HC Košice - HC 05 Banská Bystrica 4:5 sn (0:2, 2:0, 2:2 - 0:0)

Goals and assists: 22. Šedivý (Suja, Miklík), 39. Dudáš (Nagy, Miklík), 52. Miklík (Suja, Nagy), 60. Suja (Čížek, Miklík) - 10. Bubela (Brittain), 20. Surový (Asselin), 49. Bortňák (Kabáč), 55. Ďatelinka (Lamper) - rozh. sám. nájazd: Asselin (BBY)

Penalized players: 3:9 for two minutes, power plays: 2:1 defense play: 0:0, referees: J. Konc, Baluška - Výleta, Stanzel, 4158 visitors

HC Košice: Habal (Lundström) – Šedivý, Čížek, Dudáš (A), Kessel, Pulli, Matejka, Novotný, Ovčačík – Nagy (C), Suja, Miklík – Jenčík, Hovorka (A), Kafka – Šoltés, Boltun, Hričina – Koyš, Petráš, Klíma

HC 05 iClinic Banská Bystrica: Lassila (Lukáš) – Kubka, Ďatelinka (A), Pretnar, Mihálik, Delisle, Trecapelli, Gabor, Sedlák – Hrnka, Surový (C), Lamper – Hohmann, Bubela, Brittain – Skalický, Faille (A), Asselin – Bortňák, Češík, Kabáč

The spectators in Steel Arena were not only occupied by the game but also by accompanying events. The most interesting was particularly the event Ness Hockey Day, as the company Ness rewarded a fan chosen by lot with a brand new HP laptop. Moreover, T-shirts were being thrown into the audience within the scope of TOP-SHOT, and so the visitors had a chance to catch one.

Our home players entered the match better than Banská Bystrica. During the match introductory minutes Košice found themselves in several striking positions, and the first bigger goal chance came in the 6th minute during a power play. Šedivý wanted to change his chance into a goal when Lassila sent the puck straight ahead from the blue line, but finally, the puck hit the right pad of Banská Bystrica's goalie. Just 2 minutes later, Miklík got into a solo-breakaway. He managed to overcome the goalie of Banská Bystrica, but this time, the net construction saved our opponents from the Middle Slovakia from conceding a goal. The 10th minute brought a goal chance for Bubela, the player wearing the visitors' jersey, and he promptly changed it into a goal - Banská Bystrica was leading 1:0. In the last minute of the 1st period, Pulli could react. He sent a good shot, but he only hit Lassila again. A punishment came in form of a power play goal, just 4 seconds before the end of the period - Surový increased the score to 0:2.

The middle period of the full regulation time brought spectator attractive hockey as well. There was no lack of goal chances, particularly in the first half of the period, and Košice finally managed to use it. Šedivý scored a power play goal and we were back in game over the points. Later, Asselin had a chance to score for the Rams, as he got close to the goal-field together with Faille, but they did not place the puck into the net. Neither Kabáč was successful, even despite he was a huge threat for Habal, but the Czech goalie gave a confidential performance. Brittain also got his chance, but as he wanted to move in front of the net, our goalie saved the puck with his hockey stick. This brought a possible goal chance on the other side, and Dudáš's shot on goal finally waved Lassil's net. In the final part of the middle period, Košice raised their hands for the 3rd time already, but the referee decided the goal was not valid. After 40 minutes of the match, the score was still 2:2.

Both teams entered the last period with a single aim - to score the match-deciding goal and approach to gaining the 3 points. The teams relied upon their defenses and therefore, the forwards had difficulties scoring. Finally, Bortňák got the puck after a long battle by the side fence, and Vladislav Habal was helpless against his shot on goal and Banská Bystrica took the lead in the match. Even if one could have thought that the winner was decided, the opposite was true. Košice played in a 2-men advantage, and Michel Miklík used it to score an equalizer. Jenčík could have increased to 4:3 for the home players, but he directed Dudáš's assist right into the catcher of Lasilla. Ďatelinka sent the players from Bystrica into lead in the 55th minute, but this was not enough for gaining the 3 points. Only 47 seconds before the end of full regulation time, Suja decided about the overtime.

It brought 2 spectacular moments, both of them brought by Faille. Centr-forward of the third formation of Banská Bystrica got into 2 solo-breakaways, but neither of them brought him success. Vladislav Habal made several important saves, and he decided about individual shootouts.

Kafka presented himself wearing the jersey of Košice, and on the other side, it was Bubela who scored for Banská Bystrica.  Finally, the 5th round of shootouts was decisive, when Asselin scored the match winning goal.

Marcel Šimurda, coach of Košice: "Today, we saw an excellent match. It was a play-off-like match from all aspects, so it must have been definitely a good experience for the spectators. We failed in the shootouts, but our guys have done their best and I am really thankful for that."

Vladimír Országh, coach of Banská Bystrica: "Matches like this, must be a great experience for the spectators. We were leading 2:0, and I am sorry about our game decline in the middle period. Both goalies gave an excellent performance and supported their teams many times. However, I think we deserved 3 points for the match we played."