Zuzana Tomcikova after one of the tough games. With her many saves she helped Slovakia stay up in the top division at the 2011 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
It was, quite possibly, the greatest goaltending performance in women’s hockey history since 1990. It wasn’t a Canadian or American. It wasn’t even from a team than won a medal. In fact, when Slovakia’s Zuzana Tomcikova was named tournament MVP in 2011, she did so after playing in the regelation round.
But her story was so special, and so impressive, there were only claps of support when she accepted the trophy for her efforts in Zurich that year.
The Slovaks qualified for the top level in 2011 thanks to a victory in Division I in 2009. This marked their first trip to the top, and between 1999 and the present they have played there only twice, in 2011 and ’12. And at the 2010 Olympics.
Right form the start, though, the Slovaks knew they would have a tough time surviving. They were placed in a group with the United States, Sweden, and Russia, and would have to win at least one game to avoid the dreaded relegation round.
In their first game, against the U.S., they lost 5-0. It was the first ever meeting between the two teams, and the Americans fired 63 shots at Tomcikova, who was brilliant. Of course, she was named Best Player for Slovakia after the game.
Next up was Sweden, and again the Slovaks failed to score a goal. The 3-0 loss flattered the losers, only because of Tomcikova. She faced an incredible 74 shots, allowing just three goals.
The third game of the preliminary round was more of the same, except the Slovaks at last scored once in a 4-1 loss to Russia. The victors fired 52 shots in this game, meaning that in the first three games Tomcikova faced a total of 189 shots and allowed just 12 goals.
After three straight losses, Slovakia was off to the relegation round to face Kazakhstan, and Tomcikova rose to the occasion. She stopped all 25 shots in the first game of the best-of-three, a 1-0 win, and in game two she stopped 35 of 36 more shots in a 2-1 win in a penalty-shot shootout.
Yes, the North Americans played in the gold medal game, another classic won by the U.S. in overtime, but all the talk of the blue ice was for Tomcikova, the only player from her country to win an individual honour in top-level international women’s hockey for an incredible performance in 2011.
Click here for the overview of stories.
But her story was so special, and so impressive, there were only claps of support when she accepted the trophy for her efforts in Zurich that year.
The Slovaks qualified for the top level in 2011 thanks to a victory in Division I in 2009. This marked their first trip to the top, and between 1999 and the present they have played there only twice, in 2011 and ’12. And at the 2010 Olympics.
Right form the start, though, the Slovaks knew they would have a tough time surviving. They were placed in a group with the United States, Sweden, and Russia, and would have to win at least one game to avoid the dreaded relegation round.
In their first game, against the U.S., they lost 5-0. It was the first ever meeting between the two teams, and the Americans fired 63 shots at Tomcikova, who was brilliant. Of course, she was named Best Player for Slovakia after the game.
Next up was Sweden, and again the Slovaks failed to score a goal. The 3-0 loss flattered the losers, only because of Tomcikova. She faced an incredible 74 shots, allowing just three goals.
The third game of the preliminary round was more of the same, except the Slovaks at last scored once in a 4-1 loss to Russia. The victors fired 52 shots in this game, meaning that in the first three games Tomcikova faced a total of 189 shots and allowed just 12 goals.
After three straight losses, Slovakia was off to the relegation round to face Kazakhstan, and Tomcikova rose to the occasion. She stopped all 25 shots in the first game of the best-of-three, a 1-0 win, and in game two she stopped 35 of 36 more shots in a 2-1 win in a penalty-shot shootout.
Yes, the North Americans played in the gold medal game, another classic won by the U.S. in overtime, but all the talk of the blue ice was for Tomcikova, the only player from her country to win an individual honour in top-level international women’s hockey for an incredible performance in 2011.
Click here for the overview of stories.
Zuzana Tomcikova prepares her stick before the relegation game against Kazakhstan.
photo: Jana Chytilova / HHOF-IIHF Images