King on WJHC: Mrazek causing a stir
Posted December 30, 2011 8:37 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
EDMONTON, Alta. — Petr Mrazek is becoming a folk hero in Edmonton after a 52-save effort and some flamboyant celebrations won over the crowd.
The Czech goaltender pumped his fist after a penalty shot save in the third period on Josh Archibald when the game was still tied 2-2. It was the same celebration he made after stopping Canada’s Mark Stone on a penalty shot two days earlier, only then he drew jeers from the crowd.
Mrazek wore his heart on his sleeve, celebrating all over the ice as his team upset the favoured Americans 5-2. He jumped onto the bench, pumped his fists and dog-piled teammates, much to the approval of the fans at Rexall Place. He even listened to the fans who urged him to shoot for an empty net goal that missed by less than a foot.
“I wanted the fans to stand up,” he said.
They did, even when he was still running out of ideas. After Petr Holik scored into the empty net he missed moments earlier, Mrazek jumped onto the pile, but fell on his back. He began raising his fists and the crowd ate up every moment of it.
“I didn’t know what I had to do in the moment when we scored the fifth goal in empty net so I just jump on guys,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was doing.
“No, it didn’t (hurt). It was just celebration. We were so happy – everybody.”
More at Buzzing the Net: WJC2012: Criticism of Mrazek’s fist pump was offside| Read it here
Everybody except those wearing American jerseys. Team U.S.A. will now likely play in the relegation round and were not too pleased with Mrazek’s outward happiness after stopping the penalty shot.
“Disgusting,” answered U.S. team captain Jason Zucker. “They didn’t have that game won at the time. It’s ridiculous.”
“I think it was kind of ridiculous, to be honest, what he was doing,” echoed forward J.T. Miller. “He’s a goalie. He’s supposed to be modest. You don’t see (American goalie Jack) Campbell running around on the ice like that. I didn’t like it. Nobody on our team liked it. Obviously, Canada likes it and their crowd loved it, which is great for that I guess, but I mean, not something I respect.
“I just think it was a little unnecessary. Act like you’ve been here before.”
It was a similar response to what the Canadians felt was a jab towards them when Mrazek pumped his fist after his save on Stone on Wednesday.
“We didn’t like it too much,” Canadian forward Brendan Gallagher said after that game. “At the same time, he was excited he made a big save, but our side didn’t like that. Obviously, it’s showing us up a little bit.”
Mrazek was making no apologies over his celebrations when informed he got under the skin of a few American players.
“Well, I don’t care about U.S. team if they don’t like my celebration,” he said. “Fans didn’t like American today. If I did some celebration, Canadian fans stand up and enjoying, so I am happy with that.”
Czech assistant coach Jiri Fischer didn’t feel the celebrations were without merit. With the win, his team will now play a quarterfinal. A loss would have put them in the relegation round.
“They won the opportunity to win gold, so I think the reason for the celebrations is right into place,” he said. “Petr obviously stood on his head all game. He’s extremely passionate guy. I think a lot of people noticed over the last few games. It trickles down all the way through the team, so it’s nice to have that energy on the ice.
“He’s got a lot of passion so I don’t have a problem with him doing whatever he does when he’s stopping pucks.”
U.S. head coach Dean Blais saw no problems with it, either.
“That’s ok,” he said. “Hockey’s an emotional game. When you have a good game like he did, he celebrated the way he thought.”
Asked how such celebrations would go over in the Western Hockey League, where Emerson Etem suits up with the Medicine Hat Tigers, he saw a different outcome than what transpired in this international event.
“Probably see the other goalie challenging him for sure in a junior game, being from the Western league,” Etem said. “It’s his deal. It’s what he brings and it worked tonight.”
Two nights earlier, Mrazek stood on the blue line after a 5-0 loss to Canada when fans chanted Canadian goaltender Scott Wedgewood’s name. Now those same fans were chanting his.
“That’s unreal feeling if the people saying your name after a game,” he said.
In this moment, he was a hero, even if he didn’t feel like one just yet.
“Well, it’s not finished, the tournament, so I can’t feel like hero because we have game tomorrow and quarterfinal,” he said. “We can say something after tournament.”
