Vsetín Dominates Jihlava, Shifts Series Momentum

After an initial setback, Vsetín has roared back into contention in their playoff series against Jihlava. Following a narrow 2-1 victory at home, they delivered a decisive 5-0 shutout on the road in Pelhřimov, seizing a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Captain Erik Hrňa set the tone early, scoring on a power play just 95 seconds into the game.

Vsetín continued too build their lead,with Radek Prokeš finding the net at 26:30,followed by defenseman Simon Jenáček exactly nine minutes later. Luboš Rob added another goal in the 49th minute, and Patriks Zabusovs, the Latvian player, capped off the scoring with a power-play goal late in the third period.

Goaltender Thomas Rydén, hailing from Sweden, recorded his second shutout of these playoffs, turning away all 23 shots he faced. prokeš and Rob contributed with an assist each, while Tomáš Jandus notched two assists.

This year marks the fifth playoff encounter between Vsetín and Jihlava. Vsetín is aiming to leverage their past experiences against Jihlava, having faced them in the 2021 semifinals and the 2022 finals, where they fell short. They also met in last year’s quarterfinals and semifinals, with Vsetín emerging victorious in the latter.

Vsetín’s ability to capitalize on power play opportunities and their strong defensive play, led by Thomas Rydén, proved to be the difference in their dominant victory over Jihlava.

Litoměřice Battles Back Against Zlín, Evening the Score

Similarly, Litoměřice has responded emphatically after dropping the first game of their series against Zlín. After losing the first game 0-3,they secured a 5-1 victory in the third match,leveling the series at 2-1. Dominik Pavlák, the Slovakian defender, opened the scoring for Litoměřice at 7:54, but Zdeněk Čáp quickly equalized for Zlín in the 16th minute.

The second period belonged to Pavel Kordule, who scored twice, first at 33 minutes following Pavlák’s play, and then again with a backhand shot into the open net just 21 seconds before the end of the period.

Kale Costa, the Australian player, extended Litoměřice’s lead in the 54th minute, and Tomáš Tomek sealed the win with a power-play goal into an empty net with just over a minute remaining. Along with Kordule and Pavlák, Jakub Hujer and Michal Vitouch each recorded two assists.

Litoměřice is seeking revenge for their semifinal elimination against Zlín last year, where they held a 3-2 series lead before ultimately losing 3-4. This year, they are determined to reverse that outcome and advance to the finals.

Litoměřice’s offensive outburst, led by Pavel Kordule’s two goals, and their ability to shut down Zlín’s attack in the later stages of the game, were key to their victory.

Semifinal Match Summary

Here’s a summary of the third matches in the Max League Playoff Semifinals: