Litvínov – Slavia 4:2 (end) | Liberec – C. Budejovice 2:6 (end)
final
Bílí Tygři Liberec
2:6 (1:1, 1:2, 0:3)
HC MOUNTFIELD
Friday 26.10.2012, 18:30 • Tipsport Arena, Liberec • Tipsport extraliga (CZE)
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 18:30.
     
    Bili Tygri Liberec is a team that desperately needs some good news right about now. Very little has gone right for the 13th-place club this season, especially on home ice, where the squad has won just one game so far.

    Today, the White Tigers welcome their two marquee additions, NHL forwards Wayne Simmonds and Chris Stewart, for their first home game with their new team. Both players were in the lineup on Tuesday, failing to record a point in Tuesday's 3-1 road loss to Sparta.

    The brightest spot for Liberec this season has been the play of veteran Petr Nedved. The 40-year--old former NHL star ranks eighth in the league in scoring (6 goals, 11 assists, 17 points in 14 games). Nedved will also play a key role in helping the team's North American arrivals, assisting them both on and off the ice to get accustomed to hockey and team life in the Czech Republic.

    HC Mountfield Ceske Budejovice hasn't had a much better season than Liberec. The 12th-place team is just one point ahead of Liberec and has been terrible on the road, with just two wins in eight tries and has been outscored 28-13 in the process.

    Sniper Jiri Simanek has racked up 10 goals for HC Mountfield through the team's first 15 games, while former NHL forward Ales Kotalik ranks second on the team with 8 points.
     
    Ondrej Pavelec will look to turn around his fortunes in goal for Liberec today. He'll be opposed by Pavel Kantor.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Bílí Tygři Liberec: Pavelec (Pinc) - Čakajík, Šmíd, Výtisk, Derner, Čutta, Havíř, Kajínek - Bárta, Dušek, Víšek, Špaček, Galamboš, R. Vlach, Kudrna, Filippi, Stewart, Kica, Simmonds, Bulíř, Nedvěd.

    HC MOUNTFIELD: Kantor (Sáblík) - Ptáček, Kolarz, Frühauf, Vráblík, Prokop, Ference, Jank - Suja, Hanzal, Kotalík, Kohn, Šimánek, Dej, Rousek, Podlešák, Květoň, M. Michálek, Mertl, Knotek.

    Referees: .
     
    Simmonds is wearing #71 for Liberec.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    0:27
    C. Budejovice controlled opening faceoff. Plays goes offside at the 27 second mark.
     
    1:19
    GOAL FOR LIBEREC!

    Simmonds carried up the wing and threw a backhander toward the net. Nedved collected the puck and wristed it home quickly.
     
    2:58
    Bulir wrists a shot just wide of the net.
     
    3:28
    Pavelec makes his first save of the game. Heavy but unscreened point shot, which he swallowed up with no rebound.
     
    4:42
    Good pressure by Liberec. Faceoff deep in C. Budejovice ice.
     
    6:02
    HC Mountfield player down on the ice. Goes off under his own power.
     
    6:15
    Pavelec gloves a shot for a stoppage. Puck looked like it was going wide of the net.
     
    7:32
    Icing on HC Mountfield. They are trying to slow down the play with Nedved and Simmonds on the ice.
     
    8:11
    Liberec to the power play. Martin Hanzal to the box.
     
    10:11
    Visiting team at full strength.
     
    10:33
    Partial breakaway.... Pavelec got a piece of the shot to knock it wide.
     
    15:29
    Next faceoff deep in HC Mountfield end of the ice.
     
    18:29
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Chance at one end for Liberec;s Nedved line, HC Mountfield counters and goes the other way to score. Ales Kotalik snaps a wrist shot from the bottom the circle over the glove.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    Liberec got off the fast start it wanted, but then play settled down. Late in the period, as so often happens in hockey, a failed scoring chance at one end produces a counter-rush and -- and goal -- at the other end. Ales Kotalik got the equalizer before the clubs headed off for the first intermission.
     
    20:01
    2nd period began.
     
    20:12
    David Havir to the box for grab behind the net. HC Mountfield to the power play.
     
    22:12
    Home team at full strength. Not much doing on that PP for Ceske Budejovice.
     
    23:26
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Bad turnover at the defensive blueline by Liberec created a 2-on-0 down low for HC Mountfield. Pavelec stopped the initial shot by Mertl but the puck laid in the crease and was knocked in the net by Podlešák.
     
    25:02
    Rousek off for hooking. Liberec to the power play.
     
    25:27
    Power play didn't last long for Liberec. They gave up a shorthanded rush and then Čutta took a hooking penalty in the defensive zone.
     
    27:09
    GOAL FOR LIBEREC!

