The winning goal for Třinec was scored by Daniel Voženílek, just like in his first win in the series, who in the middle of the third period just in front of the goalkeeper Jakub Kovář took a shot from Lukáš Kaňák. “A great battle, a continuation of the three previous fights. It’s important for us that they were better mentally prepared, we gave a strong performance from start to finish and we were rewarded with a point for that,” said Třinec coach Zdeněk Moták.
Třinec was happy about the first shot that went on goal. Martin Marinčin’s shot was blocked by Tomáš Marcinko and goalkeeper Jakub Kovář just looked behind him sadly. But that was all from the home side for a long time. The visitors won the first period clearly 17:5 on shots and equalized in the power play.
Tomáš Marcinko, the center of the elite Třinec formation, offered them straight away for five minutes, who repeated Miroslav Forman’s intervention from the opening match on the ice of Třinec, and the Slovakian striker went to the showers in the 16th minute for chopping between the legs of Mikael Warg.
Photo: Vladimír Pryček, CTK
The goal joy of Sparta hockey players (from left) David Tomášek, Michal Řepík, Roman Horák and Michal Kempný.Photo: Vladimir Prycek, CTK
“It’s interesting that Marci didn’t play in the second match in Prague and we also won it. We’ll probably have to take him out of the lineup,” Třinec coach Zdeněk Moták predicted a one-game suspension, which Forman also received after the same intervention and missed Sparta in the fourth game.
Sparta used the power play in sixteen seconds, but took another advantage with two fouls. “Unfortunately, it’s probably some degree of overmotivation that those unnecessary fouls were committed,” said attacker Vladimír Sobotka, who was hard to justify.
Photo: Vladimír Pryček, CTK
From the left, Samuel Buček from Třinec, Michal Kempný from Sparta, David Kaše from Sparta and Petr Vrána from Třinec.Photo: Vladimir Prycek, CTK
Sparta pounded the Steelers in vain. A certain Ondřej Kacetl kept the house. “Probably yes, when we lost,” grinned Sparta’s coach Miloslav Hořava. “We had shots, but not clear chances. Otherwise, it was a very similar game to yesterday. But it’s hard to win on one goal in the playoffs. Unfortunately, we they couldn’t get into positions like Třinec for both goals. We didn’t screen much there. Yesterday it was good, today not. The boys are working hard, but it’s a game and Třinec was better at it today,” assessed Hořava.
Defender Jakub Jeřábek secured the win with a lob into the empty goal, for another point, which will mean a match point, with last year’s finalists playing on Sunday in Prague (from 4:30 p.m.) in a tie. “We need to be more assertive in front of the goal and we must not make mistakes,” Sparta striker Vladimír Sobotka was looking for reasons for the second defeat. “There are not many clean situations. It’s simply playoff hockey. Everyone has to cope with that and find a way in front of the goal,” he added.
