Article
Nitra Strikes First in the Slovak Final With a Four-Goal Third Period
HK Nitra opened the Tipsport Liga 2025/26 final with a 6-2 home win over HC Slovan Bratislava, taking a 1-0 series lead after a four-goal third period.
Nitra Strikes First in the Slovak Final With a Four-Goal Third Period
HK Nitra opened the Tipsport Liga 2025/26 final at home with a 6-2 win over HC Slovan Bratislava, taking a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven. After two evenly traded periods, the hosts scored four times in the final twenty minutes to put the game and the series opener away.
HK Nitra – HC Slovan Bratislava 6-2 (1-1, 1-1, 4-0)
Goals: 17 Passolt (Lawrence, Osburn), 21 Lacka (Čederle, Vitaloš), 42 Hrnka (PP), 49 Lacka (Čederle, Okolicány), 50 Turanský (Chrenko, Graham), 51 Jackson (Buček, Paulovič, PP) – 16 O'Connor (Pecararo, Královič), 30 Takáč (Varga).
Goalies: Patrikainen – Janus (replaced by Andrisík at 51:00). Penalties: 5-8 minors plus Kováč & Královič 5+GM each. Power plays: 2-0, shorthanded: 0-0. Attendance: 3,600 (sold out).
/series: 1-0/
O'Connor strikes, Passolt answers
Slovan, the regular-season runner-up, came in looking to steal an opener. Ryan O'Connor finished a tic-tac with Pecararo and Královič at 16:00 for 1-0. The lead lasted barely a minute: Jaroslav Passolt, with Lawrence and Osburn assisting, equalized at 17:00.
Trading goals in the middle
Jakub Lacka extended for 2-1 at 21:00 with Čederle and Vitaloš helpers. Samuel Takáč pulled Slovan even at 30:00 from Varga's setup. The teams went to the second intermission tied 2-2 with the series wide open.
Four in nine: Nitra's third period
The decisive stretch arrived in the final period. Tomáš Hrnka cashed a power play at 42:00 for 3-2, Lacka struck again at 49:00 (Čederle, Okolicány), Artur Turanský made it 5-2 at 50:00 (Chrenko, Graham) and Robby Jackson rounded out the scoring at 51:00 on the power play (Buček, Paulovič). Slovan switched goalies after the fifth goal, but the contest was over.
What it means
Nitra confirmed favorite status and showed offensive depth that Slovan must contain to keep the series competitive. The visitors' five minor penalties — including 5+game-misconducts to Kováč and Královič — gave Nitra power-play looks they buried. Game 2 looms in less than 24 hours.