Slovan Downs Favoured Jokerit

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Jokerit Helsinki 6:2 (2:0, 2:2, 2:0)

Goals: 1. Jeglič, 7. Netík (Tičar), 27, Starosta (Netík, Tičar), 36. Bartovič (Vondrka, Baranka), 56. Vondrka, 60. Nedorost - 24. Gunderson (Aaltonen, Kapanen), 30. Mäki. Officials: Buturlin, Jeřábek - Balodis, Shikhanov.

Penalties: 5:3, Powerplay goals: 1:1, Shorthanded: 0:0. Attendance: 9,058.

HC SLOVAN Bratislava: Janus - Sersen, Starosta, Brejčák, Baranka, Štajnoch, Sigalet, Luža - Netík, Tičar, Jeglič - Bartovič, Nedorost, Vondrka - Ölvecký, Murley, Hudáček - Kudrna, Surový, Šťastný
Jokerit Helsinki: Helenius – Jaakola, Väänänen, Lajunen, Ohtamää, Gunderson, Peltola –  Aaltonen, Kapanen, Hagman – Sallinen, Wirtanen, Huhtala – Moses, Koukal, Omark – Rita, Hahl, Mäki

Slovan had the perfect start to the contest, taking the lead after just 46 seconds. Defenceman Jaakola lost the puck on the Slovan blue line, Jeglič overpowered him and finished a solo break with a successful dummy - 1:0. Jokerit could have equalised in the 4th minute -  Rita shot from the right circle, and Moses put in the stick, but the puck hit the bar. Still the more active of the sides, Slovan added a second on 7 minutes, again thanks to a defensive error. Netík got the puck in the Jokerit zone and played to the unmarked Tičar, who made no mistake from close up - 2:0. The visitors did have another decent chance a couple of minutes later, when Janus blocked Lajunen's shot, and twice had to cover the rebound. The Slovan goalie was on form, and kept his clean sheet intact even through 90 seconds of five-on-three, which saw Jokerit close Slovan down into their own zone and create a number of scoring chances; in the 12th minute, he was again aided by the bar after Koukal's effort. Slovan then played a powerplay of their own, but no signifcant chances fell to either team for the rest of the period.

There was no lack of chances in the second period, however. Jokerit had a powerplay in the 24th minute, and needed just 13 seconds to make it count. Gunderson smashed the puck from the blue line, and his powerful shot beat Janus - 2:1. Slovan gave like for like, as Starosta made the most of a Slovan powerplay three minutes later - he got to a rebound in front of goal and flicked the puck over Helenius lying in the goalmouth - 3:1. Another three minutes, and the scoreline changed again. This time Slovan could count themselves unlucky. Mäki tried one from the right side and Janus blocked it down in front of him, but it hit Sigalet's skate and rebounded into the net - 3:2. Half-way throught the contest, yet another mistake by the Finnish defence nearly cost them. Tičar and Netík got away 2-on-1, the Slovene got round the defender and passed to Netík, but the Czech winger's effort hit Helenius. In the 34th, Gunderson fired during a powerplay, but this time Janus won the head-to-head. Two minutes later, the home fans celebrated again, as Bartovič made it 4:2 after latching onto Vondrka's pass.

The entertaining duel continued in the final period. The Helsinki team tried hard to get back in touch. Wirtanen came close to achieving that in the 42nd minute, ale Janus was equal to it. Aaltonen tried his hand soon after, coming at Janus from behind the goal, but he too came away with nothing. Nedorost shot well at the other end, but the Jokerit goalie was there to make the save. The home team then concentrated on keeping up a tight defence, and allowed the visitors precious little, even defending a powerplay from the 52nd minute without problems. Towards the end, Slovan gave the fans yet more to cheer, with goals from Vondrka in the 56th and Nedorost in the final minute - 6:2

Petri Matikainen, Slovan head coach: "I'm proud of the guys. We played well in all three periods. This was one of our best games. I'm also pleased with the way we used the puck, that we didn't throw it away needlessly. It's also important that we're still in the race for the playoffs."