In the picture from the left Marek Tvrdoň (Nitra) and Alex Breton (Slovan) Source: TASR / Jakub Kotian BRATISLAVA / NITRA – For the first time in the history of the highest Slovak hockey competition, Slovan Bratislava players against Nitra will compete in the final series. “Belasí” will try to win the record ninth extra-league title, which would make them stand out from HC Košice in the number of championships. The Nitra, who will not be the favorite in the series, would like to turn their fifth final participation into a second title. The Slavs entered the playoffs of 2022 as the winner of the basic part. Thanks to that, both previous series started on the domestic ice and they also had it available in the decisive seventh semifinal match against Košice. It will also be against Nitra, which took 3rd place in the basic part. On the way to the final, the Slavs managed smoothly in the quarterfinals with Prešov, which they defeated 4-0 in matches, but then they struggled with Košice. In the series of two clubs that celebrate the centenary in the year 2021/2022, the home team always won, and since this was also true in the decisive match on the Bratislava ice, Slovan advanced to the finals. Tomáš Zigo scored in the extension of the seventh duel. For Slovan, this will be the 11th final participation and the first after returning from the KHL. In the final series for the Slovak title, he competed for the last time in the 2011/2012 season, in which he defeated Košice 4: 3 in matches with Libor Hudáček’s golden goal in overtime for the deciding duel. The club then headed to the KHL, from which it returned in 2019. The first season after returning to the Slovak extra league was prematurely terminated due to the pandemic, in the second Slovan failed in the semifinals at the later champion Zvolen. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Nitra (4: 1 in matches), and it was only the second confrontation of these clubs in the history of the playoffs. Nitra has also completed a seven-match series in this year’s elimination round. It happened already in the quarterfinals, when in the position of the favorite they struggled with Poprad, which was in 6th place after the basic part. They followed the 4: 3 victory in the matches in the subsequent semifinal, in which they defeated the defending champion Zvolen 4: 2. Mutual matches brought goal shootouts For the Nitra club, this will be the fifth final participation, while he converted only one of the four so far – in 2016. His previous final series from 2019 ended in victory for Banská Bystrica, which then completed the golden hat-trick. The two confrontations between Slovan and Nitra in the playoffs so far have brought two “white” procedures, who lost only 9 of their 9 matches – last year 2: 8 in the 4th match on the Nitra ice. Head-to-head matches in the basic part of 2021/2022 brought goal shootouts, which sounded better for Slovan. He won 5 of 6 matches, surpassed Nitra 15: 3 in points and scored 31:19.
Head-to-head matches in the current season from the point of view of Slovan: 8: 5 (v), 3: 4, 4: 0 (v), 5: 3, 7: 5 (v), 4: 2Slovan Bratislava – Nitra in the playoffs:
2020/2021, quarterfinal: Slovan 4: 1 on matches
2009/2010, semifinal: Slovan 4: 0 on matchesComplete program of the final series:
1st match, Friday 22 April: Slovan Bratislava – Nitra /18.30/
2nd match, Saturday 23 April: Slovan Bratislava – Nitra /18.30/
3rd match, Tuesday, April 26: Nitra – Slovan Bratislava /18.30/
4th match, Wednesday 27 April: Nitra – Slovan Bratislava /18.30/
eventual 5th match, Friday, April 29: Slovan Bratislava – Nitra /18.30/
possible 6th match, Sunday 1 May: Nitra – Slovan Bratislava /18.30/
possible 7th match, Tuesday, May 3: Slovan Bratislava – Nitra /18.30/ Author: © Zoznam Facebook / Tipos Extraliga Source: TASR