Sparta is on the verge of elimination, the Tigers managed the third match. Třinec won in Boleslav

Michal Birner contributed to the success of Severočechy with a goal and two assists, Lenc scored three assists. Liberec can complete its progress to the finals on Thursday, when it will host Sparta again from 5:00 p.m.

“We proved again what kind of inner strength and team spirit we have. Even at 0: 2, our legs didn’t knock and we managed to turn the match to our side. Once again, it was confirmed how important the power play played. Today was exactly the match, “when we could help them. We played them very well and we managed to score all three goals in them,” said Lenc.

Sparta has significantly changed its line-up today. Instead of Salák, who stayed by his wife due to the birth, the seasonal number one Machovský returned to the goal area exactly one month later. For the first time in the playoffs, the experienced back Ondřej Němec also got the opportunity at the expense of Pavelka.

Coaches mixed Hořava and Jandač with the composition of all defenses and attacks, including the elite one, where Řepík and Horák took the place of Sobotka Rousek. Instead of Šmerha, Dvořáček returned from the lineup. The Liberec coach exchanged Průžek for Pavlík only in the fourth formation.

At the beginning of the match, Sukeľ threatened twice for the guests, Machovský covered Gríger’s chance after Najman’s pass during the renumbering. The Spartan goalkeeper managed another Gríger option and at 10:34 Sparta rejoiced. Dvořáček found a clever butt from behind the goal from the goal line on Zikmund’s right circle and he opened the score.

Vlach could answer, but he did not beat Machovsky. In the 15th minute, during Kudrn’s suspension, Musil pushed the puck into the goal, but Sparta took the coach’s challenge and the goal did not pay, because the Liberec striker attacked the concrete of the Spartan goalkeeper with a hockey stick. In the 18th minute, Horák found a lone Řepík in front of the goal, but the captain of the Prague team defeated Kváč.

Liberec tried to push for a balance, but Dvořáček and Řepík had a better chance at the beginning of the second period. Kolmann took another opportunity with Rousek. At first, he was able to make up for Musil’s escape in weakness, but he failed with a backhand ending. On the contrary, Tomášek took advantage of the numerical advantage, to which the puck from Birner bounced happily and overcame Kváč with a bluff to the forehand.

In 140 seconds, the White Tigers also rejoiced. When Polášek was eliminated, Birner hit the left circle. Kvača was then checked by Sobotka, Machovský dealt with Jelínková’s flow again. In the 39th minute, Liberec prevailed in the numerical advantage and during Jandus’ penalty he hit over the shading Gríger from the blue line Knot. He could turn the situation around before the Musil pause.

Sparta could return to the lead in the 45th minute, when Kolmann tripped the escaping Forman, but Řepík did not turn the penalty shot. His bluff in the forehand covered Kváč with his left concrete. “If I scored a goal, the result could have been different and we could have won. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out,” said Michal Řepík.

“I had it made up. I wanted to get into the forehand with a long handle, but Kváča grinded it off and didn’t leave room for me there. I had it on a long stick, so I couldn’t even pick up the puck. It’s a shame,” Řepík returned to key moment

Then there were no chances due to solid defenses and both goalkeepers reliably eliminated the shooting attempts. Gradually, they created the possibilities of the home Bulíř and then also Musil, who tried to score from a spin similar to the second duel in the series.

116 seconds before the end of the third period, Liberec had the advantage of a power play after Košťál’s throwing of the puck into the auditorium, but Sparta resisted. At 61:22, Košťálek went to pay again, this time for a foul, and Lenc’s attempt from the right circle ran in front of Machovský Gríger.

“Already against Hradec in the quarterfinals we led 3-0 to the matches and we knew how hard it is to end the series. We will try to finish the series tomorrow, but we are on the ground. Sparta certainly does not want to end the season after defeating 0: 4 in the semifinals,” added Lenc.

Třinec decided already in the first third

The hockey players of Třinec won the semifinals on the ice of Mladá Boleslav 3: 1 and lead 2: 1 in the series played for four victories. The Steelworkers developed a key two-goal lead in the first period, after which they managed to reduce the home team, but after Miloš Roman’s goal at the end of the second part, the guests already defended their valuable prize.

The Slezanians managed to enter the match perfectly. Already in the 2nd minute, they took the lead when Jan Růžička overcame Rodewald in the goal of Mladá Boleslav after Špaček’s pass from the back guard. The home team took the first serious chance only in the 9th minute, Kecetl was ready for Strnad’s ending.

