In front of the packed stands, they came close to saving the day. Kladno hockey players won 3:2 over Vsetín in the third match of the tie for the Tipsport extraliga, and only one win separates them from maintaining elite status. A sold-out Brno arena (7,700 spectators) arrived for the fight between the Knights and the Wallachians. The Central Bohemians, for whom Jaromír Jágr started again, decided to win the third point in the second period, when they jumped twice to a two-goal lead. The team from Wallachia managed to lose twice, but they were unable to get back into the match. Kladno can confirm their stay in the top flight on Monday.
Compared to the opening two duels in Kladno, Vsetín replaced Patrik Romančík with the already recovered No. 1 goalkeeper Maxim Žukov, but had to do without Vít Jonák, who served a one-match disciplinary suspension, as well as defender Jakub Teper and another forward Patriks Zabusovs. Back Jakub Ďurkáč and forwards Matyáš Dědek and Roman Vaňo entered the game. After a one-game absence, Jakub Klepiš returned to the Kladno lineup in the center of the second attack.
The Knights struck from the first chance of the game at 3:09. Filip sent Jarůšek with a backhand for the defense, who beat Žukov with a shot on the rebound. It was already his third goal in this year’s tie. Wallachians could answer in the middle of the opening half, when Hejd was sent off, he covered Rob’s shot by Brízgal. Strnad could have increased Kladno’s lead, but missed in a good position. Zhukov then covered Slováček’s wound. In the 16th minute, Jarůšek caught Machal’s pass on the defensive blue line, but missed in the escape.
Vsetín could erase the loss in the 25th minute, when Klhůfek offered the puck to Rob, but Brízgala managed to move against his shot. The Kladen goalie also managed to deal with Machal’s shot. Vsetin captain Hrňa shot dangerously twice, Staněk had an inaccurate fly and Holec didn’t succeed either. In the middle of the game Rob threatened again and in the 34th minute Brízgal intervened even when he escaped. On the other side, Jagr found himself in a good position, but he did not finish.
In the 37th minute, with Vaň’s dismissal, Kladno increased the score in its first power play of the match. Ticháček charged Tralmaks on the right circle, who aimed exactly at the near post. Vsetín rejoiced for the first time in 79 seconds. After a series of stops, Dědek got the puck for Brízgala. At 39:34, the Knights regained their two-goal advantage. Klepiš got free through Jenáček and offered the puck to the right post to Procházek, who, like Jarůšek, scored for the third time in the series. Four seconds before the end, however, Dědek made a pass from the corner to Hrňo’s left circle, and the Vsetín captain brought the team back into contact.
In the final part, the champion of the first league tried to push for an equaliser, but Brízgala could not be overcome by Machala, Dědek, Ondraček and even in the 50th minute in the best chance after Klhůfek’s offer from behind the goal Rob. They defended well even when Hejd was sent off, when Hořanský and Kern had opportunities. Jarůšek threatened for the Knights. In the 55th minute, during Matějček’s penalty, Tralmaks had a fuse on his stick, but he hit the crossbar in front of the open goal.
Klhůlfek, who broke his stick during the shot, did not manage to equalize, nor during the power play when Hořanský penetrated. Even a power play in the last 65 seconds of Martenet’s suspension did not help Vsetín to force overtime.
Testimonials from coaches
Jiří Weintritt (Vsetín): “We had only an average first period. We made a mistake there in the middle zone, we got a goal and we went to the cabin minus one. I have nothing to criticize my team for in the second and third periods. We had good movement and good pressure on goal. I think we had a lot of good shooting positions, we scored two goals. We lost 2:3, but I praised the boys in the cabin. The performance was very good and we have to take it positively until the next day. We are losing 0-3, but two games from our side were very good. It was a pity that Maxim Zhukov fell ill with severe angina at the wrong moment. He stayed healthy all season. We needed to have him in full form by the start of the series. It did not happen. It’s a hockey life. Even with a score of 0:3, the boys will be as motivated as today and Vsetín never gives up.”
Otakar Vejvoda (Kladno): “The first third was quite decent from our side. From the second period Vsetín was better, he was more in our zone. We had three chances two on one, three on two or three on one. We ended up in the corner three times in a row and since then Vsetín was clearly better and we thank (goalkeeper) Adam Brízgal for the victory. Purely subjectively, I think that we insulted the card, that we had those break situations and there wasn’t even a shot from that. The match took on a life of its own at certain moments in the second period.”
Goals
Homemade: 38:00. Grandfather, 39:57. Pot
Guests: 03:09. Jarůšek, 36:41. Tralmax, 39:34. M. Walk
Assemblies
Homemade: Žukov (Romančík) – Jenáček, Kojo, Hryciow, Staněk, Larsen, Ondračka, Ďurkáč – Rob (A), Klhůfek, Matějček – Hrňa, Dědek, Machala – Š. Bláha, Kern (C), Hořanský – Vaňo, Kratochvil, Holec (AND).
Guests: Brízgala (Mitens) – Hejda, Ticháček, Babka, Slováček, Martenet, Veber – M. Procházka, Filip, Jarůšek – Tralmaks, Klepiš, Smoleňák (C) – Sideroff, Pytlík, Frolík – Jágr, Melka (A), Strnad (A ) – Chunky.
Referee
Kika, Ondráček – Rampír, Šimánek
Stadium
Winning Group Arena, Brno
Knights of Kladno Everything about the club HERE
VHK Vsetín Everything about the club HERE