    Simmonds was grabbed on a shorthanded rush to the net, and awarded a penalty shot. He went on on the forehand, made a little head and shoulder fake and then snapped the shot on past Kantor almost before the goalie could react.
     
    29:19
    Potential 2-on-1 rush for the Nedved line whistled offside. Nedved barked at the linesman all the way to the bench.
     
    31:11
    Another penalty shot for Liberec! Filippi actually got a shot on despite the grab from behind but was still awarded the penalty shot. On the penalty shot, he tried to make a cut to the right post, where he was met by Kantor. Filippi had nothing to shoot at.
     
    33:30
    Nice play along the walls by former NHL player Ladislav Kohn, now with CEB. He outworked two Liberec players.
     
    36:00
    CEB player clipped by a high stick. There was no initial penalty call but after the refs conferred, a minor was called on Nedved.
     
    38:00
    Home team at full strength.
     
    38:56
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Bad goal. Kotalik fired a cannon of a shot from the left circle on the rush, but Pavelec came way out of the net and should have an angle on it. Goal was scored high to the long side.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    Both teams took turns making potentially costly mistakes. The difference in the game at this point is Kantor stopping the Filippi penalty shot, while Pavelec failed to come up with Kotalik's slap shot from the top of the circle.
     
    40:01
    3rd period began.
     
    43:32
    Good block by CEB defense stops a scoring chance for Liberec.
     
    46:22
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Another hideous turnover by Liberec, this one right in the middle of the slot. Ladislav Kohn had all day to wind up and rip a shot over Pavelec.
     
    49:50
    A flurry of chances in front for Liberec's second line. Kantor had the answers.
     
    50:24
    That time Pavelec erased a mistake in front of him. Another horrific turnover in the defensive zone by Liberec.
     
    50:55
    Ptacek to the box, Liberec to a crucial power play.
     
    52:55
    Visiting team at full strength. Absolutely nothing doing on that man advantage for Liberec. Home fans were booing (well, whistling) their own team in derision.
     
    53:21
    Wayne Simmonds to the box for a slashing minor. CEB has a chance to put the game away.
     
    54:20
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Michalek made Pavelec look bad on that power play goal. Picked his spot and sniped it.
     
    56:41
    Pavelec made a routine save for a stoppage, and then disgustedly kicked the puck into the corner. This third period has been another disaster for Liberec.
     
    57:03
    HC Mountfield will spend most of the remaining time on the power play. Another undisciplined penalty.
     
    58:53
    GOAL FOR HC MOUNTFIELD!


    Once again Pavelec was hung out to dry on a turnover deep in the defensive zone with no defenders helping out in front. Kotalik took full advantage.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    Another self-destructive performance by Liberec proved to be their undoing in a game that was winnable going into the third period.

    The Tigers repeatedly turned over pucks and had coverage breakdowns, and Ondrej Pavelec was unable to come up with "momentum saves" when they were needed the most. However, it would have been hard for ANY goalie to win with the way Liberec played defensively.

    On the bright side for Liberec, Wayne Simmonds and Petr Nedved showed good chemistry in their second game together. Simmonds accounted for both Liberec goals, setting up Nedved on their first shift of the game and later converting a penalty shot. It was a quiet performance for Chris Stewart, however.

    Over on the Ceske Budejovice side, the team got stronger and stronger as the game progressed. Pavel Kantor's save on Liberec's second penalty shot was a big momentum builder.

    From there, Ceske Budejovice's talented group of veteran forwards with NHL experience -- Ales Kotalik, Milan Michalek and Ladislav Kohn -- took over the game offensively. (21:12:22)
    Commentary by

    Bill Meltzer

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 2. Nedvěd (Simmonds), 28. Simmonds (pen.) - 19. Kotalík (Šimánek), 24. Podlešák (Mertl), 39. Kotalík (Jank), 47. Kohn (Kotalík), 55. Michálek M., 59. Kotalík (Šimánek, Kohn)

    Bílí Tygři Liberec: Pavelec (Pinc) - Čakajík, Šmíd, Výtisk, Derner, Čutta, Havíř, Kajínek - Bárta, Dušek, Víšek, Špaček, Galamboš, R. Vlach, Kudrna, Filippi, Stewart, Kica, Simmonds, Bulíř, Nedvěd.
    HC MOUNTFIELD: Kantor (Sáblík) - Ptáček, Kolarz, Frühauf, Vráblík, Prokop, Ference, Jank - Suja, Hanzal, Kotalík, Kohn, Šimánek, Dej, Rousek, Podlešák, Květoň, M. Michálek, Mertl, Knotek.
    Referees: Wagner, Hribik - Kis, Rozlílek.