After splinting the first two games in the MOL League semi finals game three would be crucial since no team wants to be one game away from elimination.
In the early afternoon game in Miskolc the home team jumped out to a 1-0 after the puck got to Matt Boyle just inside the blueline on the left hand side and took a soft shot that somehow made it through Jan Chovan. Later in the period Marek Dubec pick up a pass from Ondrej Stefanka at center ice and immediately passed it on to Erik Weissmann who skated in and fired a shot nearside right past Dávid Gyenes for the tieing goal.
After a scoreless but penalty filled second period in which neither team could score a power play goal the deadlock was broken 2:51 into the third period with Nové Zámky pinned in their own third of the ice Albin Podstavek tried to make a cross ice pass that Dezső Roczanov intercepted in the slot and put it into the cage. WIth just under ten minutes left in the game Pavel Pavesic made it 2-2 Vladimir Kames took a slapshot from the top of the right faceoff circle that Gyenes was able to deflect out where Pavesic was waiting on the left faceoff dot and fired into the back of the net.
The game remained tied through the end of regulation, in overtime a Nové Zámky shot from Andrej Sucharda from inside the blueline and inline with the goal, it was like watching a video game, the center won the faceoff to the left defenseman who passed it to the right D-man, who fired a blistering shot past the goalie, Michal Siska and Stefanka were credited with the assists.
After the game Miskolc team captain Tyler Metcalfe had this to say “We generated lots of quality chances but just couldn't finish, particularly on the powerplay. I think we had more chances than Nové Zamky but the scoreboard didn't end in our favour. All we can do is try and bring the same effort again tomorrow and not dwell on tonights result.”
In the other locker room they were happy but were already focusing on the next game.
“It was tough playoff game and we're happy to have won it, tomorrow is another game and we'll fight to finish series,” said forward Peter Polcik. “Miskolc had plenty of chances but our goalie was man on the right spot, we’re focusing on tomorrows game.”
Across the border in Romania an upset was brewing as Brasov hoped to go up 2-1 on home ice.
DAB scored first in the early part of the first period when Nikandrosz Galanisz made a pass from behind the net to Zsolt Azari who was skating in and flipped the goal past Patrik Polc. DAB doubled their lead when Imre Peterdi threw a shot on net down low on the goal line that some how trickled through Polc for the goal.
7:09 into the second period Tamás Gröschl made it 3-0 and it looked like DAB just about had the win in their pockets. However, being on the PP Brasov finally got on the scoreboard: Levente Zsók skated down the right wing towards the goal and put a pass pack in front of the net that Roberto Gliga converted to make it 3-1.
The action really picked up in the third period as first Zsók took advantage of Peter Sevela being screened and not seeing anything and Martin Saluga was able to tie the game up at 3-3 with some fancy stick work at 51:46. Just as it looked like the game was going to go to overtime Saluga scored again to make it 4-3 for Brasov. However, DAB was not going to just roll over, with their keeper pulled for the extra attacker Henrich Jabornik took a shot from the blue line that went through the traffic and into the net and sending the game into overtime.
In OT Brasov was able to pull off the upset as Ivan Dornic fired a long slap shot that was redirected off a DAB skate right in front of the goal and it went in for the game winner and the 2-1 series lead.
“We had bad start but in third period we took control of the game,” said Brasov defenseman Juha Hietämaki. “I think we are stronger as a team but DAB have better individuals players, tomorrow will be very hard fight.”
MOL League semi finals, game 3
Miskolc-Nové Zámky 2-3 OT (Nové Zámky leads series 2-1)
Brasov-DAB 5-4 OT (Brasov leads series 2-1)
Words: Szabolcs Závodszky @Zavodszky
Photo: László Mudra