The night of three derby-games in Czech Extraliga

Vítkovice Steel (8th) v. Oceláři Třinec (1st) 4:3 (1:2, 1:0, 2:1)

In front of the sold-out stands, Vítkovice reached a very important and prestigious win over the local rival. Before the game, Třinec was leading the standings 14 points ahead the second Litvínov and 37 points ahead Vítkovice, while having a record of 15 wins of last 16 games. Whereas Vítkovice struggles even for keeping a spot among TOP10 teams and every point has the price of gold to them. But at the same time, if the Steelers can keep playing like against Třinec, it will be possible for them to think about TOP6 as well. Eventhough the away team went to the lead twice during the game, Vítkovice tied the score in both cases. And what`s more, they also turned the score over to 3-2 in the 42nd minute, and later to 4-3 when just four minutes were remaining to go. After the regular season`s fourth and last "Steelers derby" the score is absolutely equal: 10-10 on goals and 6-6 on points.

ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice (6th) v. Mountfield HK (5th) 1:2 OT (0:0, 1:0, 0:1 - 0:1)

Another rivals game was played in Pardubice, where the match against Hradec Králové had an extra-explosive point: Not only the two cities are placed next to each other, but both teams were placed side by side in the league standings as well, while being dffered by one point only, so it was a direct fight for the fifth spot. Unluckily for the fans, the importance of the game negatively influenced the amount of goals. The spectators were used to see 5.7 points per game in average during previous three derbies, but this time, the red light shined up three times only. The first goal came in the middle of the game when Pardubice opened the score, the second during the third period while Mountfield made it even. And the third, yet in the overtime: Šimánek of Mountfield HK showed a good-looking individual action which decided about an extra point for the away team.

VERVA Litvínov (2nd) v.  Mladá Boleslav (10th) 3:1 (1:0, 2:0, 0:1)

Even though in the all-season`s comparison there is a huge gap between both Litvínov and Mladá Boleslav, their current form is equally hot: Verva won 8 of 10 previous games and especially on its home ice it is fully efficient, the streak of 5 home wins in a row speaks for itself. But yet recently under-averaged team of Boleslav arrived to Litvínov with 4 consecutive victories. Thus Litvínov wanted approach the match like if they were playing one of Extraliga`s TOP clubs. Though the Skaters from Mladá Boleslav were more active in the beginning, Litvínov kept increasing its tempo which resulted in two goals of Lukeš and one by Ručinský. When being in the three-goals lead, the home team again released the gas pedal, but till the last horn, Skaters were able to score one goal only and their winning series has been interrupted. Contrary, Litvínov home-series extended to six victories already.

Škoda Plzeň (7th) v.  Slavia Praha (14th) 5:3 (1:1, 3:2, 1:0)

In the most western Extraliga city, a shootout like from the wild wild west occurred. From 0-1, through 2-1 and 2-3 up to the final 5-3, that is how the score evolved.  Regardless to much improved performances, Slavia received loss no. 21 out of last 26 games and remains the last and more or less the team just fine tunes itself for the play-out stage. Škoda Plzeň is richer of three points which means, the difference between the 6th Pardubice and Plzeň shrinked from seven to four points. This was the first game of Václav Pletka in Slavia`s uniform after his recent trade from Plzeň. During his premiere he received a TOI of 18:23 and scored one hit and two shots on goal. Much more fruitful was presentation of Plzeň Ján Sýkora, who completed his third hat-trick in the running season already.

Bílí Tygři Liberec (11th) v. PSG Zlín (9th) 0:1 (0:0, 0:0, 0:1)

Before the 43rd round, the form of Liberec was decreasing. Bílí Tygři won the only game of last 6. Due to that, they are in the first place under the line dividing the teams advancing to the playoffs from the rest. The home game against Zlín could become a good steppingstone for them to get back to the game for playoffs, because Zlín, which was occupying the 9th spot, was just four points ahead of Liberec. It was a game of the only goal and, sadly for the home fans, it bogged down to the home team`s net. Influence of the 0-1 game is that the gap between Zlín and Liberec increases to 7 points. But on the other hand, the nearest playoffs spot to Liberec remains the same far: 3 points.

Olomouc (12th) v.  Kometa Brno (4th) 3:6 (1:1, 1:3, 1:2)

The last derby game of the round was to see in Olomouc. And the home team players had to struggle with the same problem as in six previous games. They are missing their no.1 goalie Jiří Trvaj and they are receiving lot of goals. Including the game against Kometa, it is 24 goals from 6 games, which makes the average of four per match. What`s more, since Trvaj got injured, they have not won even one game. Actually, to the game against Brno, Olomouc had a good start. After 50 seconds of the play, Jakub Herman made it 1:0. But later, Kometa scored six-times. If Brno gave six goals from 32 shots, and Olomouc just three out of 30 attempts, productivity of the home team seems to be another issue to be solved by the club owner and coach Jiří Dopita. But as Dopita says, his team used to win in the first half of the season, thus he believes so it can now. Therefore he does not plan any trades to happen, he said.

Sparta Praha (3rd) v. Energie Karlovy Vary (13th) 9:1 (3:0, 4:0, 2:1)

Karlovy Vary scored its first goal in the game during the 58th minute. But it was 8-0 for Sparta already. And still, it was not the last goal of the game, because one second before the final horn, Dominik Volek used a penalty shot to make it 9-1. The bad form of Energie thus looks go even worse and worse. From the last ten games Karlovy Vary won just one, which is a worse streak, than Slavia`s current one (2W of 10G). Nine games to go in the regualr season and Energie loses 7 points to the nearest playoffs spot of Mladá Boleslav. For Sparta, this was the best way how to forget the two recent huge defeats from Mountfield Hradec Králové (0:5) and Mladá Boleslav (3:6).

 

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