HK Nitra – HC Košice 0:9 (0:5, 0:1, 0:3)
Goals and assists: 1. Chovan (Majdan), 5. Rapáč (Bortňák, Koch), 8. Haščák (Belluš, Chovan), 13. Haščák (Belluš, Chovan), 15. Skokan (Bezúch, Čížek), 28. Haščák (Chovan, Skokan), 46. Skokan (Haščák, Chovan), 50. Majdan (Koch, Skokan), 60. Haščák (Skokan, Chovan)
Penalized players: 8:7 for two minutes., also: Blackwater (NIT — 5 min.+ the rest of the game for checking), Kerbashian (NIT — 10 min. for unsportsmanlike conduct), Zeleňák (KOS — 10 min. for boarding), power-play: 0:6, defense plays: 0:0, referees: Goga, Valach — Gegáň, Orolin, 2288 spectators
HK Nitra: Hanuliak (13. Šimboch) – Mezei, Rais, Pupák, Nemec, Sloboda, Versteeg, Hlinka, Fetkovič – Blackwater, Kollár, Csányi – Scheidl, Kerbashian, Minárik – Rác, Lušňák, Fominykh – Pätoprstý, Čaládi, Hrušík
HC Košice: Košarišťan (Škorvánek) – Slovák, Koch, Čižek, Zeleňák, Bučko, Repe, Růžička – Majdan, Chovan, Haščák – Klhúfek, Skokan, Bezúch – Rapáč, Bortňák, Belluš – Milý Suja, Jokeľ
The match between Nitra and Košice was supposed to attract huge number of fans — both teams wanted to make it hard for the opponent by playing offensively, and supporting their game by a stable defense. However, what was happening in the arena was something different. The team from Košice was much more active, which continued throughout the whole opening part. The Steelers entered the match with a quick opening goal. After 30 seconds, Chovan received an ideal pass to the center line and for the first time, he broke through Hanuliak by a wild swing. From this moment, Košice played aggressively, Čížek, who scored the first goal, tried to use this chance, but unsuccessfully. Nitra had to wait for its first risky shot on goal until 4th minute, but even then, it only hit the mask of Košarišťan. The well-known saying "won't score, will get" was fulfilled. In 5th minute, Bortňák and Rapáč performed a nice combination where Rapáč scored a goal against his former team players. This, however, wasn't the end of Košice's aggressive game. In 8th minute, Košice outnumbered Nitra 5 on 3, and improved the score to 3:0. Haščák scored, and even though Nitra signaled the Steeler in the goal-field, they couldn't change anything. The Steelers outnumbered Nitra again in the 11th and 12th minute. In this case, one of the penalized players managed to return to the rink, but the second did not. Haščák scored again by firing an unpredictable shot and made Nitra change their goalie definitively. But it didn't help Nitra at all. Not even Šimboch could save Nitra in this nightmare period, and in 15th minute, Skokan fired a shot and scored. After five goals in the first period, the Steelers ruled the arena.
In the beginning of the middle period, Nitra was finishing the power-play and had the ideal chance to get back into the match by scoring its first goal. But they were still struggling, and Košarišťan remained without a goal. On the other hand, Zeleňak was able to strike from the opposite side of the rink. Klhůfek tipped the puck, but Šimboch stayed strong. Goalie of Nitra successfully put his left pad and saved his teammates. Another good action came for the Steelers during the 27th minute. During that time, Nitra was playing on one contact, where the final assist was directed at Belluš. He fired the shot to the upper parts, but unfortunately, he hit only the chest of Nitra's goalie. A minute later, Košice scored its 6th goal. Besides striking half a dozen in the net of our opponent, the goal had one more particularity — it was the 3rd precise shot from Marcel Haščák in this match. Scheidl tried to react to Haščák's three goal strike. Košarišťan was at that time without any risky shot, but he managed the finishing of the left winger. The same occurred with another try of Nitra. In 37th minute, the pair Csányi — Kollár got their chance. But they didn't manage to overcome Košarišťan. At the end of the 2nd period, Košice were leading 6:0.
Before the last period, everybody knew that this is probably going to be the final period of the game. Despite this fact, the game still could be interesting in the last 20 minutes — Nitra wanted to score and achieve at least one goal. On the other hand, the Steelers planned to increase their devastating lead. And as it had been expected throughout the match, they did succeed. In 46th minute, Šimboch just slightly touched Haščák's fire, which was the moment Skokan waited for. He immediately gained the puck and scored. 7:0 for Košice. From this moment, the match seemed to be ending. But it was not over yet. At least not for Košice, who modified the score "a little bit". In 50th minute, thanks to Majdan, Košice punished Scheidl's penalization for cross-check and scored the goal number 8. Haščák clinched the final score by its fourth precise shot 8 seconds before the end of the match.
Andrej Kmeč, coach of Nitra: „The result is horrible. Right now, we don’t meet the criteria to be the competition for Košice. Congratulations to the guest on the result and good performance. It is now my responsibility, and I am fully aware of it.
Peter Draisaitl, coach of Košice: „I know that we were not better by 9 goals. But the development of the match was definitely on our side. We managed to score fast and add another during the power-plays. Finally, as we have been struggling during them so far. During the defense plays also. The goalie Košarišťan kept his sheet clean again, so I am glad that it went so well."
