HC Košice
Round 32
4 : 2
(1:0, 1:0, 2:2)
HK Poprad

Goals and assistance: 16. Buc (Svitana, Brejčák), 31. Štrauch (Dinda), 48. Heizer (McDowell, Brejčák), 57. Abdul (Bondra, Dinda) - 41. Suja (Šedivý), 52. Suja (Jenčík)

Penalized players: 5:7 for two minutes, plus: Dudáš (KOS - 5 + DKZ - head and neck attack), power plays: 0:1, defense plays: 0:1, referees: Jonák, Lokšík - Krajčík, Gajan, 3,268 visitors

HK Poprad: Corbeil (Gavalier) – Brejčák (C), McDowell, König, Petran, Ježek, Dinda, Krempaský – Štrauch, Mlynarovič (A), Svitana (A) – Lichanec, Heizer, Buc – Abdul, Vartovník, Bondra – Hvila, Bjalončík, Vašaš

HC Košice: Habal (Lundström) – Čížek, Kessel, Šedivý, Dudáš, Michalčin, Pulli, Koch, Matejka – Suja (A), Hovorka (C), Kafka – Soltés, Pacan, Spilar – Jenčík (A), Boltun, Hričina – Petráš, Vrábel, Klíma

From the beginning of the match the Košice team was more active on the ice rink, which they tried to demonstrate by their offensive actions. First Spilar did not get a change for an interesting puck action, but a moment later Corbeil's attention was tired by Michalčin. We had to wait for the first chance to the beginning of the fifth minute, when the puck was lead by Šedivý from the blue line. Though he overcome powerless Corbei, Poprad was saved by the net structure. On the other side Bondra showed up before Habala. He tried to push the puck to the net, however not successfully. The only goal in the first period was scored in the 16th minute by the home player Buc, who placed the puck directly under the upper pole of Košice net. Therefore the players hit the locker rooms at 1:0.

In its beginning the second period brought mutually even hockey so we had to wait for the first greater chance. At the end of the 26th minute Svitana processed an interesting pass, he wanted to check Habala's attention, but he hit the net pole. Five minutes later the score 1:0 was not true any more; Štrauch was in better shooting position and send Poprad to lead by two goals. In the middle of the regular playtime nothing important happened, so the players went to the locker rooms at 2:0.

Košice players entered the last period with a clear intention - fight in the Northern Slovakia for important points. This was obvious on their performance, when they got a chance in the first minute already and scored. Šedivý found Suja in a better position so he did not have a problem to score. Košice players did not reduced their effort, just the contrary. But endings of Šedivý, Kafka, Šoltés or Kessela did not fit to Poprad's net. The other side responded by the third Poprad's goal. This time Heizer scored, who deviated the shot from the blue line and placed the puck in the net. In the 52nd minute, still during the defense play, Suja escaped and added his second goal in the match. However, this was not enough, Abdul from Poprad increased to 4:2 in the 57th minute and set the final score.

Marcel Ozimák, Poprad's Coach: "We played another enthusiastic game against Košice today.” I have to thank the guys for their effort and enthusiasm that brought us three points in this match against a strong opponent like this.”

Milan Jančuška, Košice Coach: “I am angry, it cannot go like that with our matches.” The victory of Poprad today was decided by the number of penalized players as well as breaking situations, which we did not manage to handle.”