Slovakia Announces Men’s & Women’s Ice Hockey Squads for Harbin WU

Slovakia, a traditional contender in ice hockey at the Winter Universiade announced its men’s and women’s team rosters for the 2009 Games in Harbin, China. ‘We made a selection from 90 players who responded to our invitation’, said Coach Igor Tóth. ‘Mid-January, we selected 42 hockey players after a two day try-out in Púchov. Out of these players we selected the current team.’

Before departure the Slovak players will have a team meeting in Bratislava on February 12th where they will join the women’s team and travel together to Budapest to catch their flight to China.

For the Slovak Women’s Team the Winter Universiade will be their Test Case for the IIHF Women’s World Championship since the academic selection for the Winter Universiade in Harbin equals almost the complete women’s national team. National Team Coach Miroslav Karafiát will have all available players except goalie Tomčíková.

Men’s Roster

Goalies
Lukas Škrečko (Hkm Elected), Martin Šurek (HK Trnava)

Defenders
Maros Zembla, Ridvan Sadiku (both SKI PARK Kezmarok MHK), Tomáš Volek, Stanislav Janísek (both Považská Bystrica HK 95), John Galko (HK Trnava), Radovan Trefný (HK Dukla Trenčín), Darius Rusnák ml. (HC Rebel Havlíčkuv Brod / Czech Republic)

Forwards
Filip Macejka (Hkm Elected) Martin Slovák (Aquacity HK SKP Poprad), Libor Káčer (HC Topolcany), Milos Bednar, Marek Mašlonka (both SKI PARK Kezmarok MHK), Michal Babic, Jan Babic (both HC 05 Banská Bystrica), Michal Karčák (HC 46 Bardejov), Radoslav Kolník (SHK 37 Piestany), Matús Kadraba (HK Ružinov 99 Bratislava), Marcel Balaz (HK Trebišov), Eduard Hartmann (HK Dukla Trenčín), Martin Domián (HC Poruba VOKD / CR )

Staff
Roman Štamberský (manager), Igor Tóth (coach), Lubomir Pokovič (assistant coach), MD. Igor Prekop (doctor), Jozef Hrtús (physiotherapist).

Women’s Roster

Goalies
Monika Kvaková (HC Slovan Bratislava ženy), Monika Ďaďová (HC 05 B. Bystrica)

Defenders
Petra Országhová (HC Slovan Bratislava), Martina Knutová (ŽHK 2000 Šarišanka Prešov), Richard Turčoková (HC Topolcany), Iveta Karafiátová (LHC Linköping / SWE) Michaela Matejová (Karpat Oulu / FIN.) Maria Gajdošová (EHC VISPO / SUI)

Forwards
Anna Džurňáková, Nikoleta Celárová, Petra Pravlíková, Petra Jurčová,, Nikola Gápová, Katarína Výbošťoková (all HC Slovan Bratislava), Janka Čulíková, Barbora Kežmarská (both HC OSY Spišská Nová Ves), Petra Danková, Martina Veličková (both Slavia Praha / ČR), Jana Štofaníková (ŽHK 2000 Šarišanka Prešov), Jana Kapustová (Torpedo Moskva/ RUS)

Staff
Ľubomíra Kožanová (manager), Miroslav Karafiát (coach), Stanislav Kubuš, Peter GAPA (assistants coach), MD. Karin Oppitzová (doctor), Vladimir Nemček (physiotherapist)