Rytíři Kladno have won only twice in their last eight games after opening the Czech Extraliga season with three straight victories. They failed to take a point from Friday’s home game against HC Kometa Brno, scoring just once. Kladno also gave up the lead it had built in the opening period.
Power plays remain a major concern. Kladno failed to score on any of its three chances against Brno and converted a power play in only one of five games in October. Oskar Lisler said the team needed to keep things simple and shoot, while noting that injuries and players returning to the lineup had made it difficult to establish consistency. Assistant coach Tomáš Plekanec said the team was trying different options and working on the problem.
Kladno have also struggled to maintain their level for a full game. Lisler said the team repeatedly started well before easing off, while Plekanec said they were not playing their intended style for all 60 minutes. The gap to HC Verva Litvínov is now three points, Lisler noted, and he said Kladno needed to compete for the full game.