Czechs add Birner, Kundratek to team for World Cup of Hockey
PRAGUE (AP) The Czech Republic added forward Michal Birner and defenseman Tomas Kundratek to its team for the forthcoming World Cup of Hockey to replace injured Tomas Hertl and Radko Gudas.
Both play for clubs in the Russia-based KHL, Birner in Russia's Traktor Chelyabinsk and Kundratek in Slovakia's Slovan Bratislava.
Sunday's announcement by the Czech team comes a day after Gudas, a Philadelphia Flyers defenseman, was ruled out of the tournament, which starts on Sept. 17 in Toronto, due to a wrist injury, and forward Hertl of the San Jose Sharks was deemed not fit enough after injuring his right knee in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final against Pittsburgh.
The Czechs earlier had to replace David Krejci of the Boston Bruins with Roman Cervenka of Swiss club HC Fribourg-Gotteron.
