HC Košice
Round 36
4 : 3 pp
(2:0, 1:1, 0:2 - 1:0)
HK Nitra

Goals and assistance: 3. Krištof (Paulovič), 20. Ordzovenský (Blackwater, Milam), 23. H. Ručkay (Csányi), 64. Blackwater (Slovák, Mezei) - 36. Hovorka (Kafka), 45. Kessel (Nagy, Spilar), 54. Čížek (Nagy, Spilar)

Penalized players: 2:4 for (2) minutes, power plays: 0:0, defense plays: 0:0 referees: Jonák, Goga – Výleta, Gegáň, 3510 visitors

HK Nitra: Laco (Halo) – Rais, Mezei, Milam, Ordzovenský, Versteeg, Rýgl, Mich. Pupák, Mir. Pupák – Macík, Krištof, Paulovič – Kovacs, Slovák, Blackwater – Csányi, J. Ručkay, H. Ručkay – Fominych, Ondrušek, Rzavský

HC Košice: Lundström (23. Habal) – Kessel, Čížek, Koch, Šedivý, Pulli, Michalčin, Novotný, Pavúk – Jenčík, Pacan, Spilar – Suja, Hovorka, Kafka – Nagy, Boltun, Šoltés – Klíma, Vrábeľ, Petráš

The home team of Nitra started the match better. They scored basically from the first possible chance. It happened at the end of the third minute, when Krištof fired the puck and send his team to lead. The same player could have scored again two minutes later, but this time he hit just the barrier of bodies in front of Lundström. On the opposite side Nagy nicely waited for Kessel, who had a great chance, but Laco detected his intention and managed to hold the puck on his chest. Also Pacan's formation got Nitra in trouble, but this time it required more accurate endings, which could end-up in the net. The final minute belonged to the home team. After a nice individual action of Blackwater, Ordzovenský got the puck in front of the net and no chance he could have missed. So after 20 minutes Nitra was leading 2:0.

Also the beginning of the middle part was better for the home team. After less than three minutes of the game they could enjoy the goal again, this time Henrich Ručkay scored. Nagy could have scored as well. He was playing with defense of Nitra, but then there was no time or space for better ending. So we had to wait for Košice’s goal until the end of 36th minute when Hovorka reached the puck and did not leave any chance to Laco. A few seconds before the end of the second period also Suja missed a great chance, so they hit the locker rooms at 3:1.

Košice entered the third period with a clear aim - give a hard time to their host team and fight for the chart points. And they were getting it, in the 45th minute Kessel skated before Laco and turned the score in favor of Košice. Vehement effort finally led to the third accurate shot by Čížek. He fired a shot from the blue line and Laco even did not get a chance to respond. By the end of the third period the score remained unchanged, so extension came to place.
Chances were present on both sides, but Blackwater used his one. He overcame Habal and decided that we would take just one point from this match. The best men of the match were Karol Csányi and Vladislav Habal.

Andrej Kmeč, Nitra Coach: “We started the match very well and we deserved to lead by three goals. But afterwards a breakpoint came, when we did not use several chances and this meant power for Košice. Fortunately, during the extension we did it. So we are glad for two points with Košice.”

Marcel Šimurda, Coach of Košice: “I do not think we played bad in the first period. But the opponent used their chances, which we did not. As far as us, the middle part was the worst, but we showed great performance in the third period and I would like to thank the boys for it. Too bad we did not succeed in the extension.”