Photos: Milan Kammermayer
Boston Bruins’ David Pastrňák (left) and Washington Capitals Michal Kempný watched fellow Czech tennis star Karolína Plíšková face Barbora Strýcová in the Live Score Cup tournament on Wednesday in Prague. The match was one of the first live sporting events held in the Czech Republic after a three month month hiatus due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
While no fans were allowed around the court at the CTS President’s Cup tournament last week, this time there were almost a hundred spectators in the stands, including hockey players David Pastrňák and Michal Kempny.
Plíšková is currently number three in world rankings.
Earlier in the day, Kempny and Capitals teammate Jakub Vrana held a workout at a local Prague gym. The two are preparing for the return of NHL hockey and the 2020 playoffs, which will begin with players reporting to home facilities in the next two weeks.
Capitals goaltending prospect Vitek Vanecek is also working out at the same gym.
The league is set to transition to phase two in their return-to-play plan later this week. Phase three (mini-training camps) will not start before July 10 and that phase two (small group skates and workouts), which teams are preparing to begin late next week, will not be mandatory.
The first two weeks of training camp for each team will take place in the clubs’ playing city and the last week in their assigned hub city. Phase four, the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, could occur in early August.
By Jon Sorensen
