SLOVAN MAKES PERFECT COMEBACK!

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk 3:2 (SO) - (0:1, 0:1, 2:0 - 0:0, 1:0)

Goals: 44. Miklík (Vondrka, Škoula), 59. Mojžíš (Štajnoch), deciding penalty shot: Netík - 11. Bulyansky, 26. Zhukov (Smoleňák, Shefer) 

Penalties: 2:6 (2 min.), Powerplay Goals: 1:0, Shorthanded: 0:1. Officials: Karabanov, Safiullov - Kuchava, Novikov. Attendance: 9,731.

Lineups: 
HC SLOVAN: Janus - Škoula, Sersen, Sigalet, Kutlák, Štajnoch, Mojžíš - Radivojevič, J. Mikúš, Bartovič - Miklík, Bližňák, Vondrka - Netík, Ölvecký, Kukumberg - M. Daňo, A. Šťastný, L. Hudáček - T. Mikúš (from 41^st min.)
Ugra: Biryukov - Shefer, Khvostov, Pepelyaev, Trončinský, D. Sokolov, Starosta, Dyakov - Khlyntsev, Zhukov, Sitnikov - Smoleňák, Dixon, Savinainen - Bulyansky, Yatsenko, Knyazev - Plotnikov, Krysanov, N. Gusev

Slovan started the better of the two teams, creating a number of chances early on. In the 5^th minute, the fourth-line attack put together a nice combination, but a long shot from Mojžíš was soundly kept out by Biryukov. Two minutes later the visitors’ goalie was kept busy, saving efforts from Bartovič, Kutlák and Kukumberg, and later on from L. Hudáček as well. Following an unsuccessful Slovan powerplay, an error in the defensive zone by A. Šťastný let in Bulyansky, who beat Janus from up close – 0:1. Just a minute later Bartovič set Radivojevič up for what looked like a certain equalizer, but he shot over the open net. In the closing stage, Janus came out unscathed from a goalmouth scrimmage, while Bližňák’s shot from behind the defense found Biryukov’s left pad.

At the start of the second period, Kukumberg had the equalizer before him, but Ölvecký’s touch went just wide of the Ugra net. In the 26^th minute, the visitors doubled their lead during a penalty kill. Smoleňák and Zhukov broke away down the right and gave Janus no chance – 0:2. In the 30^th minute Radivojevič failed to convert another big chance. Soon after, Slovan had the puck in the goal, but after a long consultation with the video referee, Škoula was deemed to have deliberately used his skate to send the puck into the net. The second period saw further unsuccessful attempts from J. Mikúš, Netík, Mojžíš and Bartovič.

The final period began with unsuccessful efforts from Savinainen and Starosta. In the 43^rd minute, Slovan replacement T. Mikúš tested Biryukov in his first venture onto the ice. A Slovan powerplay in the 44^th minute saw Miklík finally open the home team’s account, igniting the home fans’ hopes of a positive result – 1:2. L. Hudáček missed a golden opportunity in the 48^th minute, failing to find the open net, while Sersen had a shot well saved soon after. A great shot from Hudáček in the 57^th minute was still not enough to get past Biryukov, and captain Bartovič was unable to seize on the rebound. But less than two minutes from the end, defenseman Mojžíš secured overtime, beating Biryukov with a solo effort  – 2:2.

Overtime saw no great chances for either side, so the game went into penalty shots. After three series without a score, fourth-in-line Netík sealed victory and two points for Slovan.