Faceoff in front of Trvaj leads into the corner and Kometa carry the puck down the ice

icing by Kometa

A solo effort by Chomutov player against 2 defencemen ends up with a shot going over the glass

Momentum of the game has slowed down somewhat as Kometa continue to control the pace and aren't giving up any chances

2 minutes left in the game and Kometa is pretty much toying around with the Pirates, not letting them get any chances but not applying so much pressure in the offensive zone themselves

Another pass from the back is intercepted by Kometa and they dump the puck back in

Kometa has a 1on1 chance but can't beat the defenseman

Chomutov still hasn't been able to get anywhere close to the Kometa net as all attempts are being blocked at the blueline and then dumped back into the offensive zone by Kometa

Mexican waves are circling around the arena among the sold out crowd of 7200 who are obviously having a good time and enjoying the game

Kometa now on the attack again but it's easy to see they're taking their time and saving their energy

Kometa dumps and chases the puck again but Chomutov manage to get close to Trvaj's net and a weak shot from the slot is gloved down for the whistle

First shot on Trvaj's net in several minutes goes high over his head

It seems almost like an exhibition game as Kometa continue to dominate, not letting Chomutov out of their own zone and playing with the puck along the boards

Rehor holds on to a loose puck for the whistle and we have a commercial pause

Kometa once again gets the puck behind the Chomutov net and hold it there

Chomutov manages to get a hold of the puck and send it into the neutral zone

Kometa still keeping Chomutov locked in their own zone

Visiting team at full strength.

A hard shot from the point goes high over Rehor's net

Chomutov manages to dump the puck out to the neutral zone

Kometa is calmly holding the puck in the offensive zone, passing it around the boards and looking for a good chance to make it 5-0

Kometa break out of their zone and rush up the ice but a penalty is called to Chomutov who manage to intercept a pass

Play whistled down in front of Rehor who covers up a loose puck

Chomutov finally manages to get on the offensive but Kometa's defense make sure they don't get anywhere near a shooting position before dumping the puck out of their zone

Kometa dumps in the puck after Chomutov almost capitalize on a near-mistake by Kometa at middle ice

Rehor has to cover up the puck after a shot from the point by Kometa who were cycling the puck around the blueline

Kometa cycle the puck in the offensive corner but Chomutov ends up getting the puck out to the neutral zone

Kometa once again pressuring in front of the Pirate's netminder who has to cover up a loose puck before anyone can get another whack at it

Visiting team at full strength.

Home team at full strength.

Loose puck in front of Rehor almost picked up but Kometa can't get good control over the puck and it's put into the corner

Another nice chance as a lone Kometa player races up, beats the defenseman and cuts in front of the net but Rehor stays on his toes, smothering the puck and waiting for the whistle.

Chomutov race in 2on2 but their attempt is failed and Kometa is able to get the puck into the neutral zone

Both teams are playing with 4 men on the ice but Kometa is on top of the situation.

Chomutov gather from behind their net and skate forwards but their attempt is stopped in the offensive corner as play is whistled down due to the puck being deflected into the netting above the glass

Kometa aren't taking any chances and dumping any loose pucks down the ice

Home team at full strength.

Chomutov tries to apply some pressure in the offensive zone but don't manage to get any hard shot off. A loose puck in the crease is covered up by Trvaj

A feed into the slot is blocked by Kometa who quickly pass the puck up for a 2on2 that results in a wrist shot deflected into the corner by Rehor

Chomutov dumps the puck in but Kometa ices the puck down the ice

Kometa are playing calm and decisively, holding off Chomutov from setting up in the offensive zone

Chomutov is now struggling even more to get the puck out of their zone as Kometa continues to dominate and forecheck hard

Kometa gets back into the zone and hold the puck in the corner

Kometa immediately pushed forwards after winning the faceoff and circled the puck in the offensive zone getting 2 shots off that went wide

Kometa still applying pressure in the offensive zone after winning the faceoff and Chomutov having a very hard time getting the puck out

Chomutov desperately trying to score at least 1 goal before the end of the period but Kometa is not letting down defensively

A nice attempt by the Pirates in the offensive rush gets them past the blueline but their shot is blocked by Kometa

A bit of cycling in the offensive zone by Chomutov kills the rest of the advantage and Kometa gets the puck into the neutral zone

Home team at full strength.

