Victory in Sold Out SLOVNAFT Arena!

Despite being the holiday period, with hot summer weather, the fans made the game a sell-out, with a perfect atmosphere for Slovan’s first home game in five months.

HC SLOVAN Bratislava – Spartak Moscow (Rus.) 2:0 (0:0, 0:0, 2:0) & 1:0 in additional penalty shots.

Goals: 4. Kukumberg (Michel Miklík), 57. Bližňák (Bartovič, Netík), attendance: 10 055 (sold out), refferees: Baluška, Kubuš, Kacej

Lineups:

HC Slovan Bratislava: Janus (Kopřiva) – Sersen, Škoula, Sigalet, Mojžíš, Mihálik, Štajnoch, Brejčák, Ďatelinka – Bartovič, Bližňák, Netík – Vondrka, Ölvecký, Miklík – Kudrna, Kukumberg, Hudáček – T. Mikúš, Šťastný, Mráz

Spartak Moscow: Glass (Ivanov) – Megalinsy, Bodrov, Sergeev, Zheldakov, Quint, Ryazantsev, Kulik, Mamkin – Volkov, Nikulin, Nesterov – Kozlov, Yunkov, Nikontsev – Špirko, Ignashin, Krutov – Chernykh, Bobrov, Medvedev – Voronin, Sorokin

Janus took his place in goal for Slovan, replacing the Czech Kopřiva between the posts, who played in the 2:1 victory over Sparta Prague last Thursday. It was Janus who was called into action to deal with the first dangerous moment, saving Krutov’s shot in the 8^th minute. Slovan created their first chance in the 14^th minute, a three-on-one ending with Miklík firing straight at Spartak goaltender Glass. Janus kept Slovan on level terms in the first period, making saves from Bobrov, Špirko and Krutov.

Čada’s charges played better in the second period, outshooting the visitors 11:6. In the 27^th minute Šťastný tested netminder Glass with an excellent shot, followed by Mráz, whose effort shaved the left post. Then six minutes before the end of the period, Vondrka forced the Spartak goalie to scramble away his awkward shot.

Slovan started the third period with a real onslaught. The 41^st minute saw Vondrka set Hudáček up, his shot producing an outstanding save from Glass. The sold-out SLOVNAFT Arena finally got their long-awaited goal in the 44^th minute, and it came while Slovan were shorthanded. Miklík seized on a loose puck to get away from the Spartak defense and feed teammate Kukumberg, who proceeded to slot the puck home – 1:0. The goal helped liven up the home team, and Hudáček gave Glass work to do 9 minutes later. But the decisive goal came in the 57^th minute, scored by Mário Bližňák, who made the most of a precise pass from Milan Bartovič – 2:0. At the end of the game, both trainers agreed to have penalty shots, with Slovan once again finishing on top, thanks to the superb Janus and a single goal from Milan Bartovič.

Slovan thus registered their second win on the trot in the warm-up stages, played in a great atmospehere in front of a full SLOVNAFT Arena. The crowd rewarded the players with thunderous applause and a rendition of “Vstaňte keď ste belasí.” (“Stand up if you’re a sky blue.”)

Slovan play again at home next Thursday, August 8^th at 17.00, when they take on another Russian team, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.