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Presov Stun Unbeaten Trencin 3-1 to Seize Baraz Summit
Presov defeated Dukla Trencin 3-1 in the Tipsport Liga baraz, climbing to the top of the promotion playoff standings.
Presov Stun Unbeaten Trencin 3-1 to Seize Baraz Summit
HC Presov ended HK Dukla Trencin's unbeaten run in the Tipsport Liga baraz with a commanding 3-1 home victory on April 7, 2026, leaping to the top of the promotion playoff standings and injecting fresh drama into the race for Extraliga promotion.
First Period: Early Blows Exchanged
The match burst into life from the opening whistle. Trencin drew first blood in just the 4th minute when Erik Ullman capitalised on a slick passing move from Descheneau and Varone to beat the Presov netminder and give the visitors an early lead.
The setback barely disrupted the hosts. Four minutes later, Presov were level. Tommy Cormier latched onto a pass from Brejcak — with Richards Bukarts also involved in the build-up — and fired past the Trencin goalkeeper to restore parity. The first period ended 1-1, with both sides trading blows in a tightly contested opening twenty minutes.
Second Period: Bukarts Tips the Balance
The decisive moment arrived in the second period. At the 23-minute mark, Richards Bukarts — who had assisted the equaliser moments earlier — stepped up as a scorer himself, converting a well-constructed passing move involving Indrasis and Macejko to give Presov a 2-1 lead. The goal rewarded the home side's increased pressure and gave them something to protect heading into the final period.
Third Period: Berlev Seals It
Trencin pushed for an equaliser but found Presov organised and dangerous on the counter-attack. Anton Berlev extinguished their hopes in the 47th minute, tucking away a goal created by Kadyrov and Valigura to make it 3-1. With 1,622 fans roaring inside the arena, Presov comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure a historic win — their first over Trencin in the current baraz campaign.
What It Means
The result reshuffles the promotion standings. Presov move to 12 points (three wins, one overtime win, one defeat), sitting one point ahead of Trencin (11 points) after five of twelve rounds. Humenne have 4 points and Skalica 3. With both frontrunners now having suffered their first defeats, every remaining head-to-head encounter carries enormous weight. The baraz format — a double round-robin with the top two advancing — ensures Presov and Trencin will meet again, making this result only the opening act of a tense promotion battle.