Just one point for Slovan

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 1:2 (after shootout) - (1:0, 0:0, 0:1, 0:0 - 0:1)

Goals: 18. Švarný (Kukumberg) - 60. Polygalov (N. Belov, Milovzorov), winning penalty shot: Petr Koukal

Shots: 29:44, penalties: 4:3 (2 min), powerplay and shorthanded goals: 0:0, attendance: 10 055 (sell out), Officials: Karabanov, Sergejev - Nazarev, Morozov (all Rus.)

Rosters:
HC SLOVAN: Janus - Višňovský, Sigalet, Vondrka, Bližňák, Miklík - Sersen, Sekera, Hudáček, Lipiansky, Bartovič - Švarný, Tabaček, Bakoš, Kytnár, Kukumberg - Trška, Kudrna, Ölvecký, Šťastný, Preisinger

Neftekhimik: Dalton - Berezin, Blochin, Selujanov, Mamašev, Belov, Lukjančikov, Rozin, Groť - Pestuško, Cibák, Milovzorov - Polygalov, Koukal, Netík - S. Aľševskij, Chochriakov, J. Aľševskij - Komaristyj, Ziazov, Galimov

The initial stages of the game saw both teams trade chances in an end to end start to proceedings. In the 4^th minute, Michel Miklik had the first clear cut chance of the game as he skated in on a 2 on 1, but his shot was saved. About four minutes later, with Jonathan Sigalet in the penalty box, Chochriakov had a good opportunity in front of Janus but failed to get the puck under the Slovak netminder. After the furious play of the first ten minutes, both teams began to settle down. Still, Vondrka was able to get a good chance which Dalton did well to get his glove to. The joy of the sell out crowd was clear when in the 18^th minute, as after receiving a Roman Kukumberg pass, Ivan Švarný fired from the blue line, and the puck beating Dalton and nestling in the bottom right corner of the goal to make it 1:0.

Jaroslav Janus was called into action early in the second period as the away side had another powerplay chance, but he was equal to every shot. HC SLOVAN continued to rely on quick counter attacks to get their chances. However, HC SLOVAN spurned a number of odd man rushes, with Miklik having a great chance to score but his shot was blocked by the defenceman. On HC SLOVAN’s first powerplay of the night, the team worked the puck well, and the captain had the best chance as Lipiansky shot but Dalton was able to make the save. In the 32^nd minute, Mario Bližňák pounced on a misplaced pass and sped into the Neftekhimik zone. However, Rozin sent the HC SLOVAN forward tumbling to the ice, but the referees deemed it to be fair play.

In the third period HC SLOVAN retreated to the defensive side of their game. In the 43^rd minute, Ziazov fired a quick shot which Janus stopped, and only a few moments later, Ziazov went close with another opportunity. In the 51^st minute, Janus robbed Koukal with a fantastic pad stop which had the home crowd on their feet in appreciation. However, HC SLOVAN were still getting chances, and with little over five minutes to go, Michal Vondrka hit the crossbar with a fizzing wrist shot. The game finished with a minute of 4 on 4, and with Dalton pulled, Neftekhimik were piling on the pressure. Eventually they would finally find the back of the net, as Polyganov backhanded a rebound passed the sprawling Janus. The games overtime period was uneventful, and in the shootout, Dalton stopped Hudáček and Bakoš, while Koukal and Polyganov scored for Neftekhimik to give them the two points, and HC SLOVAN only one.