HC Dynamo Pardubice got off to a winning start at the Spengler Cup, held annually in Davos, Switzerland, with a thrilling 3-2 victory over HC Fribourg-Gottéron following penalty shots. The Czech vice-champions faced considerable challenges, including missing key players due to injuries, but managed to pull off the win after dropping a two-goal lead.
Despite being without prominent players like Roman Červenka, Jiří Smejkal, and Jáchym Kondelík, who were unable to travel for health reasons, the Dynamo squad opened the match strong. Early pressures paid off when they scored two goals within the first 13 minutes, setting the tone for the game.
It was Lukáš Radil who first made his mark, breaking through the Fribourg defense to fire home the opening goal at 9:07 after receiving a pinpoint pass from defenseman David Musil. Shortly afterward, Daniel Rákos capitalized on the power play opportunity, scoring from the blue line to put the Dynamo up 2-0.
Unfortunately, things took a turn when Martin Kaut was penalized for fighting, forcing Dynamo to navigate the remainder of the game without their top scorer. At the end of the first period, Fribourg was still reeling from the quick double strike from Pardubice, but the Swiss team started to find their footing as the game progressed.
Goalkeeper Roman Will was instrumental for Pardubice, showcasing his skills as he dealt with various Fribourg attacks, including thwarting efforts from Linden Vey and Kevin Nicolet. His remarkable reflexes kept Dynamo’s lead intact for much of the match, but disaster struck late when Will was injured during the game.
With just seconds to go before the second intermission, Will suffered an injury after allowing Fribourg’s Yannick Rathgeb to reduce the deficit to 1-2. He was replaced by Tomáš Vomáčka, who found himself immediately under pressure.
The final moments of the game proved intense as Fribourg scored again, with Ryan Gunderson equalizing just 54 seconds after Vomáčka took the ice, bringing the match to 2-2 and forcing overtime.
Overtime provided no more goals, leading the game to penalty shots. This is where Lukáš Sedlák sealed the game for Pardubice, scoring the decisive penalty shot which secured the victory. Notably, Vomáčka went on to save all five shots he faced, proving to be a heroic substitution.
Head coach Václav Baďouček expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly highlighting the resilience shown amid injuries. "We know we have a strong squad, and it’s times like these when the depth of our roster pays off," he said.
Looking forward, Pardubice will have to focus on recovering their injured players as they prepare for the next challenge—a match against Kärpät Oulu on Saturday afternoon. Kondelík and Smejkal are confirmed out for the immediate future, but there is hope for some players to return. Baďouček commented, "There’s small hope Smejkal might return as the tournament progresses, and we’ll see what happens with Roman Will, too."
This victory not only boosts the team's morale but also sets them up confidently for subsequent matches. The Spengler Cup is esteemed for its competitive level, and this win is pivotal for Pardubice as they aim for the title.
With high hopes and expectations, the team is eyeing another successful outing, as they were finalists last year and aim to go one step beyond this time around.
