Last Minute Euphoria!

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Medveščak Zagreb 3:2 (0:1, 0:0, 3:1) 

Goals: 50. Barker (Kašpar, Tičar), 50. V. Nedorost (Švarný), 60. Viedenský (Kašpar, L. Nagy) - 13. Kvapil, 56. Mertl (Smoleňák, Kinrade) 

Penalties: 6:6 (2 min.), + Sersen 5 min. game misconduct (slashing) - Brulé 5 min. game misconduct (checking to head and neck). Powerplay Goals: 1:1, Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Gofman, Soin - Golyak (all RUS), Dedyulya (BLR). Attendance: 8,123.

Lineups: 
HC SLOVAN: Brust - Sersen, Barker, Starosta, Švarný, L. Kozák, V. Mihálik, Luža - Kašpar, V. Nedorost, L. Nagy - Jeglič, Tičar, A. Šťastný - Surový, Viedenský, Bartovič - D. Skokan, Lušňák, Skalický 
Medveščak: Kroshel - Gysbergs, Mäntylä, Kinrade, Morrisson, Larkin, Katic - Smoleňák, Mertl, Kvapil - E. Hedberg, Brulé, Saarinen - Giliati, Genoway, Bjorkstrand - Glumac, Jämtin, Perkovich 

The opening ten minutes saw both sides start cautiously, but opportunities were created, and both goaltenders made some decent saves. After just 12 minutes, the hosts lost defenseman Sersen, who received a game misconduct for slashin. The resulting five-minute powerplay allowed Medveščak to take the lead - debutant Brust in the Slovan net beaten by Czech winger Kvapil - 0:1. The Sky Blues could have equalised while still shorthanded, as Jeglič and Tičar combined, but the former shot wide. Tičar had a chance himself during even-handed play, but the visitors held the lead at the break. 

Slovan then had their own five-minute powerplay after Brulé received a game misconduct for checking Tičar in the head. Despite the extended advantage, the hosts failed to carve out a chance, and nearly conceded another to Zagreb on the break, but Glumac couldn't beat Brust.  In the 32nd minute, Kašpar broke away, but his backhand shimmy ended up going over the bar. A fine pass from Viedenský then picked out Surový, but he too found Kroshel in his way.

Smoleňák tried his luck for the visitors early in the third, but Brust dealt with his shot, and didn't allow the Czech a follow-up. At the other end, Bartovič shot from between the circles, but found only the goalie's mitt. Slovan finally opened their account from a four-on-three powerplay, when Barker scored from back on the blue line - 1:1. 34 seconds later, the home side then took the lead, as Nedorost converted from Švarný's pass - 2:1. But Medveščak restored parity in the 56th, Mertl getting a touch on Smoleňák's effort - 2:2, leading to a tense final few minutes. Viedenský decided the encounter just 42 seconds from the siren, slotting the puck past Kroshel after Kašpar's unsuccessful attempt.