Czech coach blasts referees for being too nice to Canada at Olympics
You can chalk this up under things we didn’t expect to hear.
Czechia nearly pulled off the unthinkable against Canada. Despite entering the game as massive underdogs, the plucky squad pushed their heavyweight opponent to overtime.
It was a noble effort by a Czech team that got pummelled 5-0 by Canada just six days earlier.
However, Czech head coach Radim RulĂk took some time after the game to blast the work of the officials.
“The referees really worry me,” RulĂk told Czech media following the game, with the interview translated by Rono Hockey.
Not only do they worry him, but he revealed that he’s been sending them clips after games to show them their errors.
“What theyâre allowing against us is unacceptable. After every game, we send them two or three clips where they confirm that the opponent should have been penalized.”
He then transitioned to a classic pop culture scapegoat: Blame Canada.
“I donât understand it. I just donât get it. I feel like everyone is afraid to call anything against Canada.”
Of course, all of that fails to mention that the Czechs nearly benefited from one of the biggest blown calls in modern Olympics history.
Ondrej Palat had Canadians around the globe stressed, as his goal gave Czechia a 3-2 lead in the latter stages of the third period.
However, it was pointed out after the game that Czechia actually had six players on the ice when they scored.
But don’t tell that to RulĂk, who had a lot to say about how the officials impacted Czechia’s chances at Olympic glory.
“We were basically playing against six players,” he said. “I donât want to make excuses, and no one has to agree with me, but the video backs me up.”
The 60-year-old then went as far as to say that the refs were afraid of putting Czechia on the power play.
“The guys deserved a top-level performance from the referees. They always admit afterward that we were right, but nothing ever changes.”
“We should have had power plays against Canada. But they were afraid [David Pastrnak] or [Martin] NeÄas would score another power-play goal.”
During the game, Canada had three power plays, compared to two man-advantages for Czechia. Each team scored one power play marker.
Of course, an extra call could have swung the game in the Czechs’ direction.
However, ripping the referees after nearly winning the game because of a missed call, all while saying officials were too nice to Canada, is a new level of Olympic irony.