Match Summary
Kosice defeated Ban. Bystrica 3:1. The match was played in Extraliga 2025. Goals were scored by P. Rogon 3′, S. Petras 6′, M. Liscinsky 15′, A. Kukuca 17′. League standings: Kosice #3, Ban. Bystrica #6. Score by period: P1: 1–0, P2: 2–0, P3: 0–1.
Match Context
Quarterfinal — Game 7 (best-of-seven series)
Winner-take-all Game 7 of the Tipsport liga quarterfinal playoff; Košice needed victory on home ice after recovering from 1–3 down in the series.
Pre-Match Analysis
Kosice Form
Košice entered Game 7 with serious momentum, winning three straight after falling behind 1–3 in the series. As defending champions they had the experience of playing deep playoff hockey.
Ban. Bystrica Form
Banská Bystrica had been the better team through the first four games of the series, holding a commanding 3–1 lead, but collapsed in Games 5 and 6, losing in overtime after squandering leads.
Head to Head
The two clubs have a long playoff rivalry in Slovak hockey. Košice entered as defending Tipsport liga champions. Banská Bystrica won Game 6 in OT (Turnbull deciding) to force this decider.
Injuries & Suspensions
- •Roman Faith (Banská Bystrica) – absent, one-game suspension for illegal hit
- •Dávid Šoltés (Banská Bystrica) – absent, injury
Match Report
Košice wasted no time asserting control. Just four minutes into the contest, Rogoň opened the scoring with a pinpoint shot set up by Šedivý, immediately settling the nerves of a Steel Aréna crowd of 6,998. Banská Bystrica, already short-handed by the absences of Roman Faith (suspended) and Dávid Šoltés (injured), struggled to generate any sustained pressure in the first period. The 1–0 scoreline at the first break flattered the visitors. Košice turned the screw in the second period, which proved decisive. In the 27th minute, Petráš doubled the lead, converting beautifully from passes by Mikúš and Jellúš. Nine minutes later, Liščinský made it 3–0 on assists from Ferenc and Šedivý, effectively sealing the contest before the final period. Banská Bystrica managed only a late consolation in the 58th minute, when Kukuča beat the Košice netminder to make it 3–1. Neither side converted on the power play — Košice conceded 3 penalty minutes, BB 4 — making it a clean, disciplined display by the hosts.
Turning Point
Rogoň's early 4th-minute opener was the critical moment. Scoring first in Game 7 on home ice immediately handed Košice the psychological edge and visibly unsettled a Banská Bystrica side already depleted by two absentees.
Košice's 4–3 series win is one of the great comebacks in recent Slovak playoff history — recovering from 1–3 down to win three straight, including two overtime matches, before a clinical Game 7 win. They advance to the Tipsport liga semifinals to face HC Slovan Bratislava. Banská Bystrica's exit ends a season in which the Barani raised genuine hopes before their series lead unravelled.
Match Events
Key match events between Kosice and Ban. Bystrica — 4 goals and 6 cards recorded during the match.
Slashing
Interference
S. Jellus
E. Sedivy
High sticking
Interference
Roughing
Holding
O. Myklukha
Kosice vs Ban. Bystrica Head to Head Results
Kosice and Ban. Bystrica have met 125 times — Kosice won 70, Ban. Bystrica won 55, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2008. Kosice leads the head-to-head with 70 victories from 125 meetings. A combined 645 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.16 per match (344 for the home side, 301 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 107 matches (86%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 116 games (93%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 5–6 in 2022.
70
Kosice
0
Drawn
55
Ban. Bystrica
Recent Meetings (125)
Standings
Kosice sit #3 and Ban. Bystrica are #6 in the Extraliga table heading into this match.
Tipsport liga - Regular Season
| # | GP | Won | Lost | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | 31 | 11 | 112 | |
| 54 | 26 | 13 | 102 | |
| 54 | 29 | 14 | 101 | |
| 54 | 25 | 17 | 93 | |
| 54 | 20 | 18 | 86 | |
| 54 | 23 | 22 | 83 | |
| 54 | 21 | 23 | 78 | |
| 54 | 18 | 22 | 74 | |
| 54 | 15 | 23 | 72 | |
| 54 | 19 | 24 | 72 | |
| 54 | 15 | 26 | 61 | |
12Presov | 54 | 9 | 38 | 38 |
Match Analysis AI
Košice Complete Stunning Comeback, Edge Banská Bystrica 3–1 in Game 7
HC Košice powered into the Tipsport liga semifinals with a commanding 3–1 victory over HC MONACObet Banská Bystrica at a sold-out Steel Aréna on March 30, 2026, completing one of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent Slovak playoff history.
