9/8/2023 | Elizabeth Žižková
7, Friday 8 September 2023, Fortuna Sports Hall
Sparta – Liberec SPA – LIB
Sparta: Kovář – Kempný, Mozík, Moravčík, Krejčík, Irving, Němeček, Mikliš – Chlapík, Sobotka Řepík – Kousal, Horák, Kestner – Buchtele, Lajunen, Vitouch – Forman, Najman, Konečný
Liberec: Hrenák – Budík, Ivan, McCoshen, Melancon, Derner, Kolmann – Birner, Bulíř, Klíma – Pérez, Filippi, Faško – Rudaš – Flynn, Vlach, Rychlovský – Mucha, Šír, Gajda
Goals and assists: 46. Sobotka (Řepík) – 6. Birner (Klíma), 8. Flynn (Rychlovský), 19. Flynn (Rychlovský), 31. Šír (Faško-Rudaš), 44. Bulíř (Gajda). Exclusion: 4:4, plus Němeček (SPA) 5 minutes and until the end of the match. Usage: 0:2. In weakening: 1:0. Spectators: 2,164. Match progress: 0:5, 1:5.
Unfortunately, the general for the start of the extra league did not work out for our team. The winning streak in the preparation was only ended in the seventh game by the White Tigers from Liberec, against whom we lost 1:5 on home ice. Our team can regret the missed chances and especially the three scored sticks in the second act. The new season starts in a week with a home match against Motor.
Comment
He started the last preparatory match with shots by Moravčík and Buchtele, but Hrenák helped with their attempts. After further Spartan attempts, however, the first Spartan expulsion came and Liberec immediately punished. After a pass from a sharp angle, the puck trickled behind Kovář Michal Birner. And a minute later, Liberec even led by two goals. After a pass from behind the goal, he shot past Kovář Oscar Flynn.
Jani Lajunen tried to react to the Liberec increase, but he failed with his stop. After a passage without more chances, Liberec could play another power play after a foul by Řepík. This time, however, the weakened Spartans stood firm. Kestner then got into another dangerous chance, but Hrenák stopped his individual escape. The guests took advantage of Krejčík’s hesitation in the end. Rychlovský’s escape was stopped by Kovář, against the stop Oscar Flynn but he didn’t have a chance anymore.
We entered the second period under pressure, from which Kempné or Kestner’s chances flowed. Josh Kestner even hit the post of Hrenák’s goal from the right circle! Immediately, the Spartans also got the first chance of a power play, but Hrenák saved the attempts of Sobotka and Kestner. After McCoshen’s return from the penalty bench, the game calmed down.
When the match moved into its second half, Liberec increased its lead to four goals. After a pass from Fašek-Rudáš, he made a breakthrough with a backhand Jan Shir. Kestner tried again to correct the score, but he did not beat Hrenák with a single attempt. Just before the end of the second period, Kempný still shot, but again only hit the goal structure.
The tepid start to the third period was only interrupted by an illegal intervention by David Němeček, who headed straight for the locker room after an illegal intervention in the head or neck area. And Liberec didn’t even need half a minute to enjoy a five-goal lead. He came through from the stoppage Michal Bulíř. In the continuing weakening, the home hockey players also managed to score for the first time in the game. In a three-on-one outnumbering, he shot past Hrenák Vladimir Sobotka. The advancing Buchtele, who was still weakened, had another great chance, but a good defensive intervention by one of the opponents did not allow him to finish.
After a longer pause, substitute Schnattinger Forman checked, but his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper from Liberec. In the last ten minutes of the match, we still witnessed a skirmish between Irving and Fašek-Rudaš, after penalties were handed out, the game continued at five on both sides. Mikliš, Forman or Najman tried to lower themselves in the end, but Schnattinger saw off their attempts.
