They have successfully completed the general season, the hockey players of Banes Motor won 5:2 over the first league team Dukla Jihlava in the last preparatory duel of the year, and now they will start preparing for the extra-league premiere, which awaits them on Friday, September 15 in Sparta, Prague (6:30 p.m.).
A beautiful goal by Pavel Pýcha to make it 5:2 in the match with Jihlava. | Video: Diary/ Pavel Kortus
The South Bohemians finished the series of nine preparatory matches with a balance of four wins and five defeats. The last win against a first league opponent did not come easy at all. The goalless first period offered only hockey gray and only from the middle of the duel did the spectators see chances and goals. “It was not easy at all. We prepared well for the match and I would say that we did not underestimate anything. But the start of the match and the first period did not correspond to that at all,” Motor’s coach Ladislav Čihák also nods. “Our legs weren’t working, we were losing fights, the passing game was sloppy. We weren’t happy with that. Our performance was diametrically different from the one we performed on Sunday against Oulu,” he added.
The second period was still relatively balanced, in the third Čihák’s team had the upper hand. “In the third period, we shuffled the line-up a bit and our game improved a bit, although it was far from ideal. We respect every opponent and it was not an easy game at all. “Jihlava skated very well and we are happy that we won the last and difficult game at home before the start of the extra league,” praised the coach.
There were quite a few windows in his team’s defensive game this time. “It all stemmed from our poor puck play,” Čihák offers a simple explanation.
One of the team’s key attackers, Dominik Simon, started the match in the center of the second attack, then returned to the wing. “Dominik is an excellent player who I can rely on anywhere. That is an advantage when you have two centers in the line and they are able to play on the wing as well, so you have more options, which is undoubtedly an advantage,” he says.
A well-earned victory in the general, Banes Motor overpowered first-league Jihlava at home
Dominik Hrachovina got another chance in goal. “It was the last match before the extra league, which Hrášek will start. That’s why we made this decision and gave him one more game,” comments the coach on the deployment of goalkeepers in the duel.
His team is now waiting for more than a week’s break before the first championship duel in Sparta. “It’s just right. we will train, the boys will get time off on the weekend, we will be back on the ice from Monday and we will do the things we need in training to be well prepared for Friday,” he is clear.
Due to health reasons, defenders Vráblík and Štich, as well as key center Pech, had to miss the practice session. The coach did not want to comment on the possibility of their possible use in the duel at Sparta. “It’s an internal club matter,” he flatly refused.
According to him, the team should be well prepared for the start of the extra league. “But there is always something to work on and something to improve. We have to keep working and also learn from the matches we played. To focus on these things so that they are prepared as best as possible,” wishes Ladislav Čihák.