Chomutov hasn't been able to get any chances so far off this powerplay but instead end up defending a 2on1 twice

After taking the puck at their blueline, Kometa rush up again to threaten Rehor's net but the pass misses it's target in the crease

Chomutov rush up the ice off the faceoff and manage to get the puck into the corner

An amazing chance for Kometa but the deflection off the cross ice pass just misses the net

Chomutov win the faceoff and manage to gain the offensive zone but are quickly stripped of the puck

a dump & chase by Kometa is followed by a hard shot from the top of the left circle which Rehor holds on to for the whistle

A lone kometa player tries to rush the net but is pushed into the corner

Pirates are increasingly active and pushing Kometa into their own zone but can't hold it

A wrap around attempt by Kometa after a rush down the ice is put aside by Rehor

Chomutov manages to gain the offensive zone and Sikora takes a shot from the point but misses the net

A cross ice dump-in by Chomutov ends up in Trvaj's pads and he covers up for the whistle

Faceoff in front of Rehor as he holds on to a loose puck

Kometa gets another good chance on net off a series of small passes behind the net but Rehor is staying sharp

Icing by Chomutov

Kometa dump the puck back into Chomutov's zone but they quickly rush back out and are pushed back at the redline

Chomutov get the puck into the neutral zone and dump it in, trying to keep it in the corner

Kometa break out and rush into the zone

Chomutov now on the attack and passing the puck round the boards in the offensive zone

Visiting team at full strength.

Chomutov still can't get to the puck as Kometa pass it around but eventually get the puck out of their zone

Kometa continue to hold the offensive zone and cycle the puck around the points but both attempts are blocked by Chomutov's defense

Rehor holds on to a loose puck in the crease and a scuffle ensues.

Kometa wins the faceoff and right away set up a box in the offensive zone, managing to get a shot off but Chomutov ice the puck

Kometa gains the offensive zone on a rush but don't manage to get a good shot on goal

This time Kometa had a hard time getting the puck out of their zone as Pirates forechecked hard and Kometa ended up icing the puck

Chomutov manage to break out and take a long shot from beyond the blueline that Trvaj gloves down and hands over to the defense

Kometa cycle the puck in the corner but a bad pass lets Chomutov break out into the neutral zone

Kometa gain the offensive zone and hold the puck in the corner before getting it to the point for shot on net that Rehor covers up

Chomutov are having a hard time trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone as Kometa gains control and break out

Home team at full strength.

Kometa ices the puck

Pirates manage to get another shot off but Trvaj holds on for the whistle

Dangerous shot on Trvaj nearly sneaks into the net off the post but the puck is cleared into the corner

Another dump in by Chomutov is kept in the zone this time and they cycle the puck

Chomutov dump the puck into the corner trying to set up on the powerplay but Kometa is able to ice the puck

Puck flies back down the ice towards Rehor off the faceoff and both teams race for the puck but Chomutov's defense are there first

A loose puck in front of Rehor almost gets to a waiting Kometa player but the Pirates defense are able to clear the puck into the neutral zone

Kometa are able to dump the puck into the offensive zone but Chomutov manages to ice the puck which goes directly to Trvaj who holds on for the whistle

Offside on Kometa as they try to gain the offensive zone

Kometa regain control of the puck and skate down the ice, trying to kill time to the end of the period

Kometa again gains the zone but Chomutov is able to get the puck out and carry it down into the offensive corner

Kometa continues to forecheck hard, keeping Chomutov in their own zone

Offside called on Chomutov who seem to be struggling against Kometa's defense

Petrovicky strips a Pirates player of the puck in middle ice and skates with it into the corner

Trvaj holds on to the puck off a wild shot from the blueline

Home team at full strength.

Chomutov break out and get the puck into the opposing corner but once again Kometa's defence manage to ice the puck

Kometa dump the puck down the ice and try to hold it in the corner

Chomutov regroup behind their net after Kometa ices the puck and press forwards

Chomutov win the faceoff in front of Trvaj's net but their chance is quickly gloved out of the air by Trvaj for the whistle

Kometa gains the zone and hold it for a while as they cycle the puck

Kometa on the attack again but Rehor deflects the shot wide and Chomutov breaks out

Kometa dumps and chases the puck back into the offensive zone but Chomutov is able to turn the play around and get the puck up and out of their zone

Kometa's Petrovicky wins the faceoff but the shot from the point goes wide and Pirates are able to carry the puck out to the neutral zone