In the middle of the first period, the guests threatened to renumber two to one, but Růžička managed to deal with Hrehorčák’s shot. Immediately, however, Kousal was eliminated and the Steelmen prevailed for the second time in the power play. Stránský prepared a goal for Martin Růžička from behind the goal.

“The character of the match was determined by the first third, we were not in the match at all. We waited for what Třinec would do to us and we can’t afford it against such an opponent. Unfortunately we didn’t follow up on the second match (series), when everything was on our side.” said the home coach Pavel Patera.

The Central Czechs were more active in shooting, against a carefully defending opponent, who often stood with four players on the defensive blue line, but they did not succeed. It was not until the 29th minute that Šťastný was shot, which apparently surprised Kacetl.

Skaters then had the advantage of overpowering twice, but could not equalize. On the other hand, at the end of Kundrátek’s penalty, Martin Růžička got into a break, but did not prevail for the second time in the match. At the end of the second period, the guests increased their lead, Jan Růžička just launched Dravecký’s attempt and Roman promptly reached the goal. “It was as difficult a match as the previous two. We showed what we did in the first, we won personal fights, which I decided,” praised the guest striker Michael Špaček.

Kousal could have reduced the lead after 43 minutes, but his shot hit the post after a nice combination in the middle of the park. The home team created overwhelming pressure in places, but they did not score in the goal in another numerical advantage in the middle of the third period. “We had a lot of shots, but we probably pushed a little into the goal. Next time we just have to bother the goalkeeper more, be on his mask, “said the home striker David Šťastný.

Although Třinec lost three times in the basic part in Mladá Boleslav, he nevertheless succeeded in the playoffs on the first attempt. The final power play of the home team did not change anything.

“We had a great start to the match, we scored a quick goal and we felt that the first period was very good for us. During the match the game leveled off and in the third period the home team made it difficult for us. Several substitutions locked us in our zone and created some However, a win counts and we did a very good performance today, supported by the goalkeeper’s performance, and that helped us to the second point in the series, “said Václav Varaďa from Třinec.

Semifinals play off hockey Tipsport Extraliga – Match 3:

White Tigers Liberec – HC Sparta Prague 3: 2 in prod. (0: 1, 2: 1, 0: 0 – 1: 0)

Goals and recordings: 28. Birner (Knot, Lenc), 39. Knot (Lenc, Birner), 63. Gríger (Lenc, Birner) – 11. Zikmund (Dvořáček, Polášek), 26. Tomášek. Judges: Jeřábek, Šindel – Gerát, Hynek. Exclusion: 3: 7, in addition P. Jelínek (Liberec) 10 min. Utilization: 3: 1. No spectators. Series status: 3: 0.

Assemblies:

Liberec: Kváča – Knot, Vitásek, Kolmann, Rosandič, T. Hanousek, Derner, T. Havlín – Lenc, A. Musil, Birner – Bulíř, Gríger, A. Najman – D. Špaček, P. Jelínek, J. Vlach – Průžek, J. Šír, Rychlovský. Coach: P. Augusta.

Sparta: Machovsky – Kostalek, Nemecek, M. Jandus, Polasek, O. Nemec, Tomas Dvorak, Jurcina – Repik, R. Horak, Rousek – Tomasek, M. Sukel, Sobotka – M. Forman, Pech, A. Kudrna – Dvoracek , Zikmund, Buchtele. Coaches: Hořava and Jandač.

BK Mlada Boleslav – HC Ocelari Trinec 1: 3 (0: 2, 1: 1, 0: 0)

Goals and recordings: 29. D. Šťastný (Šidlík, Kotala) – 2. Rodewald (M. Špaček, M. Kovařčík), 13. M. Růžička (M. Stránský, P. Vrána), 39. M. Roman (Dravecký ). Judges: Hodek, Lacina – Brejcha, Pešek. Exclusion: 2: 3. Utilization: 0: 1. No spectators. Series condition: 1: 2.

Assemblies:

Mladá Boleslav: J. Růžička – Šidlík, Ševc, Pláněk, Dlapa, Fillman, Bernad, Hrbas – J. Stránský, Bičevskis, J. Strnad – D. Šťastný, A. Zbořil, Kotala – Jääskeläinen, Claireaux, Cienciala – P. Kousal , O. Najman, Trávníček. Coaches: Rulík and Patera.

Třinec: Kacetl – Gernát, M. Doudera, D. Musil, Freibergs, Kundrátek, Jaroměřský – M. Růžička, P. Vrána, M. Stránský – Chmielewski, Marcinko, Kurovský – Rodewald, M. Špaček, M. Kovařčík – Dravecký, M. Roman, Hrehorčák – Hrňa. Coach: Varaďa.

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