EPIC COMEBACK BY SLOVAN!

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Traktor Chelyabinsk 6:5 (1:3, 2:1, 3:1)

Goals: 19. Sersen (Vondrka, Ölvecký), 30. J. Mikúš, 30. Štajnoch (Sersen), 42. Bartovič (Netík, J. Mikúš), 54. Vondrka (Miklík), 60. Netík - 5. Dugin (Kontiola, A. Kostitsyn), 18. A. Kostitsyn (Kontiola), 18. Sayustov (Kokuyov), 28. Sayustov (Kondratyev), 49. Guskov (Kokuyov)

Penalties: 5:10 (2 min.) +  23. Vasilchenko (Traktor): 10 min. (checking to head and neck), 53. Katichev (Traktor): 5 min. + game misconduct (roughing). Powerplay goals: 3:1, shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Gofman, Ravodin - A. Medvedev, Pavlov (all RUS). Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups:
HC SLOVAN: Kopřiva (21. Janus) - Škoula, Kutlák, Sersen, Mojžíš, Štajnoch, Sigalet - Miklík, Ölvecký, Vondrka - Netík, J. Mikúš, Bartovič - Kukumberg, Bližňák, L. Hudáček - M. Daňo, Matoušek, A. Šťastný (36. R. Mráz)
Chelyabinsk: Garnett - Kondratyev, Bondarev, Vasilchenko, Ryabykin, Guskov, Katichev, Flyagin - K. Panov, Bulis, Chistov - A. Kostitsyn, Kontiola, Dugin - Kokuyov, Sayustov, Glinkin - Valeyev, Osnovin, Mokin

After Friday’s debacle in Prague, Chelyabinsk started positively, and Kopřiva had to make several saves early on. In the 5th minute, Traktor’s second line attack pulled apart the Sky Blues defense, and Dugin slotted into an empty net to open the scoring – 0:1. A Slovan powerplay saw Ölvecký swoop in front of Garnett, but he couldn’t get the puck between the goalie’s pads. The hosts then upped their efforts, trying to shoot often, but the Traktor defense protected their goaltender with some courageous play. In the 18^th minute, Bližňák’s penalty for tripping was immediately punished, Andrei Kostitsyn flicking home from the right circle.  29 seconds later the visitors stretched the lead to 3:0, Sayustov seizing on a defensive error and selling Kopřiva with a perfect shimmy. The home side did finally get on the scoresheet a minute from the end, Sersen firing home with precision from between the circles – 1:3

Attempting to reduce the deficit at the start of the second period, Slovan created a number of chances, but Chelyabinsk silenced the home fans in the 28^th minute when Janus –who replaced Kopřiva after the break – couldn’t hold on to Kokuyov’s shot, allowing Sayustov to knock the puck home – 1:4. The hosts were then helped back up by Traktor’s ill discipline, twice being reduced to three players. First Juraj Mikúš scored from an angle up close, then Martin Štajnoch’s shot left Slovan just one goal behind – 3:4. The Sky Blues tried hard for the equalizer, Mikúš stealing away to attack during a penalty kill, only for his stick to break at the crucial moment.

When Bartovič fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner in the 42nd minute, Slovan had restored parity from three goals down – 4:4. The hosts continued in the ascendancy, the sell-out crowd urging them on. In the 49th minute, Sayustov hit the post, but then Guskov’s shot from the blue line beat Janus – 4:5. In the 52nd minute, the puck was in the goalmouth after Mikúš’s effort, but Netík just couldn’t get the puck past Garnett. Slovan then made another powerplay count, after Katichev had been sent off for the rest of the game, when Vondrka tapped in from up close – 5:5. In the extended powerplay, the home team created a number of shooting opportunities, but nothing came of them. Finally, with less than a minute left in the game, Netík used his speed to break away from the Chelyabinsk defense, and flicked into the top corner for Slovan to take the lead for the first time. As their powerplay continued, the hosts were able to play out the last minute and take a crucial three points.

Rostislav Čada: “We started badly today - the first period we played without movement or aggression. We were pretty tired after the last two games, and we hadn’t fully recuperated. But the team stayed motivated, and we were always in the game, even when we were 4:1 behind. Converting powerplays really helped us. I think that, thanks to the exciting closing stages and the massive support from the fans, we managed to score the winning goal and take all three points.”