“It’s quite a strange feeling to leave the ice defeated and cheerful at the same time, but I’m really happy with the process. We had a great team that could put a lot of pressure on us. The draw would look better, perhaps we deserve it, but Skelleftea eventually took us into a tight vice, “explained Machovský, who only lost a clean sheet in the last third.
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Nevertheless, a close home loss of 1: 2 on the Holešovice ice pushed the Prague team to the December quarterfinals. A week ago in Sweden, he won 3: 1 and was able to afford to be defeated by a goal in retaliation. “After all, my opponent had a loss of home ice, then he chased it and I’m glad he didn’t put more of it there,” Machovský admitted.
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Four minutes before the end, Skelleftea reached 1: 1 for power play. “There was a lot to know that they had an extra guy on the ice, they really squeezed us a lot. Time played for us, even with the knowledge that even a goal we received would not take us forward, “thought the Spartan goalkeeper.
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Machy held us incredibly
However, the Swedes scored for the second time up to 22 seconds before the end, they did not manage to do more. “It simply came to our notice then. Machy held us incredibly well, it was a great return for him to the Spartan goal, “the assistant coach Jaroslav Hlinka reminded that the goalkeeper prematurely terminated his KHL engagement.
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From left, Erik Thorell of Sparta and Rickard Hugg of Skelleftea.Photo: Kateřina Šulová, CTK
“It simply came to our notice then. I was already trampled in Riga, I didn’t feel part of the team. At twenty-eight, you don’t even feel like sitting down on a switch, you don’t even know why you’re abroad. It didn’t go anywhere, Mattson, a Swede, took precedence, “said the goalkeeper catching up again after five weeks.” On Monday night, the coaches told me that the Champions League would be mine. “he added.
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Sparta’s interest pleased me
When he went home from Latvia during the national team break to vent his head full of worries, he had no idea that the day after his return in Riga he would hear that the club did not prevent him from leaving. “Sparta was immediately very interested, which pleased me. Right after a few workouts, I felt good and fresh in Prague. We understand each other in tandem with the experienced Saša Salák. We are all in a different phase of our careers and I think we can complement each other appropriately, “the goalkeeper indicated.
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Sparta players rejoice at the goal.Photo: Kateřina Šulová, CTK
The Spartans have lost ten of the last eleven matches in the extraleague, but on the European stage they present themselves far better in hockey, showing more calm and courage. They showed it against such a strong rival as Skelleftea. They managed the retaliation, although they lacked a number of Marodos, led by Němeček, Chlapík and Forman.
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In the quarterfinals, the Prague team will face Rögle, another team from Elitserien. “We have already set out on the Swedish route in the group against Växjö, so we will add the third opponent in a row from the same country. So next time it will be the acting vice-champion, “Hlinka indicated.
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