Hr. Králové – Liberec 3:2, Hradec tied the quarter-final series with Liberec, Klíma decided

After the initial failure, Hradec coach Tomáš Martinec put captain Radek Smoleňák on the stand and gave his trust to Matěj Machovské in front of Henri Kiviah in the goal area.

He didn’t have a harder job for a long time, Mountfield showed a significantly more active start. In the seventh minute, he was inches away from the lead when Cingeľ’s cross went between Kváč’s legs, but the puck stopped on the goal line.

In the second period, the superiority of the home team resulted in the first two goals. Slovakian striker Cingeľ repeated Sunday’s scenario immediately after the break, scoring just two seconds earlier, and in the 31st minute Kevin Klíma added to the score. Both goals were confirmed by the video referee; the second one after the coaching challenge of the Liberec substitute.

However, the East Bohemians subsequently regretted the unused five-on-three power play, which they played for over a minute. The White Tigers, in a classic advantage, reduced Melancon’s hidden shot and suddenly controlled the action on the ice surface. The leadership of Hradec was saved by Machovský.

In the 44th minute, however, it was not enough for Frolík to escape independently, who had great difficulty handling the puck, but nevertheless lifted it under the crossbar at the last moment. Vlach was close to the turnover, on the other side he caught Okuliar with a great save by Kváč. The home team finished without a shaken Eberle, who did not return to the ice after Nedomle’s hit at the end of the second period.

Mountfield saved a critical breakdown after an offensive foul by Okuliar and decided two minutes before the third siren. It was Okuliar who encouraged Kevin Klíma in the counterattack, who shot Kváča between the hand and the body. Liberec did not prevent the series tie even in a short game of six against four.