SECOND LOSS AT HOME

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Vityaz Podolsk 1:4 (0:2, 1:2, 0:0)

Goals: 38. Škoula (Sersen, Miklík) - 12. Vasiliev (Hennessy), 14. Chafizullin, 21. Soloduchin (Golovkov, Rybakov), 36. Pyett (Podziňš)

Penalties: 3:5 (2 min.); Mojžíš (Slovan) 5 min. + Game Misconduct (Boarding). Powerplays: 1:0; Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Kulakov, Shchenyov - S. Morozov, Putalin. Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups:

HC SLOVAN: Kopřiva - Sersen, Škoula, Sigalet, Kutlák, Mojžíš, Štajnoch, V. Mihálik - Miklík, Ölvecký, Vondrka - Netík, J. Mikúš, Bartovič - Kukumberg, Bakoš, L. Hudáček - T. Mikúš, Kolena, R. Mráz - from 21 min. M. Daňo 
Vityaz: Backlund - Pyett, Mezei, Selezňov, Golovkov, Chafizullin, Malevič, Kudinov - Šitikov, Iggulden, Koroľuk - Koroľov, Rybakov, Soloduchin - Afinogenov, Hennessy, Poltorak - Vasilev, Mamin, Podziňš

Slovan began their second home game of the campaign cautiously. Ölvecký had an opening in the 4^th minute but his shot caused goaltender Backlund no troubles. With Sigalet penalized for interference, the visitors created several shooting chances, but Kopřiva kept them out. In the 7^th minute, the officials sent off Mojžíš for an early shower, but Vityaz failed to score in the five-minute powerplay. They did score with five on five, however. Vasiliev came in from the blue line and hit the top-left corner of Kopřiva’s net. Just two minutes later, Chafizullin found himself in space and beat the Czech goaltender in the same spot as Vasiliev. At the end of the first period, cat whistles from the fans in the Slovnaft Arena made their feelings known.

The spiritless performance from Čada’s charges continued after the break. After just 48 seconds, Soloduchin added a third for the visitors. The Slovan powerplay which followed produced no chances on goal, a situation that continued for the “Sky Blues” when evenhanded. Netík, T. Mikúš, Kutlák and Miklík all failed to make it happen, then Pyett made the score 0:4 in the 36th minute, making the most of some unimpressive defensive work from the Bratislava team. Slovan’s wait for a goal at home was finally ended in the 38th minute when defenseman Škoula scored from the blue line.

Slovan did finally make some chances at the start of the final period, but the reliable Backlund kept out Kukumberg, Škoula and Štajnoch. The closing minutes saw a lack of effective play from both sides – Slovan failed to narrow the deficit, while the visitors from Podolsk guarded their lead for a valuable victory.

Rostislav Čada (Slovan coach): “It was clear that we really wanted to get our first points at home. That showed in our shorthanded play, which we handled well with real fight. Unfortunately we conceded two fairly cheap goals at the end of the first period. We then put some pressure on in the attempt to get back in the game. Our opponents  stood up to us with a well-organized defense. The way we played today is the way for us to succeed in the next game.”