Ostersund 2017 factfile: Slovakia

With just a few days to go until the World Para Ice Hockey Paralympic Winter Games Qualification Tournament in Ostersund, Sweden, we’re taking a closer look at each of the five teams competing for the chance to appear at PyeongChang 2018.

Slovakia made their first major international debut in the sport at the 2013 World Championships B-Pool and are now close to securing their first Paralympic Winter Games appearance. Struggling to get past the Czech Republic and Japan at the 2016 World Championships B-Pool in Tomakomai, Japan, Slovakia are hoping to field an improved team in Ostersund.

Paralympic Winter Games

None

World Championships history

2016 World Championships B-Pool – bronze

2015 World Championships B-Pool – bronze

Key players

Forward Martin Joppa, 20, and goaltender Eduard Lepacek, 23, are products of the 2015 youth camp and showed their potential at the 2016 World Championships B-Pool.

Forward Erik Fojtik competed in two Paralympic Winter Games before switching nationalities from Czech Republic and brings plenty of veteran experience.

Roster

Offence:

No. 30 Erik Fojtik

No. 2 Marek Gergely

No. 25 Martin Joppa

No. 98 David Korman

No. 11 Marian Ligda

No. 6 Ales Raus

No. 45 Milos Vecerek

Defence:

No. 66 Slavomir Ferencik

No. 85 Miroslav Kardos

No. 7 Miroslav Stasak

No. 10 Peter Stit

Goalkeepers:

No. 18 Eduard Lepacek

No. 21 Miroslav Pastucha

Head coach: Radoslav Bielecka

Ostersund 2017 runs from 9-14 October. The top three finishers will earn the last qualification spots available at PyeongChang 2018, joining Canada, Italy, Norway, South Korea and the USA in March.

Live coverage and the game schedule are available on the official Ostersund 2017 site.