A Fast Start Sets the Tone
With 6,998 fans roaring them on, Košice made their intentions clear immediately. Just four minutes in, Rogoň — set up smartly by Šedivý — beat the Banská Bystrica netminder to open the scoring. For a Banská Bystrica side already shorn of Roman Faith (serving a one-game suspension for an illegal hit) and Dávid Šoltés (sidelined by injury), conceding so early in a winner-take-all match was a damaging blow.
The hosts dominated possession and territory through the opening twenty minutes, with the visitors struggling to string passes together under relentless pressure. At 1–0 after the first period, Košice had full control.
The Second Period Decides It
The second stanza proved decisive. In the 27th minute, Petráš swept home a lovely combination play, receiving passes from Mikúš and Jellúš to make it 2–0 and functionally settle the tie. Košice continued to press, and in the 36th minute Liščinský — on assists from Ferenc and Šedivý — buried the third to put the game well beyond Banská Bystrica's reach.
The visitors had no answer. Depleted and psychologically scarred by their failure to close out a 3–1 series lead in three successive matches, Banská Bystrica could not rediscover the form that had seen them dominate the early rounds of the series.
A Late Consolation, but the Job Was Done
Banská Bystrica managed their only goal in the 58th minute, Kukuča finally beating the Košice keeper to make it 3–1, but it was nothing more than a consolation. Neither side converted on the power play — Košice conceded three minutes, Banská Bystrica four — as both teams played a largely disciplined contest decided entirely at even strength.
The final buzzer confirmed a 3–1 Košice win and a 4–3 series victory.
What It Means
Košice's turnaround from 1–3 down to series winners is among the finest playoff escapes in the Tipsport liga's recent history. The defending champions looked all but eliminated before rallying with three straight wins, including two overtime victories, to force and then dominate a decisive Game 7.
Banská Bystrica — the Barani — exit a campaign in which they showed genuine quality but could not hold their nerve when the title was within their grasp. Roman Faith's suspension and Dávid Šoltés' injury robbed them of depth at the worst possible moment.
Košice now face HC Slovan Bratislava in the Tipsport liga semifinals, with the defending champions carrying fresh momentum and growing belief that another title run is within reach.
Player Ratings
Liščinský (Košice)
Scored the crucial third goal at 36 minutes to put the game out of reach, adding another key contribution in a series where Košice's depth players consistently stepped up.
Petráš (Košice)
Doubled the lead in the 27th minute with a well-taken goal assisted by Mikúš and Jellúš. One of several reliable performers across the back half of this marathon series.
Rogoň (Košice)
Opened the scoring inside four minutes, setting the tone for a dominant Košice performance that never allowed Banská Bystrica to settle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Košice vs Banská Bystrica on March 30, 2026?
HC Košice defeated HC MONACObet Banská Bystrica 3–1 at Steel Aréna in Game 7 of the Tipsport liga quarterfinals.
Who scored for Košice against Banská Bystrica in Game 7?
Rogoň (4', assist: Šedivý), Petráš (27', assists: Mikúš, Jellúš), and Liščinský (36', assists: Ferenc, Šedivý) scored for Košice. Kukuča scored the consolation for Banská Bystrica in the 58th minute.
Did Košice come from behind to win the series?
Yes. Košice trailed 1–3 in games before winning three consecutive matches, including two overtime victories, to claim the series 4–3 and advance to the semifinals.
Who did Košice face in the Tipsport liga semifinals?
After eliminating Banská Bystrica, Košice faced HC Slovan Bratislava in the next round of the 2025–26 Tipsport liga playoffs.
What was the attendance at Game 7?
6,998 fans attended the decisive match at Steel Aréna in Košice.
API data: 18 Apr 2026