Will the Spartans, especially goalkeeper Kovář, recover from Voženílk’s cold shower from the sixth semi-final against the Steelers (1:2pp)? Or, for the fourth time in a row, will the effect of Třinec’s team spirit and fervor ripen to the last second on Prague’s Bohorovnost? These questions were answered by former famous ice hockey players. The seventh match is played today at an unusual time (1:00 p.m., O2 TV Sport).
Legendary goalkeeper Dominik Hašek believes in Sparta • Photo Shine
I WOULD HOLD KOVY
“I believe in Sparta. They have the advantage of a home environment, that counts in match number seven, and Řepík will return after his suspension. The first period will decide. Maybe it’s better to play from 13:00 than at 15:00. The players have a big breakfast, maybe a cookie instead of lunch. And I would leave Kovař in the gate. The day may hold him some disappointment, but then he prepares perfectly. Such a mistake happens to everyone once in a lifetime, even if not a second before the end. It was all a one-in-a-thousand chance.”
Antoš in front of the CT camera. • Photo Sport – Jaroslav Legner
ATYPICAL TIME PLAYS A ROLE
“Of course, conceding a goal in the last second can affect the psyche of the players, but in my eyes, Sparta remains the favorite. I believe he will put it behind him. If their performance remains the same, they deserve to advance. The atypical time of the match will play a bigger role for me. The change in Sparta’s goalpost for the seventh duel is complete nonsense for me. I don’t think that the goal in the last second is purely Kovář’s fault, but the whole team’s fault. This can mainly be attributed to Třinka’s determination to eat the ice and do everything to win. Although Kořenář is preparing with the team, I personally would not put him in the decisive duel of the series.”
According to Jiří Holeček, Sparta is doing better in the game • Photo by CTK
SPARTA WILL WIN
“I believe that Sparta will win. Not only because I worked there, but especially the gaming rooms are better off. Besides, they will be at home. I think that the whole Sparta team is responsible for Třinec’s equalizer in the last second. It’s not just the goalkeeper’s fault. The decision of who to put in goal is solely up to the coaches. I don’t dare to compare the two goalkeepers in detail.”
Olympic medalist Tomáš Jelínek • Photo lightning-Jiří Koťátko
TŘINEC ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL
“When I bet something, it always turns out the other way around, so I say fifty-fifty. It’s unfortunate that it’s played this early. I already experienced it with Liberec, where my son Petr played. But it is a fact that for Třinec, it is also a great motivation to become the first team in history to turn around from 0:3 to matches. I don’t want to predict goalkeepers too much, that’s what coaches are for, but Kovy could have covered the stick better, but Sparta got into trouble not because of the goalkeeper, but because of the stupidity of Řepík, who cut down Hrehorčák in the fourth game. I don’t blame it all on him, but Třinec are simply no slouch.”
Legendary goalkeeper Dominik Hašek believes in Sparta
