“We have the first game, it’s great. But it’s only the first match and tomorrow it will be all over again,” the American shooter moderated the euphoria in a post-match interview for Czech Television.
Hockey players Vítkovic and Komety Brno meet in the playoffs for the third time in history. The team from South Moravia won both previous series, in the quarter-finals of the 2017/2018 season (4:0 per match) and in the preliminary round of the 2020/2021 season (3:2).
In the current season, however, the hockey players from Ostrava are more successful on the ice, having won three of the four matches (1:2, 4:1, 5:2 and 5:2) and had a better start to the third joint battle in the knockout stage.
The touching phase of the opening duel ended in the 14th minute, when the visiting defense did not guard the home team’s best scorer in the regular part, Roberts Bukarts, who unerringly delivered the puck kicked by goalkeeper Furch under the top post. In thirty-five seconds, the situation was almost repeated, with the difference that Jakub Kotala scored the goal from the stop.
“This affected the match a lot. A good team shouldn’t get two consecutive goals. Vítkovice knows how to defend well and it’s difficult to conquer them,” commented Brno coach Patrik Martinec. “Important goals, they helped us a lot,” rejoiced the scorer of the second goal of Vítkovice Kotala.
Both Vítkovice and Brno received a single power play from their opponents in the first game of the series. Neither side used it to score. The home team came close, but Peter Krieger’s shot hit the crossbar. “We played well, the only thing missing was the goal,” smiled Mueller.
Photo: Jaroslav Ožana, CTK
From the left, Peter Randy Mueller from Vítkovice and Luboš Horký from Brno.Photo: Jaroslav Ožana, CTK
The guests were lifted by a single power play and shortly after its end they were reduced. Zdeněk Okál applied his emphasis in front of the goal. “We were preparing for something, but instead we conceded twice in the first period. The reduction helped us, but it cost us a lot of energy to catch up with them. But if we play tomorrow as we did in the last two thirds, we can win one game,” explained Kometa defender Marek Ďaloga.
In the third part, it was time for the former mainstays of the current rivals. Vítkovice’s lead was emphasized by Muller with an exhibition “thermometer” into Furch’s right armpit, and three minutes later Kometa defender Marek Hrbas again reduced the difference to a single goal.
“We had a great chance there, but their goalkeeper made a great save, just like us. We have to be more successful tomorrow,” said Ďaloga. Vítkovice took a 1-0 lead in the matches, they will face Brno for the second time on Saturday again at home (from 19:00).
