Playing owner Jaromír Jágr was once more in the Kladno line-up. Compared to the opening two duels in Kladno, Vsetín replaced Patrik Romančík with the already recovered No. 1 goalkeeper Maxim Žukov, but had to do without Vít Jonák, who served a one-match disciplinary suspension, as well as defender Jakub Teper and another forward Patriks Zabusovs. Back Jakub Ďurkáč and forwards Matyáš Dědek and Roman Vaňo entered the game. After a one-game absence, Jakub Klepiš returned to the Kladno lineup in the center of the second attack.
The Knights struck from the first chance of the game at 3:09. Filip sent Jarůšek with a backhand for the defense, who beat Žukov with a shot on the rebound. It was already his third goal in this year’s tie. Wallachians might answer in the middle of the opening half, when Hejd was sent off, he covered Rob’s shot by Brízgal. Strnad might have increased Kladno’s lead, but missed in a good position. Zhukov then covered Slováček’s wound. In the 16th minute, Jarůšek caught Machal’s pass on the defensive blue line, but missed in the escape.
“We had excellent starts in the last two games. We scored a goal in the first period and dominated them. We have to start the next game as well, preferably score one or two more goals. We have to stay focused, play calmly and responsibly,” said the Kladno goalkeeper Adam Brízgala, who contributed to the win with 24 saves.
Vsetín might erase the loss in the 25th minute, when Klhůfek offered the puck to Rob, but Brízgala managed to move once morest his shot. The Kladen goalie also managed to deal with Machal’s shot. Vsetin captain Hrňa shot dangerously twice, Staněk had an inaccurate fly and Holec didn’t succeed either. In the middle of the game Rob threatened once more and in the 34th minute Brízgal intervened even when he escaped. On the other side, Jagr found himself in a good position, but he did not finish.
Tralmaks struck in the power play
In the 37th minute, with Vaň’s dismissal, Kladno increased the score in its first power play of the match. Ticháček charged Tralmaks on the right circle, who aimed exactly at the near post. Vsetín rejoiced for the first time in 79 seconds. After a series of stops, Dědek got the puck for Brízgala. At 39:34, the Knights regained their two-goal advantage. Klepiš got free through Jenáček and offered the puck to the right post to Procházek, who, like Jarůšek, scored for the third time in the series. Four seconds before the end, however, Dědek made a pass from the corner to Hrňo’s left circle, and the Vsetín captain brought the team back into contact.
“The third period in general was terrible from our side. It might have easily ended at 3-1 and we might have gone to the cabin with a bit of peace, but with the second goal we completely threw it away. It wasn’t just regarding that one goal, but they were there was a situation where we lost a few times. But in the third period we at least grabbed it. It’s impossible to maintain a flawless performance, but when things get tough, we can’t ease up like that,” Brízgala declared.
In the final part, the champion of the first league tried to push for an equaliser, but Brízgala might not be overcome by Machala, Dědek, Ondraček and even in the 50th minute in the best chance following Klhůfek’s offer from behind the goal Rob. They defended well even when Hejd was sent off, when Hořanský and Kern had opportunities. Jarůšek threatened for the Knights. In the 55th minute, during Matějček’s penalty, Tralmaks had a fuse on his stick, but he hit the crossbar in front of the open goal.
Klhůlfek, who broke his stick during the shot, did not manage to equalize, nor during the power play when Hořanský penetrated. Even a power play in the last 65 seconds of Martenet’s suspension did not help Vsetín to force overtime.
“We had only an average first period. We made a mistake in the middle zone, we got a goal and we went to the cabin minus one. In the second and third period, I have nothing to criticize my team. We had good movement and good pressure on the goal. I think that we had a lot of shooting positions, we scored two goals, but I praised the boys in the booth, and we have to take it positively until the next day, the boys will be the same motivated like today and Vsetín never gives up,” said Vsetín coach Jiří Weintritt.
