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Nitra Force Game 7 — Buček Brace Sinks Slovan in Bratislava

HK Nitra defeated HC Slovan Bratislava 5-2 in Game 6 of the Tipsport Liga Final to tie the series 3-3, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 in Nitra on April 30.

2026-04-30T16:30:00+00:00
6. zápas finále play-off: HC Slovan Bratislava - HK Nitra 2:5 (1:1, 0:1, 1:3)

Nitra Force Game 7 — Buček Brace Sinks Slovan in Bratislava

HK Nitra spoiled HC Slovan Bratislava's title celebrations with a clinical 5-2 victory in Game 6 of the Tipsport Liga Final, evening the best-of-seven series 3-3 and forcing a decisive Game 7 in Nitra on April 30.

HC Slovan Bratislava 2, HK Nitra 5 — 1-1, 0-1, 1-3 Slovan: Marcinko (Bakoš, Varga) 2:00 PPG; Dmowski (Maier, Turan) 52:00. Nitra: Čederle (Krištof, Osburn) 6:00 PPG; Buček (Čederle, Lacka) 39:00; Vitaloš (Turanský) 45:00; Buček (Lacka, Čederle) 57:00; Passolt 60:00 EN. Goalies: — / Ferguson (45 saves on 47). Penalties: 3-5 (2-min); PP: 1-1. Attendance: 10,055 (sold out). Series tied 3-3.

Marcinko Strikes First, Čederle Replies

Slovan came out as expected — confident, fast, with a sold-out arena ready to crown a champion. Captain Tomáš Marcinko cashed in a power-play feed from Bakoš and Varga at 2:00, and the home crowd was off its feet.

Nitra answered four minutes later. Stuart Čederle finished a power-play setup of his own from Krištof and Osburn at 6:00 to draw level. Both teams went to the room tied 1-1.

Buček Tilts the Second Period

The second period was Nitra's most controlled stretch of the night. Pressure behind the Slovan net created chance after chance and Samuel Buček finally broke through at 39:00, taking a feed from Čederle and Lacka to put {{awayTeam}} ahead 2-1 — a goal that turned the room.

Third Period Decides It

Vitaloš struck early in the third (45:00) from a Turanský setup, and Slovan trailed 1-3. Robert Dmowski (Maier, Turan) gave the home side life at 52:00 with a 2-3 strike, but Buček shut the door at 57:00 — Lacka and Čederle assisting again. Passolt's empty-netter at 60:00 closed the scoring.

Goalie Dylan Ferguson, the consensus series MVP through six games, stopped 45 of Slovan's 47 shots to seal the win.

What It Means

Slovan led the series 3-2 and were one win from the title at home. Now they travel to Nitra needing to reverse momentum that has clearly swung — Nitra has won the last two games and looks the more dangerous team five-on-five and on special teams. Game 7 on April 30 is the only one left.

Frequently Asked Questions

?What was the final score of HC Slovan Bratislava vs HK Nitra Game 6?
HK Nitra defeated HC Slovan Bratislava 5-2 (1-1, 0-1, 1-3) in Game 6 of the Tipsport Liga 2025/26 Final.
?What is the series score after Game 6?
The series is tied 3-3. The Tipsport Liga champion will be decided in Game 7 in Nitra on April 30, 2026.
?Who scored for HK Nitra?
Stuart Čederle (6:00, PPG), Samuel Buček (39:00, 57:00), Marek Vitaloš (45:00) and Jaroslav Passolt (60:00, empty net).
?Who scored for HC Slovan Bratislava?
Tomáš Marcinko at 2:00 on the power play (Bakoš, Varga) and Robert Dmowski at 52:00 (Maier, Turan).
?Who was the player of the game?
Goaltender Dylan Ferguson stopped 45 of 47 shots and Samuel Buček added two goals — together they denied Slovan the title in front of a sold-out Bratislava crowd.
?When is the deciding Game 7?
Game 7 is on Thursday, April 30, 2026 in Nitra. The winner takes the 2025/26 Slovak championship.