PREVIEW: Payback time? Sparta against Trinec is driven by a mountain of pending accounts | Hokej.cz

Two extra-league giants, two different stories. While one supplies the showcase with more and more trophies, the other throws cup ambitions into the trash spring after spring. And when their paths cross? Since Sparta’s last winning streak with Třinec, you would have flipped through more than two decades on the calendar.

2013, 2015, 2022 and 2023… Or quarter finals, semi finals, finals and quarter finals if you will. Four playoff collisions, each time with the same ending – the Steelers go on, or take the laurels. Only the fight in 2002 had the opposite outcome.

After twelve months, the traditional rivalry finds itself back on course. Although the first days of April promise to warm up, it will really be hot on the ice of the O2 Arena and the Werk Arena. Something could easily catch from the flying sparks.

There is no need to elaborate on what is at stake. Sparta is chasing its first title since 2007, Třinec is trying to reach the same level as the memorable dynasty of Vsetín from the 90s. The scenes are set, the hockey show will begin on Tuesday in the capital.

Due to the balance from the elimination fights, positive points jump to the Steelers, but in the regular part, however, Sparta dominated the mutual battles. And she was the only one to deprive the reigning king of the joyous feeling of winning in all four encounters.

On the other hand… Regular playing time was not enough to evaluate the match three times – once it beat overtime, twice even with separate raids. At the end of January, however, the red and white were dealt a blow.

In total, Sparta and Třinec have met 178 times in the top competition, of which the Steelers won 91 times and Prague won 84 times. And three times the two manchafts parted amicably.

But they switch the box of favorites from one to another. “Tough opponent, four-time national champion. It will definitely be him in this series, thanks to what he has been able to do in recent years,” says Spartan captain Michal Řepík for the club’s website.

“Sparta will definitely be the favorite in this series. It shows the position after the regular season, their smooth progress in the quarterfinals and our mutual matches,” Třinec assistant coach Vladimír Országh counters on the website hcocelari.cz.

Psychological games? Perhaps, one can understand the point of view of both sides. “Fortunately, all this is canceled in the playoffs. A year ago, few people counted on us either, and we were outsiders,” reminds Országh.

The team from the capital blew through the quarter-final set like a thump and had twelve days at their disposal for preparation, while the championship team eliminated České Budějovice only in the seventh match. That could play a role as well.

“We had four days off, which I think is enough time to recover and prepare in peace. Longer days off are always tricky. On the one hand, you can relax, but on the other, you can fall out of the pace,” says Országh.

The current squad of Sparta is perceived by some as the strongest in recent years, but… Everyone knows what the great strength of the Steelers lies in. The extraleague hegemon demonstrated it perfectly in the decisive match with Motor.

“It would be great to finally break through, win and advance through Třinec,” wishes defender David Němeček. And Capo Řepík adds: “During the season, we proved that even if we lose, it doesn’t break us and we can return to all matches…”

For the time being, American shooter Josh Kestner is not eligible for the play-off due to health reasons, he was joined by guard Michal Moravčík in the quarter-finals. A question mark also hangs over the availability of elite center Vladimír Sobotka.

The Red and Whites, on the other hand, cannot count on key defender Jakub Jeřábek, who badly fractured his calf and tibia a few rounds before the end of the long-term phase of the competition.

Tip hokej.cz: 4:2 for Sparta

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Goalkeepers:
HC Sparta Prague (9/10)
HC Steelers Třinec (9/10)

Defenders:
HC Sparta Prague (9/10)
HC Steelers Třinec (7/10)

Attackers:
HC Sparta Prague (9/10)
HC Steelers Třinec (9/10)

Power plays:
HC Sparta Prague (1/3)
HC Ocelarí Třinec (2/3)

Weakening:
HC Sparta Prague (3/3)
HC Ocelarí Třinec (2/3)

Separate raids:
HC Sparta Prague (3/3)
HC Ocelarí Třinec (2/3)

Current form:
HC Sparta Prague (3/3)
HC Ocelarí Třinec (2/3)

Other:
HC Sparta Prague (4/5)
HC Steelers Třinec (5/5)

TOTAL:
HC Sparta Prague (41/47)
HC Ocelarí Třinec (38/44)

HC Sparta Prague roster

Goalkeepers:
Oldrich Cichoň, Josef Kořenář, Jakub Kovář.

Defenders:
Nicolas Beaudin, Aaron Irving, Michal Kempný, Jakub Krejčík, Michael Krutil, Ondřej Mikliš, Michal Moravčík, Vojtěch Mozík, David Němeček, Tomáš Tomek.

Attackers:
Jan Buchtele, Miroslav Forman, Stephen Harper, Petr Hauser, Roman Horák, Kryštof Hrabík, Filip Chlapík, Zack Kassian, Josh Kestner, Jakub Konečný, Pavel Kousal, Jani Lajunen, Radek Mužík, Ondřej Najman, Michal Řepík, Vladimír Sobotka, David Vitouch .

Roster of HC Ocelarí Třinec

Goalkeepers: Ondřej Kacetl, Marek Mazanec, Patrik Švančara.

Defenders: Marian Adámek, Jakub Jeřábek, Tomáš Kundrátek, Martin Marinčin, Richard Nedomlel, Adam Smith, Adam Polášek, Petr Šenkeřík.

Attackers: David Cienciala, Viliam Čacho, Marko Daňo, Jakub Doktor, Vladimír Dravecký, Oskar Haas, Miroslav Holinka, Adam Helewka, Patrik Hrehorčák, Libor Hudáček, Daniel Kurovský, Andrej Nestrashil, Miloš Roman, Martin Růžička, Petr Sikora, Daniel Voženílek, Petr Vrána , Kamil Walega.

Head-to-head matches

HC Ocelarí Třinec 2:3 dream HC Sparta Prague
HC Sparta Prague 3:2 p.m HC Ocelarí Třinec
HC Ocelarí Třinec 1:2 dream HC Sparta Prague
HC Sparta Prague 5:1 HC Ocelarí Třinec

Face to face stars

Facing the White Tigers, he collected four assists, the main part of the offensive production was provided by others. Of the constellation of Spartan stars, however