Thrashers' Hnilicka gets late call to join Czech Olympic team
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Posted 6:46AM on Thursday, February 14, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY - Atlanta Thrashers goalie Milan Hnilicka was selected Wednesday to join the Czech Republic Olymic team after Roman Turek of the Calgary Flames dropped out because of various injuries. <br>
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Hnilicka plans to board a flight Thursday morning for Utah, one day before the Czechs play their first game against Germany. <br>
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Hnilicka was a backup goalie at the 1998 Olympics, but he didn't play. Dominik Hasek led the Czechs to a surprising gold medal. The Thrashers goalie is unlikely to get in the nets this time, either. Hasek and Philadelphia's Roman Cechmanek are the team's top two goalies. <br>
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Hnilicka is the fourth Thrashers player invited to the Olympics, joining top scorer Ilya Kovalchuk for Russia, backup goalie Pasi Nurminen and winger Tomi Kallio for Finland, and winger Lubos Bartecko for Slovakia.
