Czech league opens with Sparta win

The game kicked off with Sparta taking an early lead, just 41 seconds into the match. Miikka Salomäki, making his league debut for Sparta, capitalized on a precise pass from Jani Lajunen at the blue line. Salomäki expertly lifted the puck with a backhand shot over the helpless Třinec goaltender, Marek Mazanec. Sparta continued to control the tempo of the game throughout the period, dictating the play and limiting Třinec’s offensive efforts. Despite a few attempts from the visitors, including a close call by Libor Hudáček, Sparta ended the period with a 1-0 advantage.

Třinec came out stronger in the second period, determined to find an equalizer. They increased their shooting frequency and put pressure on Sparta’s defense, but goaltender Josef Kořenář stood firm. A key moment came when Třinec forward Marko Daňo set up a prime scoring chance for teammate David Cienciala, only for Kořenář to make a spectacular save with his left pad. Despite Třinec’s offensive push, they couldn’t convert any chances, and Sparta maintained their narrow lead going into the final period.

The third period belonged to Aaron Irving, who delivered two decisive goals to put the game out of Třinec’s reach. At 52:59, during a power play, Pavel Kousal set up Irving at the top of the left circle, and the defenseman blasted a shot past Mazanec’s left post to extend Sparta’s lead to 2-0. Irving struck again just a few minutes later, this time firing a powerful slap shot into the top corner of the net after receiving a precise pass from Roman Horák behind the goal. The 3-0 lead deflated Třinec, and despite their efforts, they were unable to mount a comeback.

Sparta’s defensive discipline shone through in the closing minutes, and Kořenář capped off his shutout performance with a few key saves, most notably stopping a late shot from Ondřej Najman. The match ended with a convincing win for Sparta Prague, giving them a promising start to the season.

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