Playoff semi-final: 4th match Třinec – Sparta
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CHANGE: HC Ocelarí Třinec vs. HC Sparta Prague 4:1
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Třinec – Sparta, interventions by Třinec’s Kacetl during a double weakening
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Třinec – Sparta 1:0 (7th Tax)
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Třinec – Sparta 2:0 (16. Daňo)
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Třinec – Sparta, technicians in action had to repair broken plexiglass
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Třinec – Sparta 2:1 (29. Krejčík)
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Třinec – Sparta, after the skirmish even the linesman Šimánek ended up on the ice
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Třinec – Sparta, home team Daňo unsuccessfully attacked for a hat trick
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Třinec – Sparta, the chance of Třinec Nestrašil
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Třinec – Sparta, Sparta captain Řepík hit the post
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Třinec – Sparta 3:1 (49. Nestrašil)
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Třinec – Sparta 4:1 (58. Vrana)
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1:08
Třinec – Sparta, the Steelers’ first goal was finally recognized by the referee after review
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Třinec – Sparta, after the skirmish even the linesman Šimánek ended up on the ice
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Třinec – Sparta, home team Daňo unsuccessfully attacked for a hat trick
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Třince – Sparta, a heated finish after the Steelers’ goal into an empty net
“We knew it would be a tough series. They have won four titles in a row, they are a top team. We’ve lost one game, but we’re still leading by two. Nothing is happening, and on Tuesday we have another chance to end the series,” said Prague striker Filip Chlapík after Sunday’s defeat.
The extra-league silver medalist from the 2021/2022 season knows very well what can open the doors for him to the final match against Pardubice already in Tuesday’s fifth match (from 6:30 p.m. in the O2 arena). “Take a chance. We had two big ones in Třinec, but it didn’t work out and they helped themselves with power-ups. We were the worse team in the fourth game, they wanted a bit more. This must not happen again. We must not lose 0:2 against such a team. We know how they play if they are leading. Then it’s terribly difficult,” emphasized the national team striker.
His team no longer wants to travel to Třinec on Thursday. “We want to end the streak, that’s the hardest step. They certainly don’t want to wrap it up, it will be a fight to the last second. We are really looking forward to it. We will play at home, where our fans will drive us,” said the 26-year-old native of Prague.
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CHANGE: HC Ocelarí Třinec vs. HC Sparta Prague 4:1Video: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA
In the fifth game, Prague will be without captain Michal Řepík, who received a two-game suspension from the head of the Disciplinary Commission, Viktor Ujčík, for slashing Třinec’s Patrik Hrehorčák at the end of the game.
“They were going two on one, I wanted to hit his stick or prevent a goal, but the stick probably flew into his ribs. I want to apologize to him for that,” said Řepík in a video on the X network, who will only watch the game from the stands on Tuesday evening.
After his foul, a mass fight broke out on the Třinec ice. Filip Chlapík got into a fight with Marko Daně and Michal Kempný was challenged by defender Tomáš Kundrátek.
“Fights are also part of hockey,” said Třinec coach Zdeněk Moták after his team’s first ever victory over Sparta in the season. “Not a single coach encourages his team to do something like that. When it suddenly goes down, it goes down. There is a risk of minor injuries. But it’s the playoffs, there are some emotions there. That’s part of it,” added Sparta coach Pavel Gross. “It’s a sport where there are emotions,” Moták immediately objected.
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Třinec – Sparta, home team Daňo unsuccessfully attacked for a hat trick Video: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA
The winner of the last four championship titles, Třinec, will avert the end of the season for the second time in a row on Tuesday. “We are playing against a great team, we are losing 1:3 and we are well aware that no one has turned it around from zero yet. If it worked, that would be great. We took the first step, and the next step is to win and bring it back home,” said Třinec striker Andrej Nestrašil after the match.
