Sports News

In Sports News this Monday: Brno Kometa take impressive 2:0 lead in Extraliga final against defending champions Liberec; Pastrňák forces overtime but Bruins can’t top Ottawa; former women’s No. 2 tennis player Kvitová is hoping to recover in time for the French Open; two football players come under drugs investigation.

Hockey: Kometa Brno take 2:0 series lead in final against Liberec

Liberec - Kometa Brno, photo: CTK

Hockey club Kometa Brno are two wins away from winning the Extraliga playoff title after they got off to a dream start in the final against defending champions Liberec on Friday and Saturday, winning both the opening and second game. The series now continues in Brno. Alexandre Mallet, a Canadian player on Brno’s first line got the winner in Game 1. Martin Erat got two goals for Brno in Game 2 and Marek Kvapil sealed the deal in overtime. Kometa Brno are feeling good about their chances but obviously no one is celebrating yet; Liberec are promising to get back into the series which continues in Brno later on Tuesday.

NHL: Pastrňák forces overtime but Bruins can’t top Ottawa

Craig Anderson, David Pastrňák, photo: CTK

The first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs is well underway and four games played on Monday all went to overtime. David Pastrňák of the Boston Bruins scored an equaliser against the Ottawa Senators to force overtime, but the Bruins lost all the same. The final score was 4:3. The Bruins now trail the Senators 2:1 in the series.

In other action, the Montreal Canadiens lead their best-of-seven series 2:1 with Game 4 against the New York Rangers coming up. Forward Tomáš Plekanec got an assist for the Habs in the previous game, after getting a clutch goal for the Canadiens in Game 2. In that match, Montreal were 18 seconds away from going down 2:0 in the series but Plekanec got one past Lundquist, who was beaten again in overtime by Radulov. Plekanec’s apparent return to form is more than welcome after a rather disappointing season. Plekanec is regarded as a key figure with the Habs who has never played for another NHL team.

Tennis: Will Kvitová be ready in time for Roland Garros?

Petra Kvitová, photo: Filip Jandourek

Czech player Petra Kvitová has entered the draw for this year’s French Open, saying she had made considerable progress four months since surgery following a knife attack in December which she sustained serious hand injuries. Writing on the social networks, the player indicated she still didn’t know if she would be ready in time, but said that she was giving herself that chance, calling the French Open one of her favourite tournaments. The two-time Wimbledon winner required complicated surgery on her left hand after being attacked by a knife-wielding intruder in her home last December.

Golf: Spilková becames first Czech player to win Ladies European Tour

Klára Spilková, photo: CTK

Czech golf player Klára Spilková became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event with a one stroke victory over Suzann Pettersen at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco on Sunday. The 22-year-old fired a final round of 66 on the Blue Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam and came from four strokes back to claim her first win with a 72-hole total of eight-under-par 280. It was her first start on the LET in 2017.

Football: Two players get caught up in police investigation

Two Czech football players, Ondřej Vaněk, who plays for Russian side FC Ufa, and Viktoria Plzeň midfielder Jan Kopic are being investigated by the police in connection with a suspected drug dealer. The dealer, charged with selling ecstasy and cocaine, allegedly sold Mr Vaněk narcotics as well. Kopic is suspected of having loaned the fellow player half-a-million Czech crowns for the purchase. The two players are due to appear as witnesses when the case comes to court, Czech Radio reported on Tuesday. Both Vaněk and Kopic have played for the national squad in the past, with eight and five appearances, respectively.