“I was a little surprised by that, but I understand them. Both they and we are not satisfied with the start of the season. We have to respond with hard work on the ice, we have no other option,” said coach Miloš Holan, who after the fourth defeat in a row on the ice of České Budějovice completely shuffled both the offensive and defensive formations. Only goalkeeper Lukáš Klimeš remained in his place.
And the effect seems to have arrived. Vítkovice had a lot of chances in the first period, but scored a goal only in the opening power play in the middle of the game thanks to Petr Chlán. “So far, we’re not as lucky as we were last season, and we’re struggling to score goals in a five-on-five game. Even today we had chances, for example Kalus hit the crossbar,” Holaň recounted.
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Vítkovice – Olomouc 1:0 (29. Clán) Video: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA
The home team successfully defended their lead for about six minutes, then Olomouc’s Jakub Navrátil and Matouš Menšík scored within sixty seconds. And when Rok Macuch increased Mora’s lead at the beginning of the third period, the mood in the Ostrava hockey arena equaled the point at which water turns to ice.
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Vítkovice – Olomouc 1:3 (45. Macuh) Video: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA
“At 1:3 it was very uncomfortable. We had our heads down, our psyche was on fire. but we prevailed in the power play. Their indiscipline helped us a lot,” Holaň pointed out the eleven-minute numerical advantage in the third twenty-minute period.
Vítkovice had six power plays available in the match, Olomouc not one. In the third part, Jiří Ondrušek, Pavel Musil, Jan Švrček went straight to the cabins with a five-minute penalty for undermining Kalus, and then Musil once more. And they were very happy to take advantage of the home team’s offer to level the match, in which they were losing 1:3 from the 45th minute.
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Vítkovice – Olomouc 4:3 pp (63. Bukarts) Video: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA
“We lost it ourselves. We had the match under control, but it is simply not possible to play so weakened. Vítkovice have skilful players who can play power plays, which they have shown. We didn’t manage it,” Mora’s Polish striker Aron Chmielewski said.
