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Trinec One Win From the Final — Kovařčík Sinks Energie Late in Karlovy Vary
Trinec won 3-2 in Karlovy Vary in semifinal Game 3, with Kovařčík's late goal in the 55th minute completing the turnaround. Series lead 3-0.
Trinec One Win From the Final — Kovařčík Sinks Energie Late in Karlovy Vary
HC Oceláři Trinec defeated HC Energie Karlovy Vary 3-2 on Tuesday in Game 3 of the Czech Extraliga play-off semifinal at Mattoni Arena. The result lifted the visitors to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and to within a single win of a tenth final appearance in club history.
HC Energie Karlovy Vary – HC Oceláři Trinec 2-3 (1-1, 0-1, 1-1)
Goals: 12' Beránek (Jiskra, Dello), 49' Sapoušek (Černoch, Jaks, power play) — 17' Hudáček (Kundrátek, Nestrašil, power play), 35' Roman (Adámek), 55' Kovařčík (Adámek, Marinčin).
Goaltenders: Frodl — Kacetl. Penalties: 4-4 minor; power-play goals 1-1. Attendance: 5,542.
/Series: 0-3 from Energie's perspective, Trinec lead 3-0/
Beránek opens, Hudáček answers on the power play
Karlovy Vary, energised by the home crowd in their first home semifinal in 17 years, struck first. In the 12th minute Ondřej Beránek finished a give-and-go set up by Vít Jiskra and Tomáš Dello to make it 1-0. Trinec answered in the 17th when Libor Hudáček converted on the power play from Kundrátek and Nestrašil — 1-1.
Roman's turnaround in the second period
Trinec controlled the middle period and broke through in the 35th minute when defenseman Marian Adámek slid a cross-ice pass to Miloš Roman, who beat Frodl for 1-2. Energie pushed back through the third period and finally drew level in the 49th, when Sapoušek converted the power play assisted by Černoch and Jaks for 2-2.
Kovařčík's late winner
The deciding moment came in the 55th minute. Off a clean Trinec breakout, Adámek again surveyed and threaded a perfect pass to Ondřej Kovařčík, who beat Frodl through the five-hole to make it 2-3. Energie pulled Frodl in the final minute but could not find the equaliser.
"We must praise the whole team"
Trinec coach Boris Žabka said after the game: "We must praise the whole team; initiative and effort turned the match in our favor."
Karlovy Vary coach Pavel Patera was rueful: "Unfortunately, we didn't finish well and conceded the deciding goal."
What it means
{{awayTeam}} took a 3-0 series lead and put themselves one win from a tenth Extraliga final in club history. {{homeTeam}}, in their first semifinal since 2009, faced elimination heading into Game 4 the following evening at home.