Panik scores two in Slovak loss
Richard Panik and Slovakia wrapped up their 2011 World Junior Championship schedule on Tuesday with a 5-2 loss versus the Czech Republic. With the loss, Slovakia finished eighth in the event with a record of 2-4-0 (including one overtime win) and retains a spot in the 2012 event to be held in Alberta.
Panik capped off a terrific tournament by scoring both of Slovakia’s goals in the loss. With only the Gold and Bronze Medal games remaining, Panik sits second in tournament scoring with 7 goals and 2 assists for 9 points. Named captain of his national team, Panik definitely led the Slovaks offensively in the tournament as he scored exactly half of his team’s 14 goals and scored, or assisted on 64% of his club’s tallies.
The 2011 tournament marked Panik’s third appearance at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. As a 17 year old at his first World Juniors, Panik recorded five points in seven games (2 goals and 3 assists). Last year the 18 year old led his team in goals (6) and points (8) and was named one of the best players on the team in the tournament’s coaches poll. In three events, the Storm forward collected 22 points in 19 games.
The Guelph Storm will honour Panik for his participation at the 2011 tournament before our next home game on Friday, January 7th versus the Plymouth Whalers. The team will also recognize a pair of Whalers that are participating in the event with Rickard Rakell and Dario Trutmann representing Sweden and Switzerland respectively. Also before the game, World Under-17 Hockey Challenge participants Matt Finn and Thomas Wilson (Plymouth) competing at the prestigious event.
The Guelph Storm organization has a proud history of Storm players representing their countries at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Now in their 17th season, current, or former Guelph Storm players participated in the World Junior Hockey Championship on twenty-two occasions capturing eight Gold Medals, five Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal.
Guelph Storm Participation in the World Junior Hockey Championship
Jeff Bes 1993 Gold Medal
Jeff O’Neill 1995 Gold Medal
Jamie Wright 1996 Gold Medal
Dwayne Hay 1997 Gold Medal
Chris Hajt 1997 Silver Medal
Brian Willsie 1998 8th
Manny Malhotra 1998 8th
Chris Hajt 1998 5th
Kent McDonell 1999 Silver Medal
Chris Madden 1999 8th
Manny Malhotra 2000 Bronze Medal
Dustin Brown 2002 5th
Dwight LaBrosse 2002 5th
Fedor Tjutin 2002 Gold Medal
Daniel Paille 2003 Silver Medal
Fedor Tjutin 2003 Gold Medal
Daniel Paille 2004 Silver Medal
Kevin Klein 2004 Silver Medal
Jakub Koreis 2004 4th
Ryan Callahan 2005 4th
Ryan Parent 2006 Gold Medal
Ryan Parent 2007 Gold Medal
Drew Doughty 2008 Gold Medal
Drew Doughty 2009 Gold Medal
