Dynamo Pardubice took a commanding 5-1 lead in their best-of-seven quarterfinal series against HC Kometa Brno on Tuesday, March 18th.
The opening game of the series saw Pardubice build a two-goal advantage, only for Brno to close the gap in the 31st minute. However, Pardubice responded immediately, scoring another goal just a minute later, and added two more before the final buzzer to secure a decisive victory.
Pardubice’s strong regular season performance in the Tipsport Extraliga earned them a direct spot in the quarterfinals, giving them nearly two weeks of rest before facing Kometa. They capitalized on the break, winning all but one of their last five games and finishing six points ahead of second-place Plzeň.
Defenseman Peter Čerešňák led the way offensively for Dynamo in the first playoff game, recording three assists on five goals. Forward Jiří Smejkal netted two goals, while regular season scoring leader Roman Červenka and Miloš Kelemen each contributed a goal and an assist.
Brno finished eighth in the regular season and had to battle through the preliminary round, defeating České Budějovice 3-1 in a series where all but one game was decided by a single goal. One contest even went to a shootout.
Forward Kristián Pospíšil currently leads Kometa in playoff scoring with two goals and three assists. Libor Zábranský and Adam Zbořil are close behind, each with two goals and an assist.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Thursday, March 19th, and will determine whether the series shifts to Brno for the next two games, or if Pardubice will have the opportunity to close out the series on home ice.
The decisive victory gives Pardubice a significant advantage as they pursue a championship run in the Extraliga playoffs.
You can find the game log for the match-up between HC Dynamo Pardubice vs. HC Kometa Brno on Elite Prospects.
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