Špaček Brace and Chlapík Force Game 7

Sparta Prague beat Pardubice 3:2 in front of a sold-out O2 arena on Monday night to level the Czech Extraliga semi-final series 3-3 and force a decisive seventh game in Pardubice on Wednesday. Michael Špaček netted twice in the second period and captain Filip Chlapík delivered the 46th-minute winner.

HC Sparta Praha – HC Dynamo Pardubice 3:2 (0:1, 2:0, 1:1)

Goals: 28. M. Špaček, 33. M. Špaček (Horák, Krejčík, power play), 46. Chlapík (Horák) – 19. Kaut (Košťálek, Červenka, power play), 43. Červenka (Košťálek, Kondelík, power play).

Goalies: Kovář (Sparta) – Will (Pardubice). Penalties: 3:3. Power plays: 1:2. Attendance: 17,220 (sold out).

/series: 3-3/

Kaut opened, Špaček turned it around

Pardubice opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Martin Kaut converted on a Sparta penalty, finishing a Košťálek-Červenka exchange. Sparta were stunned but came out for the second period at full pressure. In the 28th minute Špaček rifled past Roman Will to equalise; five minutes later, on a Pardubice tripping minor, Špaček added his second from a Horák feed.

Červenka levelled, Chlapík delivered

Pardubice answered in the 43rd minute when Roman Červenka — the playoff scoring leader — buried a power-play chance from Košťálek and Kondelík for 2:2. The crowd briefly froze. Three minutes later, on the next shift, Filip Chlapík stepped into a Roman Horák cross-ice pass and beat Will to make it 3:2.

Nedvěd: "We were one goal better today"

After the game, Sparta head coach Jaroslav Nedvěd was measured. "Once we matched their pace, it became a battle like all the previous games. Then it came down to one mistake, one goal. We were one goal better today," he said.

What it means

The series is tied 3-3 and shifts back to Enteria Arena for Game 7 on Wednesday. Pardubice are still favoured at home — they have not lost a play-off game in their building this season — but Sparta have just stolen back the momentum of the series with their best 30-minute stretch since Game 1.