Slavia wins in OT, semifinals schedule set

Just when it seemed like the magic had run out for Slavia Praha and the tied had turned completely in favour of Bílí Tygři Liberec, along came Tomáš Svoboda to rescue them.

Slavia celebrates the game- and series-winning goal. Photo:
Jiří Částka, FotoBanka.net.

After 4 games in the series, underdog Slavia led 3-1 and looked poised for an upset. But Liberec made a goaltending change, going with Tomáš Vošvrda in game 5, who shut out Slavia at home and then backstopped them to a 3-2 shootout victory in Prague in game 6, setting the stage for Wednesday's seventh game.

And for 55 minutes, it looked like the home team, urged on by their rabid fans clad all in white, was in total control. They were ahead 2-0 after 40 minutes and 3-1 with just 5 minutes to play in regulation time. Jakub Sklenář scored with 4:25 on the clock to give Slavia some hope. Suddenly, the team that had seemed dead came back to life, and started putting on all kinds of pressure, setting the home team back on its heels. With 1:06 left, Svoboda chipped the puck past Vošvrda to tie the score, and let the air out of the building.

According to Extraliga rules, any playoff game that ends tied after 60 minutes, prior to the league finals, follows the IIHF standard of 10 minutes of sudden-death overtime, followed by the dreaded shootout. Not in a seventh game, however. If a game 7 goes to overtime, the teams continue to play until somebody scores. That was the scenario the teams faced in Liberec on Wednesday night. Slavia actually got 2 power-play opportunities in extra time, but failed to generate any really good scoring chance. In the first 10 minutes, the best chance belonged to Liberec's Lukáš Vantuch, but he failed to beat Miroslav Kopřiva in the Slavia goal.

Finally, at the 13:05 mark, Svoboda struck again, sending Slavia into the semifinals and ending Liberec's season. Where does Svoboda rank the goal?

"It was the greatest goal of my life," he said after the game, barely able to control his enthusiasm. "I would rank it in first place, maybe along with a goal from the World Junior Championships (in 2007), but because it moved us on (to the next round), it's a great feeling."

Petr Nedvěd, showing scars from what might have been his final
series. Photo: Jiří Částka, FotoBanka.net.

"It's a shame that we didn't play that way from the beginning," said Liberec captain Petr Nedvěd, who had 10 points in the series, in reference to the 1-3 hole they had to fight out of. "We entered into the series half-heartedly, and it cost us victory." 

The 39-year old, who has played professional hockey for 21 years now, was asked by Jan Vacek of hokej.cz if he had decided if he would be back for another year. 

"I don't know, there have been more important things on my mind, I haven't really thought about it. Now I have a lot of time to think, give it some time. I'll see how I feel." 

With the four quarterfinal series now over, the semifinal schedule has been released. The match-ups are Oceláři Třinec against Slavia, and Vítkovice Steel against Eaton Pardubice. Things get underway Saturday at 18:10, with Vítkovice hosting Pardubice.

Following is the semifinal schedule, according to hokej.cz. It should be noted that times could be changed to accommodate television coverage. The TV schedule hasn't been announced, but it is likely that every game will be televised by ČT4 Sport and be available online at www.ct24.cz/sport.


Saturday, March 19 - game 1:
17:00 HC Vítkovice Steel - HC Eaton Pardubice

Sunday, March  20 - game 2:
18:10 HC Vítkovice Steel - HC Eaton Pardubice

Monday, March 21 - game 1:
17:00 HC Oceláři Třinec - HC Slavia Praha

Tuesday, March 22 - game 2:
18:10 HC Oceláři Třinec - HC Slavia Praha

Wednesday, March 23 - game 3:
18:10 HC Eaton Pardubice - HC Vítkovice Steel

Thursday, March 24 - game 4:
18:10 HC Eaton Pardubice - HC Vítkovice Steel

Friday, March 25 - game 3:
18:10 HC Slavia Praha - HC Oceláři Třinec

Saturday, March 26 - game 4:
17:40 HC Slavia Praha - HC Oceláři Třinec

Sunday, March 27 - game 5 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Vítkovice Steel - HC Eaton Pardubice

Monday, March 28  - game 5 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Oceláři Třinec - HC Slavia Praha

Tuesday, March 29 - game 6 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Eaton Pardubice - HC Vítkovice Steel

Wednesday, March 30 - game 6 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Slavia Praha - HC Oceláři Třinec

Thursday, March 31 - game 7 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Vítkovice Steel - HC Eaton Pardubice

Friday, April 1 - game 7 (if necessary):
18:10 HC Oceláři Třinec - HC Slavia Praha