Třinec confirms its invulnerable position in Czech Republic

OCELÁŘI TŘINEC v. SLAVIA PRAHA 5:2 (1:1, 4:0, 0:1)

Before the game, Třinec mastered Extraliga standings with 11pts lead over the second Litvínov. Exactly the same gap - 11pts - was between the last Slavia and the 13th Mladá Boleslav.

The cards were handed out clearly and today's game resulted respectively. Even though Slavia opened the score using its first shot in the game, Třinec took control over the game during the second period and built up a comfortable four-goal lead.

After the final whistle the score was 5-2 and Třinec improved its season's record against Slavia to 3-0 while having positive score bilance 15-4. For Třinec, this was the tenth victory in a row, for Slavia the 14th loss out of last 15 games.

ENERGIE KARLOVY VARY – ČSOB POJIŠŤOVNA PARDUBICE 2:3 (0:0, 2:0, 0:3)

Pardubice recently changed its head coach. Zdeněk Venera was recalled by the organization due to a long cold streak. The gap on the bench after Venera was filled by Miloš Říha sr., who joined there the current assistant coach and his son, Miloš Říha jr.

Before this game in Karlovy Vary, Pardubice under the lead of its new coach played just one game against Sparta and Pardubice won. But on the other hand they arrived to the arena of a team which has not lost even one out of its last 5 home games.

After 40 minutes of the game it looked like for prolonging the home team's series because Karlovy Vary lead 2-0, but during the range of 11 minutes in the third period Pardubice scored three-times and grabbed all three points for a 2-3 away victory.

ŠKODA PLZEŇ v. OLOMOUC 2:1 SO (1:0, 0:0, 0:1 - 0:0)

This was a direct fight for the eight spot in the league standings. But to the sad of goal-lovers the offensive force of both teams were frozen. That’s interesting especially in case of Olomouc (9th), because last time they scored seven-times to the goal of Mladá Boleslav.

But in Plzeň (8th), the Red Cocks scored just once and what for more it was just after long 57 minutes of play. All of the sudden the home team fans had to stop their premature victory celebrations. It was because the Plzeň Indians showed up no better productivity, so the away team’s late goal meant tying up the score and pusing the game to the overtime.

From statistical point of view, as there were just two goals to be seen during 60 minutes of play, there was no big probability, any of teams will add the game winning goal during the extra time. And so it happened. But after all, the celebrations in the stands re-started after shootout: Plzeň scored twice, but Olomouc not even once.

SPARTA PRAHA v. VÍTKOVICE OSTRAVA 4:2 (2:1, 1:1, 1:0)

Here it comes - the second loss in a row for Vítkovice (10th) after the previous nice series of three victories. After 5-0 home loss against the second Litvínov, this time they get a 4-2 defeat from the third Sparta.

It could be both better and worse for Vítkovice. Worse, because they were quickly losing 2-0 in the first. But it also could turned out much better for them as they tied it up during the second period and as they had several further scoring changes.

After all, Sparta takes the three-points victory, because on their roster they have Petr Kumstát: Kumstát scored twice (including the game-winning goal) and assisted to both other Sparta sharp shots to help his team win 4-2.

MOUNTFIELD HRADEC KRÁLOVÉ v. ZLÍN 0:3 (0:0, 0:1, 0:2)

In their first match after a two games long pause caused by a wide flu epidemy in the Hradec Králové roster, the Mountfield players lost 3-0 to Zlín on their home field.

The key to the game’s result could be found in Mountfield’s poor productivity. During the first period, the home team won 16-4 on shots, but scored no goals. Hradec Králové did not use even a 5-on-3 powerplay in the second period or any other chance during all game.

Zlín opened the score during the 27th minute, and added two more goals during the third period. With time running, the away team was controlling the play more and more and allowed no dramatization to occur.

VERVA LITVÍNOV – BÍLÍ TYGŘI LIBEREC 3:2 OT (2:1, 0:0, 0:1 - 1:0)

Thanks to very good using of powerplays, Litvínov won its first game against Liberec in the running season. The home team scored three times and in all cases it was during a 5-on-4 or 4-on-3 advantage.

But it was Liberec who took the lead early in the first period. Even though Verva turned over the score yet before the first horn, the White Tigers tied it up during the third period and brought the game to the overtime.

Many players and coaches would agree that a 4-on-3 powerplay is even a better advantage than the standard 5-on-4 powerplay. So it is always dangerous for you  to foul during overtimes as in the extra time, you play with 4 hockeyists only. Liberec offered to Litvínov such an opportunity and the home team used it and earned an extra point to the league standings.

MLADÁ BOLESLAV – KOMETA BRNO 3:4 OT (0:2, 1:0, 2:1 - 0:1)

Fans of Mladá Boleslav are dissapointed about their team’s position (13th) in the league standings and they said it “loud” by a transparent during the last home game against third Brno.

Like the Boleslav players did not read the transparent at all, they were losing 0-2 after five minutes of play already! But may be it was just a part of their plan from the beginning, because as it was 11.1., they turned over the score to 3-2 thanks to three goals scored during 111 seconds exactly.

However the joy in the stands had no long duration as Kometa scored an equalizer after 70 further seconds and added also the game-winning goal during overtime.

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