With the barrage, it looks like Kladno, experts say. And what other questions does the extra league have to solve?

Vítkovice or Sparta. Currently, the two teams are separated by three points, but Sparta can close the gap after Tuesday’s home playoff with Olomouc. If he wins after 60 minutes, he will move to second position thanks to better head-to-head matches. “If Sparta really wins the match, the chances for second place are really fifty-fifty. In the end, better matches could decide in Sparta’s favor,” says Tipsport bookmaker Miroslav Hora.

The competition rather believes in the Ostrava club, i.e. Vítkovice. “They are having a dream season, the whole club, including the fans, is in euphoria and is definitely motivated to go into the playoffs from the best possible starting position. Sparta still have three games to go, and they have a much greater chance of stumbling. With Olomouc, Hradec and Brno, she has already lost some points in the current season of the extra league,” says Roman Kovařík from Fortuna.

He calculated Sparta’s remaining matches, so let’s add that even Vítkovice does not expect an easy conclusion – they host Kometa at home on Friday and head to Liberec on Sunday.

Hradec Králové or Liberec. The fourth position gives peace of mind in the form of a certain quarter-final and thus avoiding the unpredictable preliminary round. There is now a five-point gap between fourth-placed Mountfield and fifth-placed White Tigers, but Liberec can get closer after Tuesday’s home playoff with the winner of the regular season from Pardubice. “Both teams still face an extremely difficult draw, when they will face top opponents, Sparta or Pardubice. But Mountfield has been playing playoff hockey since the end of January and has not lost eleven times in a row in regular time. Together, most of the support was given before the elimination part, and the strength of the squad is evident,” says Kovařík from Fortuna.

Liberec is also on a solid wave, having won the last six matches. However, in addition to a greater number of points, a better balance of head-to-head encounters also plays a role for Mountfield. Although he has the upper hand in them by a single goal.

Who will start the preliminary round at home?

In addition to one of the duo Hradec – Liberec, it is certain that the currently sixth Třinec will also start the preliminary round series at home. Otherwise, the situation around the eighth place is messed up. At the same time, the preliminary round is only played for three winning matches, so entering it at home can be a significant advantage. “Starting at home will be a big motivation for the teams. The hardest draw awaits Kometa, who will defend the top eight against Vítkovice and Sparta, but these two clubs are fighting for second place,” says Hora from Tipsport.

However, Kovařík from Fortuna favors Kometa from Brno to stay in the top eight and open the preliminary round in front of his audience. “He has the best current form from the top four to 7th to 10th place. Brno has quality, ambitions and fans behind it, the team will play what it needs without having to rely on the results of other teams. Olomouc should also start at home, the Hanaks have three matches left, with the exception of Sparta, Olomouc’s opponents can save a little energy.”

What can seem funny is that the series between Olomouc and Pilsen is taking shape again. These are traditional rivals in the playoffs in recent seasons. Since 2018, the teams have already met three times!

Kladno or České Budějovice. Quite possibly, it will split the mutual duel on Friday. Kladno goes into it with a one-point deficit, and betting experts agree.

“With the tie, it looks like Kladno. With a high probability, Friday’s mutual duel, which is played in Budějovice, will decide. The match will be sold out. The South Bohemians proved Jágra et al. beat twice in the season by a more significant margin of 6:1 and 6:2. Even Lukáš Pech should jump into the key measurement of strength, even if he is not 100% fit,” says Kovařík. And Hora from Tipsport is also more likely to lean towards the bitter end for Kladno, although he points out that Jaromír Jágr will play a crucial role. “They are positive four players are pulling – Plekanec, Jágr, Kubík and Dotchin.”

If he doesn’t make a decision on Friday, Sunday will be very interesting, when Kladno hosts Vary at home and Motor plays in Pilsen. In the event of a match on points, Motor will probably be better off, even if they lose after 60 minutes on Friday.