SLOVAN SURRENDERS TWO-GOAL LEAD

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Dinamo Riga 3:4 (1:0, 2:3, 0:1)

Goals: 13. Netík (Bartovič, J. Mikúš), 22. Miklík (Vondrka, Sersen), 31. Štajnoch (Miklík) - 24. Marcel Hossa (Wilson, Pavlovs), 35. Robinson (Wilson, Marcel Hossa), 39. Wilson (Marcel Hossa), 47. Robinson (Szczechura). Penalties: 2:5 (2 min.); Powerplay goals: 1:1; Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Naumov, Sergeyev - Misyur, Raming. Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups:
HC SLOVAN: Janus - Škoula, Kutlák, Sersen, Mojžíš, Štajnoch, Sigalet, (41. V. Mihálik) - Netík, J. Mikúš, Bartovič - Miklík, Ölvecký, Vondrka - Kukumberg, Bližňák, L. Hudáček - M. Daňo, Matoušek, R. Mráz
Dinamo Riga: Tellqvist - Rekis, Ozolins, Robinson, Pujacs, Sotnieks, K. Redlihs - Pavlovs, Wilson, Marcel Hossa - Indrasis, Szczechura, Nizivijs - Meija, Dzerins, Bukarts - Skvorcovs, Kuzmenkovs, Upitis

Friday saw Slovan play their fifth home game in succession. Right in the first minute, Bukarts was presented with a chance, but Janus was equal to it. At the other end, L. Hudáček bore down on goal only to fire over the crossbar. Slovan had the better of the play, and opened there account in the 13th minute, Bartovič finding Netík, who fired into the open net – 1:0. Janus then had to make a number of good saves, keeping out Upitis, Kuzmenkovs and Wilson.

Slovan added a second in the 22nd minute – when Vondrka drove forward into the attacking zone, his shot rebounded of Tellqvist and fell to Miklík, who promptly swept the puck home – 2:0. Two minutes later , Marcel Hossa brought the visitors back into the game, latching onto Wilson’s pass – 2:1. A series of penalties gave Slovan a five-on-three advantage, and the hosts duly capitalized, Štajnoch scoring from between the circles – 3:1. The Sky Blues then seemed to ease off the gas, and Riga punished them for it. In the 35^th minute, defenseman Robinson scored in a powerplay, then four minutes later Wilson forced the puck home from a mêlée in front of Janus – 3:3.

The final period opened with a Slovan powerplay, and Sersen’s shot tested Tellqvist. When the visitors broke away in the 44^th minute, Meija missed a golden chance to put Riga in the lead. But just three minutes later, Slovan’s continued passivity was punished, defenseman Robinson beating Janus from the left circle – 3:4. Slovan also broke away in the 51^st minute, but Kutlák didn’t convert; nor did Daňo three minutes later. Pulling the goalie didn’t bring dividends for Slovan, leaving the final score 3:4.

Rostislav Čada: “We’ve won four of these home games, but it cost a lot in terms of physical strength. Still, we started this game well. Unfortunately, it was precisely physical strength that was lacking in defense. We fought all the way to the end, and I reckon we deserved at least point.”