the same as he used in the championship last year in Germany and the same that he uses regularly in the NHL.

The team’s coach Alois Hadamczik, meanwhile, has completed 18 names on the team roster with six spots left to fill. The team should now get added strength from overseas, including help from forward Tomáš Plekanec who arrives in Slovakia on Saturday. The team he plays for, the Montreal Canadiens, was eliminated in the NHL playoffs earlier this week.

Author: Jan Velinger