Sapa Fehérvár AV19 is halwfay to the Hungarian MME Super Cup after winning the first leg 3-2 at Dab.Docler. The 2nd leg is on Wednesday.
Fehérvár’s Attila Németh’s statement just about sums it up “I was expecting a lot easier of a game.”
For the first time since 2008 the Hungarian ice Hockey Federation organized a Super Cup with the 2014 instalment being a two game affair. In 2014 like in 2008 Dunaújváros took on Fehérvár. With the Cup being played with the MOL League restrictions this forced the visiting team to scratch two regular players. Marty Raymond, Fehérvár’s head coach, looked as if he decided to rest his teams two star players, leading scorer and former NHL player Frank Banham as well as Stanley Cup champion Ric Jackman.
The first period started with a high intensity with both DAB’s Peter Sevela and Fehérvár’s own goalie Zoltán Hetényi making great saves but the visitors struck first as Bryan McGregor took a pass from Bálint Magosi and lifted it over Sevela’s shoulder from between the left faceoff circle and the goal line. In the goalies defence he was screened and did not see anything from the shot.
Still early in the period DAB.Docler nicely killed a penalty but Viktor Papp was called for interference that Stephan Lundh did not really agree with, unfortunately for Lundh Fehérvár scored their second of the period. Viktor Tokaji had a breakout pass to Árpád Mihály who made a pass to the Bálint Magosi as he streaked into the slot, Sevela made the save but Mihály was there to put the rebound in from the doorstep.
Sixty Two seconds later the young buck Attila Németh made a heads up play to make it 3-0, Andrew Sarauer picked up the loose puck behind the DAB.Docler net and made a backhand pass to the side of the crease where Németh reacted faster than Sevela and the soft shot squirted through the keeper’s pads for the goal. Towards the end of the period Tokaji was called for slashing but DAB could not take advantage.
It looked that the second period would not have the same amount of action as the first period, half through the period Benjámin Nemes was posted up in front of the goal and took a shot off the ear and had to leave the game, at the time it wasn't clear how serious his injury was.
At 34:32 Ákos Kiss skated down the left side and put a pass in front of Dávid Szappanos who skated onto the puck and beat Hetényi glove side.
With just under five minutes left in the period and Fehérvár attacking Sevela somehow got spun around and looking the other way and leaving the back side of the goal wide open with Csaba Kovács seemingly having the the entire goal to pick his spot, but by the time the shot got off Sevela reached back and with a tennis like swing made a no look save standing up!
With under a minute left in the period Andy Contois picked up the puck from Gellért Hruby who skated down the right wing, cut in, slowed down for the on coming Attila Pavuk who one timed the puck into the open half of the cage to make it a one goal game as the teams went into the locker rooms.
The start of the third was delayed because of the ice not wanting to freeze behind the DAB net. In the early part of the period Fehérvár was called for having too many men on the ice and off course Marty Raymond was not happy, Mihály made his opinion felt as he argued as he skated to the box but the home team could not capitalize on it.
At 46:25 Zsolt Azari’s face got to meet Attila Orbán’s elbow for which Orbán received 2+10, Orbán kept on jawing after he was already in the bin. A Gröschl tripping penalty canceled out the power play.
In the end DAB had the man advantage and they pulled their keeper but unfortunately they could not score.
“At the beginning of the game we missed some opportunities, against a team of this caliber you can not do,” said Ákos Kiss after the game
Both teams will be at it again on Wednesday the 12th at 20:00 in Székesfehérvár. With a win or a draw Fehérvár could win their third straight Super Cup. DAB needs to win to force an overtime to have a chance at the Cup.
MME Super Cup, 1st leg
Dab.Docler-Sapa Fehérvár AV19 2-3 (0-3, 2-0, 0-0)
Words: Szabolcs Závodszky @Zavodszky
Photo: László Mudra