Sparta's Sobotka - " We scored simple goals to win the game"

As Game Day 5 drew to a close yesterday, Czech Extraliga side Sparta Prague picked up three crucial points against then Group A leaders Pinguins Bremerhaven.

The team from the Czech capital now find themselves in the top spot after stealing the crown from Bremerhaven while also leap-frogging group rivals Växjö Lakers as they made an important step towards Playoffs qualification.

“I think we had a pretty strong game tonight,” said Sparta forward Vladimír Sobotka about his side’s 5-2 win over Bremerhaven.

We tried to just keep it simple Vladimír Sobotka, Sparta Prague

“We knew they play hard, so we tried to just keep it simple on the ice and put some pucks on the net."

Sparta broke the deadlock midway through the first period, as Zdeněk Doležal fired home the first of five, but Bremerhaven weren’t ready to roll over and tied the game 1-1 within 30 seconds.

Sparta’s David Kaše found himself on the receiving end of a Michal Řepík pass and blasted Sparta into the lead as the fans went wild.

Bremerhaven’s Nino Kinder tied the game 2-2 before the end of the first period, but three unanswered goals over the course of the next 40 minutes of game time propelled the Czechs into the driver’s seat of Group A and within touching distance of the Playoffs.

“We expected a tough game from them and it was. I think we outskated them and scored simple goals to win the game” concluded Sobotka.

“The first period was good from us as a team, “ said Bremerhaven’s Ross Mauermann analysing his team’s performance.

Playing on the defence for so long was hard Ross Mauermann, Pinguins Bremerhaven

“But we picked up too many penalties in the second period and that was a problem,” he said about Bremerhaven’s ten penalty minutes in the second period.

“Sparta are a good team and playing on the defence for so long was hard."

“Lots of fans from Bremerhaven came and we planned on winning, but that didn’t happen today."

“We need to be better next time,” he concluded.

Sparta's Michal Moravčík scored on the night (Photo: Jan Beneš)

Both teams meet again on Game Day 6, this time on Bremerhaven’s home ice. Of course, both sides will be looking for the win, but they can still both go through to the Playoffs regardless of the result if TPS Turku beat Växjö again.

If Växjö do win in regulation, Sparta need to beat Bremerhaven in regulation, meaning they would secure top spot in Group A, or take the game to OT. They need the extra point because they have an inferior head-to-head against Växjö.

Bremerhaven also have an inferior head-to-head against Växjö, so they need at least two points to go through or a three-point win in regulation.

There is a possibility that both clubs go through, depiste Växjö picking up three points – if Bremerhaven beat Sparta in OT.

Both teams would be tied on 11 points, Sparta would remain top of their group thanks to their better head-to-head and Bremerhaven would stay second, but most importantly both would be through to the Playoffs!

We’ll just have to wait and see until next Tuesday!