After flying overseas and arriving in Prague on Saturday morning, Martin Nečas wasted no time getting right into the IIHF World Championship, playing Saturday night in a 4-1 win over Great Britain. After the game, he was obviously a popular man in the mixed zone and answered several questions from the Czech media.
How are you feeling?
“Not great, but it was good to get out there. I think this was good preparation for Canada. I have to get acclimatized a bit and catch up on sleep tonight and tomorrow. Then I’ll be fine.”
Jet lag?
“Oh yeah, I’m looking forward to going to bed and falling sleep. The last two days I’ve slept about three or four hours. I could fall asleep here now at the snap of a finger.”
When did you know for sure that you would play?
“When I was flying back, I figured that if there was no delay, I would play. It worked. There was no reason to wait. I would be tired anyway.”
You ended up playing 17 minutes. The coaches even put you on your off-wing.
“I hadn’t played the left side in about a year. It’s a lot of new stuff, but it’s also a lot about improvisation on the ice. We try to talk to the guys and help each other.”
Was it a big change from the NHL playoffs?
“It's hard to say. If I played like this in the playoffs, I wouldn’t get on the ice much. It’s different, especially against Britain, who mainly defend. The game against Canada will be completely different – they will attack more. I think it’ll be better from me.”
Is the atmosphere better than you expected?
“I guess it’s about what I expected. I’ve seen some videos where you can hear the atmosphere during the game. It’s really great. Unreal. This is something that can only happen in the Czech Republic.”
You’re wearing number 98 instead of the 88 you wear in Carolina.
“I left it for another player, if you know who I mean. If he makes it here, his number’s waiting for him.”
If he and Pavel Zacha pass a medical check-up, they could be in Prague on Monday.
“Of course, Pasta has priority in number, he is our best Czech player. I don’t know all the details, but if they make it here, it will definitely be a boost.”
What are you doing on Sunday?
“I really don't know at all. I didn’t see what the program was until the game was over. I guess we’ll all go somewhere for a good lunch and dinner.”