Slovan lose goalfest at home

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - HC Lev Praha 4:5 (3:4, 1:0, 0:1) 

Goals: 7. Lipiansky (Kukumberg), 11. Ölvecký, 13. T. Mikúš, 38. L. Hudáček (Lipiansky) - 2. Surový (Marcel Hossa), 2. Karamnov (Sekáč, T. Rachůnek), 7. Oystrick (J. Novotný), 15. O. Němec (J. Novotný, Lepistö), 58. Cipulis (Marcel Hossa) 

Penalties: 2:5 (2 min), powerplay and shorthanded goals: 0:0, officials: Bulanov, Olenin - Birin, A. Medvedev (all Rus.), attendance: 10 055

Rosters: 
HC SLOVAN Bratislava: Janus - Sigalet, Sersen, J. Tabaček, Mojžíš, Švarný, Ďatelinka - Miklík, Bližňák, Vondrka - Svatoš, Kytnár, Bartovič - Kukumberg, Lipiansky, L. Hudáček - M. Daňo, Ölvecký, T. Mikúš 
Lev: Pöpperle - Nakládal, Oystrick, O. Němec, Lepistö, Mäenpää, J. Mikuš, Krejčík - Gynge, J. Novotný, Danielsson - Řepík, Vrána, Birner - Marcel Hossa, Surový, Cipulis - T. Rachůnek, Karamnov ml., Sekáč - Cingel 

HC SLOVAN’s tight defence seemed to disappear in the opening minutes of Sunday’s clash. After a neutral zone mistake, Marcel Hossa picked up the puck and found Surový who beat Janus, and then sixteen seconds later, Vitaly Karamnov fired a pinpoint shot from the hash marks to make it 0:2 after only 86 seconds. In the 7^th minute, HC SLOVAN pulled a goal back, thanks to smart play from a returning Jan Lipiansky whose backhander beat Pöpperle. However, it only took 23 seconds for Lev to restore their two goal lead, with Nathan Oystrick firing from the blueline. HC SLOVAN Bratislava were struggling with the defensive side of the game and Lev were running rings around them at times. However, in the 11^th minute, Peter Ölvecký scored an unassisted goal with a quick shot, before two minutes later, Tomáš Mikúš cut in from the left wing and fired a wicked wrist shot that flew past Pöpperle and tied the game at three apiece. However, defensive mistakes would go on to cost HC SLOVAN before the end of the period, as in the 15^th minute Ondřej Němec was allowed to waltz into the zone without any pressure, before beating Janus to make it 3:4 after just fifteen minutes of play.

HC Lev continued their dominance at the start of the second period, and HC SLOVAN were struggling to compete. However, in the 24^th minute while on the powerplay, Vondrka, Miklik and Svatoš combined but failed to find the back of the net. From this moment on, the home side began to play the better hockey and HC SLOVAN dictated play. Both netminders improved their play and a tight game followed. Pöpperle in the HC Lev net made a number of quality saves, but even he could do nothing about Libor Hudáček’s wonderful solo effort, moving from behind the net to the front before backhanding it past the Czech netminder.

In the final period, both teams were playing a neutral zone game, desperate not to make a mistake in the tight contest for playoff places. Both teams were playing solid hockey, although as the period went on, HC Lev were beginning to move into the ascendancy. Eventually their pressure would tell, as poor defensive coverage opened the door for the away side, and Cipulis was alone in front of net and the Latvian forward had no problem in tucking the puck away after Marcel Hossa found him. Despite a powerplay chance at the end, HC SLOVAN were unable to put one more past Pöpperle, and for the first time this season, HC SLOVAN Bratislava lost to their rivals, HC Lev Praha.