Nové Zámky traveled south to take on the top team in the league in Dunaújváros. The visitors took an early lead on an Erik Caládi goal. Former Csíkszereda forward Lubomir Hurtaj put the biscuit past Jan Chovan to even things up at 1-1. Hurtaj scored his second of the game on a power play goal, Erik Weissmann scored the last goal of a high scoring first period that finished up 2-2.
After offsetting penalties Henrich Jabornik scored on a 4-4 to give the home side the lead as the teams started the third period. The last period of hockey was all Nové Zámky as they scored two unanswered goals to grab three hard earned points on the road. Pavel Kowalczyk's PPG and Weissmann's second of the game gave the visitors the win.
"Scoring one goal is not enough to win in this league," said János Ancsin after the match. He was right. After playing the defending champions, regardless of how many goals they scored, it would be a hard game. After playing the day before DAB decided to go with their number three goalie, the young Latvian Janis Kalnins. DAB played strong and physical all game and scored early when Zsolt Azari put the puck past Márk Hajek. The visitors doubled their lead in the last second of the period when Balázs Ladányi score with a screened shot.
The start of the second period looked as if UTE was able to stick with the much older and experienced DAB, the visitors struck to make it 3-0 on a Balázs Somogyi goal.
At the start of the third period UTE was able to get a goal back when Ádám Pichler slipped the puck past Kalnins. All hope was crushed when 1:41 minutes later Somogyi scored his second, just for good measure Nikandrosz Galanisz had a beauty from just inside the right faceoff circle. Roscoe Sweeney and David Coleman both said after the game that it is a great group of guys to play with but sometimes its hard when you basicly have a team of kids going up against professional men.
The Slovak side traveled to Transylvania in hope of keeping pace with league leaders DAB. Szabolcs Szőcs opened up the scoring for the home team when he scored 11 minutes into the first period. An Albin Podstavek goal 47 seconds later evened everything back up at one. The rest of the period stayed tied up as well as into the second period until Ede Mihály put the home side back up again with Levente Péter scoring an unassisted goal to up Csíkeszereda by 2 goals. Nové Zámky put two pucks past Gellért Ruczuj in a 36 second span when Erik Caládi and Andrej Sucharda both scored to tie the match up late in regulation, with the second one coming on a powerplay.
Neither team was able to score in OT, Tamás Biró was able to Jan Chovan to give the home team the shootout win.
The Steel Bulls were looking stay on top of the table heading into the weekend and if possible open a bit of a lead on the rest of the league. DAB had the only goal of the first period when Imre Peterdi was able to beat Patrik Polc for the goal. The second period was where all the action was with five of the goals happening in a ten minute span. Kevin Wehrs pulled the teams even at one with Peterdi's second goal of the game being on the PP which was sandwiched between an even strength goal by Attila Pavuk and Viktor Papp. Evgeni Pysarenko scored with six seconds left in the period. The score stayed the same until the end when Nikandrosz Galanisz and the home team scored on a two man advantage.
The Purple and White took another crack at beating their rivals on the road. FTC had an even strength and a PP goal in the first period, the former coming off the tape of Dusán Sijka with the latter being scored by Zoltán Pál.
The second period went much like the first with István Mestyán registering the only score of the period on a man advantage.
Mikael Potila's goal early in the third period looked to have put the game out of reach for the visitors, but Újpest was able to fight their way back. Ádám Pichler dangled the puck past FTC keeper Michal Meravy on a penalty shot and Ádám Fekti pulled the team within two on a shorthanded goal, with Pichler getting the helper. Artyom Vaszjunyin put the nail in the coffin with an empty netter.
The silver lining for UTE in the loss was that they scored one more and let in one less than the last time they visited FTC.
The Polar Bears played hosts to the Wolves in their first match with their "new-old" coach. Péter Mayer was back behind the bench again after replacing Travis Young during the week.
It looks like the coaching move paid off with Miskolc scoring the first two goals of the match. Jordan Knox had the only score of the first period with Adrián Tóth scoring on the PP halfway through the game. Former Miskolc player Martin Saluga scored the only goal for the visitors. In an effort to tie up the match Brasov pulled their keeper but Knox had his second of the night to set the final score.
Sunday afternoon brought the match of the two top teams going head to head. DAB looked to keep the Slovak side at arms length in the standings were as Nové Zámky looked to close the gap.
After a scoreless first period Erik Weissmann scored eight seconds into the 2nd period with Marek Dubec getting the assist and breaking the ice in the scoreless match. Albin Podstavek setup Erik Caládi for the second Nové Zámky score. Balázs Ladányi was able to get one back for Dunaújváros but that was all that they could muster as NZ put two more in the back of the cage with both Ondrej Stefanka and Marek Dubec both scoring and getting the much needed three points against the league leaders.
The struggles of the season for Újpest continued but there was still a silver lining in the result.
Ervin Moldován scored early in the second period, but Újpest who has been very disciplined all season in not taking needless penalties spent an unusual amount of time in the box with Bence Zalavári getting 2+10 at the 54.55 mark of the game. Instead of the team being able to pull the goalie and be able to salvage some points Zsombor Molnár scored to give the visitors the 2-0 win.
League Leaders
Points: 22, Josh Bonar and Balázs Ladányi
Goals: 9, Balázs Ladányi
Assits: 14, Josh Bonar
Szabolcs Závodszky
@Zavodszky
Photo: Oliver Ban