MAC Újbuda — HC Košice 4:3 pp (2:2, 1:0, 0:1 — 1:0)
Goals and assistance: 9. Langkow (Klempa, Pozsgai), 13. Bodó (Pitt), 29. Langkow (McNally), 64. Sofron (McNally) — 13. Rapáč (Jokeľ, Bortňák), 20. Haščák (Skokan, Zeleňák), 50. Bortňák (Milý)
Penalized players: 6:5 for two min., in addition: Belluš (KOS — 10 min. for pushing to the barrier), power plays: 0:0 penalty kill: 0:0, Referees: Baluška, Purgat — Kacej, J. Konc Jr., 605 visitors
MAC Budapest: Bernard – McNally, Pozsgai, Carlisle, Blake Orbán, Garát, Fejes, Bugár – Brance Orbán, Strech, Terbócs – Klempa, Langkow, Sofron – Szigeti, Pitt, Bodó – Kreisz, Majoross, Loczi
HC Košice: Škorvánek (Košarišťan) — Koch, Čížek, Zeleňák, Slovák, Repe, Růžička — Haščák, Skokan, Majdan — Klhůfek, Chovan, Květoň — Belluš, Bortňák, Rapáč — Jokeľ, Suja, Milý
The match between Budapest and Košice promised an active match from the beginning. However, neither of the teams get the real chance, but both teams tried to hold the puck in front of the opponent’s net. The first opportunity came in the third minute. It was the opportunity of Budapest, resulting from the hesitation of Košice defense; however, it finally missed the net of the guests. Ultimately, however, the Hungarian capital players did not have too much to regret it. Finally, they took the lead as the first ones in the ninth minute. Langkow then put the stick into the puck's track, misled Škorvánek, and made perfect use of the good pass of Klempa. It could be re-balanced in the same minute thanks to Haščák. However, the Košice sharp-shooter failed due to Bernard. So, the Hungarian goal response came again. Újbuda riposted in the half of the 13rd minute when they sent Repe to the ice rink. When falling, he could not prevent pass to Bodó, and so the home team already scored 2:0. But this time Košice team was successful with their quick response. In fact, at the end of the 13rd minute Jokeľ found Rapáč in a great way in a dense space, so the Košice forward had no problem scoring. In addition, the Steelers from Eastern Slovakia equalized even before the break. 34 seconds before the break Haščák managed to do it through the locker room net. The whole situation did not look dangerous but Haščák hit it well and finally sent the puck into the Bernard’s net. So, the score was 0-0 after twenty minutes of the game.
In the middle part of the game the visitors present at the stadium saw only one accurate hit. However, it was preceded by some good chances. Already in the 22nd minute Košice could lead for the first time, but Chovan with Klhůfek did not tighten the Hungarian net from good positions. Milý also failed in the 24th minute. In addition, Košice team has been temporarily short-handed since this moment — in fact, Belluš was given a standard two-minute penalty and extra 10 minutes for pushing to the barrier. In the 26th minute the duo Bodó — Orbán tried to “punish” his absence on the ice. But Škorvánek greatly “erased them” and he credited an important intervention to his account. In the 27th minute Čížek brought the necessary
impulse to the forward lines of the Košice team, but Budapest finally guarded the Steelers and pushed them away from shooting positions. The fifth accurate goal was scored during the 29th minute. Langkow then took advantage of the momentary inattention of Košice defensive and he pushed the puck into the virtually half-empty Košice net. The Steelers still tried to reverse unfavorable situation before the break, but they failed. In the 34th minute Repe was also unsuccessful, he shot from the blue line, but the Bernard's save was not successful. Even Suja was trying to make the most of it, but he did not succeed in the immediate vicinity of the Újbuda goalkeeper. So, after two periods Budapest was leading with score 3:2.
If the Steelers wanted to score in the capital, they had to make their offensive activity considerably more dynamic during the final phase of regular time. And although they tried to do so at the beginning of the third period, they were not very successful. Chovan lost the puck and Bernard guarded the end-play of Suja. At the beginning of the 46th minute emotions were raised for the first time when Pitt and Koch started jostling. However, the arbiters separated them very quickly, so they did not have to exclude players. Košice finally got the advantage of a power play two minutes later, but they did not remake it in the desired equalizing goal. Újbuda was lucky, Květoň did not succeed in a one hundred percent chance. Nevertheless, the Steelers were successful almost immediately after the return of Sofron to the ice. Milý worked well in front of the net and even though he could not score immediately, the goal was scored by Bortňák. It started again from the beginning. In the 54th minute Skokan sent it well to Bernard, even though he shot from a large angle. However, the goalkeeper of the Hungarian team was confident in this action. A minute later three Steelers did turnabout in the Budapest zone but in any case, it was not enough for the goal. In the 58th minute guests enjoyed the fourth goal, but prematurely. Although it was not in vain, Rapáč tipped the shot but puck did not fall into the net. So, the match had to be extended in the Hungarian capital.
The next five minutes brought an attractive format of three against three, several nice moments as well as real chances. At the beginning Langkow ended, but his end-play had no goal parameters. Belluš responded to the Hungarian activity on the opposite side, and in any case, he was not successful due to Bernard. Budapest finally turned the match in the 64th minute with the goal of Sofron. So, two points remained in Hungary, one went to Eastern Slovakia.
