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Frodl's Shutout Forces Game 5 — Karlovy Vary Survive in Mattoni Arena
Karlovy Vary blanked Trinec 3-0 in Game 4 to fend off the first match point. Frodl posted his third playoff shutout; series 1-3.
Frodl's Shutout Forces Game 5 — Karlovy Vary Survive in Mattoni Arena
HC Energie Karlovy Vary kept their season alive on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over HC Oceláři Trinec in Game 4 of the Czech Extraliga play-off semifinal. Goaltender Dominik Frodl posted his third shutout of the 2026 play-offs and Energie sliced the best-of-seven deficit to 1-3.
HC Energie Karlovy Vary – HC Oceláři Trinec 3-0 (1-0, 1-0, 1-0)
Goals: 3' Beránek (Černoch, Jaks), 34' Bambula, 56' Jiskra (Moravec) — none.
Goaltenders: Frodl (shutout) — Kacetl (replaced at 34:00 by Mazanec). Penalties: 4-4 minor; power play 0-0. Attendance: 5,419.
/Series: Trinec lead 3-1/
Beránek strikes early
Energie, facing the first match point of the series, came out flying. In the 3rd minute Ondřej Beránek deflected a Černoch-Dello combination past Ondřej Kacetl to put {{homeTeam}} ahead 1-0. The Mattoni Arena crowd lifted, and the early goal allowed the home side to play their preferred forecheck-heavy style.
Bambula's 2-0 chases Kacetl
The killer blow came in the 34th minute. Bambula finished off a turnover deep in the Trinec zone for 2-0 and Trinec coach Boris Žabka pulled Kacetl in favour of Marek Mazanec. The change failed to stem the tide; Energie continued to pressure and finally added insurance.
Jiskra's 56th-minute insurance
In the 56th minute Vít Jiskra finished from a David Moravec feed for 3-0. From there it was about the goaltender. Frodl, who had become the heartbeat of Energie's playoff run, turned aside everything Trinec threw at him for his third shutout in 2026 — only the second time all season Trinec had been blanked.
Patera: "Today we were more productive"
Karlovy Vary coach Pavel Patera was clear about the difference: "Today we were more productive than Trinec. Obviously the goaltender's exceptional performance was crucial — when he doesn't allow goals."
Trinec coach Boris Žabka conceded: "We had some chances we didn't convert. An unlucky goal early and a mistake on 0-2 determined the match's trajectory."
What it means
{{homeTeam}} pushed the series to a Game 5 on Saturday in Trinec. {{awayTeam}} still hold a commanding 3-1 lead and need only one win to reach the franchise's tenth Extraliga final, but Energie head north with a goaltender in form and the knowledge that they finally cracked the Trinec lineup.