Nitra Reach Third Straight Tipsport Liga Final — Graham Brace Sinks Poprad

HK Nitra defeated HK Poprad 4-2 on Saturday in Game 5 of the Tipsport Liga 2025/26 semifinal and advanced to a third consecutive final. The Foxes wrapped up the best-of-seven series 4-1 and eliminated Poprad in the playoffs for the fifth season in a row.

HK Nitra – HK Poprad 4-2 (1-1, 2-1, 1-0)

Goals: 12' Turanský (Chrenko, Jackson), 27' Graham (Passolt, Jackson), 27' Lacka (Čederle, Okoličány), 58' Graham (empty net) — 8' Šotek (Török, Bodák), 22' Naus (Malina).

Penalties: 3-3 minor; plus Nemčík (Poprad) 5+GM for an illegal hit to the head. Attendance: 3,600.

/Series: 4-1, Nitra advance to the final/

Šotek strikes first, Turanský answers

Poprad got the early lead, with Alex Šotek finishing off feeds from Török and Bodák in the 8th minute. The home crowd quickly found its voice again four minutes later when Artur Turanský finished a clean give-and-go from Chrenko and Jackson to make it 1-1. The Foxes also killed off a critical penalty after Martin Nemčík was assessed five minutes plus a game misconduct for a head-check.

Two goals in one minute decide the second period

Aurel Naus put {{awayTeam}} ahead again in the 22nd minute on a setup from Malina. The lead lasted only five minutes. In the 27th, Jesse Graham equalised after pretty work by Passolt and Jackson, and on what felt like the same shift Jakub Lacka stuffed a Čederle pass past goaltender Stano to make it 3-2. {{homeTeam}} carried the lead into the second intermission and never trailed again.

Graham's empty-netter clinches the final

Nitra played a textbook one-goal-lead third period and limited Poprad to perimeter chances. With his net pulled, Marek Svatoš's side could not generate the equaliser, and Graham finished his second of the night into the empty cage in the 58th minute for the 4-2 final.

Hrnka: "Nitra is now an elite club"

Assistant coach Ivan Švarný credited the team's resilience: "I think that was the turning point. Everyone was discussing it, and it brought us together. Then in Poprad, trailing 0-2, we equalised and won in a shootout. It was a mix of factors. The series was not entirely one-sided in individual games. The 4-1 result pleases us, but anyone watching saw Poprad had excellent moments and gave us trouble — we managed it."

Captain Tomáš Hrnka added: "It is incredible when you put it like this. Nitra has become a top club in the league."

What it means

{{homeTeam}} reach a seventh final in ten seasons and a third straight. Their opponent will be the winner of the second semifinal between HC Slovan Bratislava and HC Košice, where Slovan led 3-1 entering Game 5. For {{awayTeam}}, the season ends with the same outcome as it has the past four — a playoff exit at the hands of Nitra.