UTE-Nové Zámky 2-3
Two teams met up that are found literally on opposite sides of the table but could be moving in opposite directions as well. Nové Zámky has been in a bit of a slump where as UTE has been playing their best hockey of the season but just can't get a break.
After a scoreless first period UTE opened up the scoring in the game as Ádám Pichler's shot found the back of the cage. At the midway point of the game David Coleman took a loose puck on the penalty kill, skated the length of the ice on a break and slipped the puck past Jan Chavon for the 2-0 lead.
"Pichler blocked a shot on the penalty kill and the puck bounced past the defenseman," said Coleman. "I picked up the puck and took on the breakaway, faked one way and went through his legs."
UTE held the Slovakian club at bay until the 36:34 mark when Peter Polcik took a pass from Martin Frolik from behind the net scored to ended the shutout for József Pleszkán.
"I jumped in front of the net I made some room with my body for second and received a pass from behind the net," said Polcik. "I shot a one timer to the opposite corner."
After getting an assist on the first goal Frolik scored himself to tie the game up 1:40 into the third period, with 90 seconds left in the game Erik Weissmann was called for hooking, UTE had a chance to score the winning goal on a penalty shot but Chavon made the save. Twenty seconds later Erik Caladi scored the winning goal for Nové Zámky.
Coleman said after the game "I think we had a great 1st Period. Then let up in the 2nd and had a bit better of a 3rd, but the game could've gone either way. With 90 secs to go we had a penalty shot when the game was 2-2. We hit post, then they came and scored in the last minute. It was a tough loss."
Polcik said about the game "Újpest was skating very good and we had no time for our combination plays. They were all five playing defensively very good and close to their net, so it was very hard to score. We had some good chances, but the Újpest goalie was in top shape. We are happy for 3 points., but our plays wasn't that good as it could be."
FTC-Miskolc 3-2 SO
A short staffed Miskolc traveled to Budapest to take on the hottest team in the league, FTC. Jordan Knox had to sit out the game because of a suspension, Tyler Metcalfe is dealing with a broken arm.
At 11:14 into the first period Balázs Láda gave the visiting team the lead, at 16:18 Jere Ölander was called for cross checking that he was not to happy about. When the dust had settled Ölander hit the showers early with 2+10+20. Antti Ojanen scored at the midway point to even things up at 1-1 but with six seconds left in the period there was a scramble in front of Fradi net and Juraj Faith slipped the puck past Kristián Budai for the goal.
At the beginning of the third period Ojanen's second goal tied the game at 2-2, with no more goals being scored in the rest of regulation and in overtime the game went to a shoot out.
With Budai saving Faith's attempt and Ojanen beating Dávid Gyenes Fradi was up 1-0, in the second round both Juraj Durco and Mikael Potila scored. Vladimir Dubek had to score on his shot, but Budai made the save and giving FTC the two points for the shootout win.
"We played hard, smarter in the 3rd period, played great over all, it was a great game," said Tamás Dobos after the game. Miskolc coach Bob Dever said "we played a good game for being on the road, we were up by one goal after each of the first two periods, the shootout is like flipping a coin, its luck."
DAB-Nové Zámky 1-2 OT
The league leader travelled south to expand on their lead.
The match turned out to be a defensive struggle, after a scoreless first period it took 8:23 of the second period for the first goal to be scored, from the stick of Erik Caladi. With twelve seconds left in the period Balázs Somogyi tied it up for the home side.
After a scoreless third period the game went to overtime when the world championship winning Marek Uram took a pass from Martin Frolik and beat Peter Sevela for the game winner.
Brasov-Csíkszereda 2-4
Brasov looked to get back at Csíkszereda after they lost the last Transylvanian derby.
After a scoreless first period it looked like things were the same from the last time they played as the visiting team scored the first goal of the game on a Ervin Moldován power play goal at 32:38. Brasov got one back when Kevin Wehrs scored on a two man advantage to make it 1-1.
In an action packed third period Brasov scored first thanks to a Csanád Virág power play goal. The home team could not hold onto the one goal lead as Csíkszereda managed to score three unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes. Vaclav Novak and Attila Bíró scored even strength goals and Moldován his second of the game on the power play in the last 10 minutes of play.
"The game was tight, we had better chances to score but we still have the same problem what we have had for a long time, we don't score when we get chances," said Juhamatti Hietamäki after the game. "Csikszereda played simple and tried to play more of a physical game and rush the net."
Csíkszereda-DAB 2-1
There were some changes in the DAB.Docler squad before the match, Lubomir Hurtaj and Ádám Z. Hegyi's contracts have been terminated by the club.
Tamás Gröschl set up Attila Pavuk for the early opening goal in the game. Csíkszereda was not able to tie up the 38:09 minute of the game when Ervin Moldován scored an even strength goal. Halfway through the third period Jozef Hruby scored from a pass from Vaclav Novak for the winning goal.
"We played a very hard game," said DAB coach Stephan Lundh. "We had a lot of shots on goal, about 45 and we only scored one goal. We played hard at the back but we made some small mistakes, we should have scored on the 4 on 3 advantage."
Brasov-FTC 4-7
The hottest team in the MOL League travelled to Transylvania to grab ahold of second place in the league.
The first period was all Ferencváros as Mikael Potila set up István Mestyán for the opening goal 77 seconds into the game. Later in the first period Jere Ölander scored an unassisted goal to make it 2-0. The second period started much like the first as Potila assisted on an early goal, this time is was Csanád Fodor scoring against the team he played for last season.
Brasov managed to score their first goal of the game just past the midway point as the defenseman Kevin Wehrs and Evgenii Pysarenko combined for the goal with the former putting the puck past Michal Meravy to make it 3-1. Half a minute later after assisting on two goals Potila scored an unassisted goal for himself. Brasov looked to always still be mentally in the locker room as for the third period in a row FTC scored in the first two minutes as Fodor scored his second one of the game, Fradi went up 6-1 as Gergely Borbás setup Dávid Horváth for the goal.
Greg Lindqvist decided to switch keepers and sent Rajmond Fülöp in for Patrik Polc. In a five minute span Brasov scored three goal to get back into the game! Levente Zsók set up Pysarenko for a goal who then assisted on Josh Bonar's goal, who then set up Martin Saluga to make it 6-4 with 2:10 left in the game.
Brasov pulled the goal for the extra attacker but Ákos Berta found the empty net with one second left. Coach Lindqvist's comments after the game could be summed up as that they let down their fans with the way they played.
League Leaders
Points: 35, Josh Bonar
Goals: 18, Antti Ojanen
Assists: Ákos Berta
Szabolcs Závodszky
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