- Třinec scored seven times in 10-goal thriller
- Fribourg had a reduced line-up
- Daniel Kurovský and Michal Teplý both scored twice
Oceláři Třinec faced Fribourg-Gottéron at the Werk Arena in Czechia for Game Day 4 of the Champions Hockey League, with the Swiss side hindered by many illness-related absences. Despite this, Fribourg displayed remarkable determination and courage.
The game started off in dramatic fashion, as Fribourg opened the scoring just 31 seconds after the face-off. Ryan Gunderson sent the puck from the blue line into the back of the net, giving the visitors a quick lead. However, Třinec didn’t leave the goal unanswered, as they levelled the game at 14:27 when Viliam Čacho set up Daniel Kurovský for an easy tap-in to make it 1-1.
The second period saw more back-and-forth action. Fribourg reclaimed the lead early on with Jan Dorthe scoring to make it 2-1. Třinec equalised once again at 31:59 through Michal Teplý, who tied the game at 2-2. The game therefore had to be decided in the third and final period.
Třinec took control in the third period. Justin Addamo put the home team ahead at 51:23 and Třinec quickly built on their lead with two more goals. Michal Teplý scored his second of the night at 54:08, followed by Daniel Kurovský's second goal just over a minute later at 55:44, making it 5-2. Fribourg responded with a late goal at 57:25, but Třinec's Petr Sikora sealed the deal at 59:05 with a shot that deflected off a Fribourg player's skate into the net. The Czechs finished off the night with their final goal just 25 seconds before the final buzzer, ending the game 7-3.
As the final buzzer sounded, Třinec secured a dominant victory and three important points, but Fribourg’s great performance should also be acknowledged, especially given the illness-related disadvantage they suffered.