Rytíři Kladno beat HC Dynamo Pardubice 4-3 in overtime after surrendering a two-goal lead, ending a run of 16 defeats against Dynamo. Kladno had not beaten Pardubice for more than four and a half years. Captain Miroslav Forman said his team had been the better side but regretted not securing all three points.
“We all wanted three,” Forman said. He felt Kladno had created plenty of chances in the third period but failed to make the most of them. Pardubice tied the game at 3-3 on a set play after a face-off during a Kladno penalty kill.
Jakub Konečný opened the scoring for Kladno. His fifth goal of the season was also the 9,000th in the club’s history. Forman said Konečný had promised to put 5,000 into the team fund if Kladno won, adding with a smile that the players would make sure he paid.
Kladno finished the first quarter of the regular season in sixth place. Forman said he was never completely satisfied, but believed the team had shown its strength against Pardubice.