Faksa delivers crucial assists, igniting Czechia's offensive surge and turning the tide in a thrilling victory over France.
One of the forgotten names from the Dallas Stars at the Olympics is depth forward Radek Faksa, has been quietly making a big impact for his national team in Czechia. Best known for his reliable bottom-six role with the Stars, Faksa has translated that reliability to Czechia, playing as the fourth-line center and providing crucial depth for a team stacked with star power.
In Czechia’s opening game against Team Canada, Faksa’s role was evident early on. The 28-year-old center logged 13:12 minutes of ice time in a defensively solid performance, and he was not on the ice for any of the five goals in a 5-0 loss to an energized Canadian squad. While the scoreboard was not kind, Faksa demonstrated the defensive acumen that has made him a dependable bottom-six forward in the NHL.
The second game, against France on Friday, saw Faksa step up offensively. The Czechs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, with Faksa earning his first Olympic point on an assist for the team’s second goal. The second period tested Czechia’s resolve as the French stormed back with three goals in the first six minutes, briefly taking control of the game.
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Faksa was instrumental in turning the tide as he helped orchestrate a rare three-on-none breakaway while on the penalty kill with Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks and Matej Stransky, setting up Stransky for the Czech’s fourth goal. Later in the period, the Czech squad regained momentum, eventually cruising to a 6-3 victory. Faksa finished with two assists and 13:53 of ice time, one of the best performances on his team.
Czechia will enjoy a rest day on Saturday before closing out their group stage against Switzerland on Sunday.
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