UK Prague, the first champion in the history of EUHL

UK Praha – Paneuropa Kings 6 : 4 (1:2, 4:1, 1:1)

UK Praha: Vokatý, (Srb)-Slavíček, Pípal, Krátký, Vošahlík, Herr, Slánský, Novák Petr, Hučko, Hložek, Novák Dominik, Macenauer, Alexa, Fuks, Baláž, Polák, Rovný, Křepelka, Monhart, Brém a Radostová.

Paneuropa KINGS : Orlík- Vojsovič, Kubic, Szabó, Marušiak, Štorcel, Kuták, Pecimut, Aschenbrier, Bobocký, Zvara, Nemec, Fabo, Hanák, Jančovič, Bolcs, Kovalčík, Slovík, Klein, Tekač a Kalina

The final game of the play off series of the European University Hockey League has taken place yesterday evening in Prague. In the tight game, the Czech team UK Prague defeated the visiting team of the Paneuropan Kings from Bratislava, Slovakia. The Czechoslovak matchup brought the first champion of the European University Hockey League.

Since the very beginning of the duel, it was clear that this game will decide the outcome of the series. Both teams played aggressiveness and tried to score as soon as possible, however the effort did not pay as neither had the accuracy to finish the drive with a goal score. The first penalty was issued in the 5^th  minute of the game, Martin Tekač from the visiting team has been sent to the bench. The firs power-play of the home team was not very efficient as they did not manage to put an play together, that would end in a shot on goal. The Kings did not keep their full numbers on the ice for long. It did not take long for another penalty and a power-play for the home team to take place. The second power-play was not successful for the home team again. In the 10^th minute the chances got more favourable for the ´Kings when Jančovič found the net and scored the first goal of the game. With the Kings taking the lead, the pressure was now on the home team to answer with a goal of their own. Prague was attacking intensively and we did not wait too long for the tying goal. In 12^th minute it was Slánsky who evened the score. The Czechs have continued to put pressure on the visiting team but failed to score. At the ending of the period the Kings have turned the momentum and took the lead only seconds before the buzzer. Score by Aschenbrier put the visiting team up by one goal going into the second period.

Both teamed started the next part of the game very aggressively and we could see some efficient scoring in the early minutes of the period. 23^Rd minute of the game brought the opening score of the second period when Křpelka hit the net and evened the score. Not a minute later it was the home team on the score again. Herr scored, and Prague have taken the lead for the first time in the game. In just a few seconds, it was Prague on the offence once more. This time however, it was the goalie of the Kings who managed to uphold his team with an unbelievable save, kept the game close. After starting an offence the Kings managed to get to a scoring position and evened the score in the 25^th minute with a nice shot by Štorcel. In the next minutes of the game, the teams were evenly matched and none of them could gain an advantage. However, the players of the home team showed a bit more quickness in the breaks, and eventually this proved to be a factor in the game, as in 32^nd minute it was Křpelka scoring again, and Prague who took the lead. The Czechs were starting to heat up and in just a few minutes the lead increased thanks to a nice score by Alexa. The score remained unchanged until the end of the period.

The last period started with an intensive offence from the home team, and the Kings had to concentrate on defending their net as much as possible. In the 47^th minute it was the Kings on a nice fast break and Jančovič decreased the deficit to one goal. The answer from the Czechs came in the 51^st minute, Hučko scored and adjusted the deficit to two goals. This score seemed to pump the Kings up, as they started to play more aggressive offence, however the home team’s goalie was a tough challenge to overcome and the visiting team could not get a shot in the net. Three minutes before the final buzzer the goalkeeper of the Kings left the net. This increased the pressure on the Czech goalie, but the effort was not enough to score. The Kings failed to deliver accurate passes and were committing too much mistakes offensively, turning the puck over several times, letting the opposing players drive towards the empty net way too often. The leading Czech team did not manage to score on the empty net, that kept the score unchanged and at the end of regulation it was Prague winning the game with the final score 6:4. Winning the previous game in the series also, the home fans could celebrate the victory of their team, as well as winning the title and the Sekeráš Trophy.

Foto: Bc. MIchaela Příhonská.