Thanks to a great one-two punch between Roman Cervenka and Julien Sprunger, Fribourg-Gotteron won by three goals on the road. Read more in Gamecentre. 

by Derek O'Brien, with contribution from Daniel Jezek

Fribourg-Gotteron came up with a big three-goal victory on the road in the first game of the Quarter-Finals to put themselves in excellent shape on home ice next week. Led by 4 assists by Roman Cervenka  and 3 goals from captain Julien Sprunger, they won 5-2 over Vitkovice Ridera Ostrava. Benjamin Conz was also a big factor in the win, stopping 37 of 39 shots.  

“It was a very even game, there was no favoured team in this series. It all started from zero,” said Cervenka, who is now the CHL's Cramo Top Scorer with 12 points. “We haven’t had good results in our domestic league, but today it was good game from us. I hope that today’s victory will help us improve our play.”

“There were three moments that decided the game,” thought Vitkovice coach Jakub Petr. “The first one was the beginning of the second period, when we had good chances and could take the lead but we missed them and lost the momentum. The second moment were the power plays in this game and the third one was Fribourg's play in the areas in front of the net. They simply outplayed us there. They gave us no rebounds while they scored three goals themselves from there.”

The teams traded goals in an evenly-played first period. Fribourg struck first in he 9th minute on the power play, when Cervenka found Yannick Rathgeb at the point, and the young defenceman one-timed a shot through traffic. Vitkovice tied it just three minutes later, however. After winning a faceoff in the attacking zone, Lukas Kovar shot from the point. Conz stopped it, but Jakub Illes was there to put on the rebound.

“I guess that, personally, this was so far my best game in Vitkovice,” said 20-year-old Illes, who scored his first goal for the A-squad and later added an assist. “Our line scored a couple goals, but the overall result is bad. We conceded five goals, which is very bad. Our situation for the return game in Fribourg isn’t good, but we will try to do anything to win. We were the better team, but their goalie did a great job. And they scored goals from the area in front of the slot – they were just stronger there. We had pressure, but they scored the goals.”

Conz put on a clinic in the second period, making 15 saves. In the first three minutes of the period he stopped a breakaway and a 2-on-1 rush, and then Fribourg struck twice less than four minutes apart to open up a two-goal lead. Flavio Schmaltz scored on a one-timer through traffic and past a screened Daniel Dolejs, and then Sprunger scored his first of the night on a rebound. 

“I think our guys did a great job tonight against a decent Vitkovice team,” said Fribourg coach Larry Huras. “I thought they had a great second period, they had some chances, but our goalie made some big saves and that was the difference.”

Late in the period, Vitkovice captain Rostislav Olesz got a break and was tripped by Rathgeb, who was assessed a minor for tripping but no penalty shot was called, to the displeasure of Vitkovice players and fans. Fribourg killed off the minor, but in the dying seconds of the period, on another delayed penalty, Ivan Barinka scored on a goalmouth scramble to bring the home team to within a goal.

However, that's as close as they would come in their home game. Sprunger scored a pair of goals on one-timers, both assisted by Cervenka, to give his team a commanding advantage heading into its home game.   

Commenting on the pair, Huras said, “Sprunger and Cervenka play very well together and tonight they were very good, both 5-on-5 and on the power play.” 

“I have to mention Roman Cervenka, he was crucial for them tonight, no doubt about that,” Petr said. “They didn't surprise us but we were weak defensively. A three-goal deficit is a lot, but it's the Quarter-Finals and anything can happen. I don't think we were worse while 5-on-5, especially in the second period, so there's still a chance.”

Cautiously optimistic heading into the second leg, Huras added, “They say the three-goal lead is the worst lead in hockey. They're a proud team that's well-coached and they'll be ready for us next week, so we'd better be ready as well.”