Kometa race up the ice and get the puck into the corner to begin cycling, Bicanek takes a shot on net but Rehor gloves it down and waits for the whistle

Pirates gain the offensive zone and take the puck into the corner but Kometa's defense once again blocks them from making any attempts

Kometa intercepts a pass in middle ice and skate in on Rehor but can't get a shot off

A hard shot on Rehor is covered up for the whistle

Another good attempt by Kometa as Burian carries the puck all the way around Rehor's net but the pass back to the point misses the player and goes down the ice

Chomutov manages to get the puck out and dump it down the ice

Kometa continues to hold the puck in the offensive corner

Another great chance for Kometa as they win the faceoff, play it back to the point for a hard shot on net that Rehor saves and holds on to

Kometa is dominating play in the offensive zone and several good chances arise from their cycling but Rehor covers up a loose puck and play is whistled down

Pirates manage to get the puck into the corner behind Trvaj's net but Kometa's defense quickly take control of the puck and pass it up into the neutral zone

Kometa gains the offensive zone and are cycling the puck as Chomutov is having trouble getting the puck out of their own zone

Play is back and forth as both teams try to get into good positions for scoring chances but the defense are relentless on both sides

Kometa holds Chomutov in the neutral zone and dump the puck in on an almost breakaway

Pirates dump the puck into Kometa's zone but are stripped of the puck

Kometa is able to stop Chomutov from getting any shots off on an odd-man rush and manage to gain the offensive zone but no shots

Visiting team at full strength.

Starting lineups:

HC Kometa Brno: Trvaj, (Falter) - Zizka, Kovacik, Dujsik, Valach, Bicanek, Svrcek, Hruska, M. - Erat, Cermak, Zohorna, Svoboda T., Burian, Dlouhy, Korejs, Petrovicky, Hruska J., Svoboda J., Wasserbauer, Divisek, Docekal

Pirati Chomutov: Hanuljak, (Rehor) - Mrazek, Machacek, Lucka, Palin, Pulpan, Bartejs, Rygl, Rutta - Treille, Ton, Jira, Zalesak, Kraft, Sikora, Kampf, Racuk, Hrebejk, Kus, Lusnak, Duras

Referees: Hribik, Sir - Hlavaty, Tosenovjan.

Game Scope:
In their first duel, last year's finalists were able to shut down the ExtraLiga newcomers 4-2 on their own ice thanks to 2 goals from Jakub Svoboda. In the second game, which was played in Brno, Kometa was able to quickly get into the lead and hold on for a 3-1 win. However in their last match together, Chomutov were able to scrape away with a win on home ice thanks to a goal by Yorick Treille in the 55th minute of play, ending what was a high-scoring game.
Today we can definitely expect that Chomutov will want to continue off that success but Kometa is also looking for the win, especially after losing to HC Sparta 2-1 after shootouts on Friday.

HC Kometa Brno:
Even though it seems that the slide Kometa fell into after the National Team tournament in Russia has let up somewhat, they still haven't been able to win a game in regulation time since December 9th against HC Slavia Praha. It would seem that there would be no better time than now, in the 1000th round jubilee round of the Czech ExtraLiga, to turn things around. Still missing from today's lineup is Tomas Malec, however returning from an injury is Milan Hruska. It's also possible that Coach Vener will include Miroslav Holec who was off due to illness.

HC Pirati Chomutov:
The Pirates are currently 12 points behind 10th place overall, which isn't a situation that can't be solved with 13 rounds left in the regular season, however it most probably looks like that this year's newcomer to the ELH won't make the playoffs. Even though they had a good start in the first quarter of the season, winning 7 games, they haven't been able to win at least two games in a row since the 14th round. Similarly to Liberec, who played against Kometa last Tuesday, the Pirates haven't been able to keep any of their opponents off the scoreboard while failing to score in 5 games.

A beautiful Sunday afternoon to all hockey fans as the Czech Tipsport ExtraLiga continues with its' 40th round of play. From Brno's Kajot Arena we will be watching a duel between two teams that aren't having much luck in the last few weeks. Kometa hasn't been able to win a full 3 points in over a month while Chomutov has lost their past 3 games and gained only 3 points in their last 5 games.

Welcome to today's game where HC Kometa Brno hosts HC Pirati Chomutov. Game starts at 17:00.