The Slovenian hockey team defeated Ukraine 5:4 (2:1, 1:2, 2:1) in the second match of the preparatory tournament in Budapest.
* Tüskecsarnok Hall, judges: Korbuly, Mach (main), Kovacs, Kövesi.
* Scorers: 1:0 Urukalo (Mehle, Povše, 4th), 1:1 Zaharov (Korenčuk, 5th), 2:1 Kapel (Tomaževič, 8th), 3:1 Török (Čosić, Macuh, 29th) , 3:2 Traht (Mazur, Peresunko, 29th), 3:3 Peresunko (Vorona, Merežko, 34th), 4:3 Kapel (Mašič, Urukalo, 47th), 4:4 Borodaj (Ružnikov, 49th) , 5:4 Čosić (Judge, Tomaževič, 59).
* Penalty minutes: Slovenia 6, Ukraine 6 minutes.
After the Slovenians started the friendly tournament in November with a close defeat with 0:1 against Italy, they achieved their first victory today. But this time too, the outcome was tight, and Jan Čosić scored the final 5:4 in the 59th minute of the match.
This year, Slovenia is participating in the tournament in Budapest with a rejuvenated line-up, as tournaments in this season already traditionally help the selectors to get to know the players and future members of the member’s selected team. This rule is even more emphasized this year, since Edo Terglav, as a newcomer to the selectors’ bench, has only the first opportunity to get to know his players.
Luka Kolin was between the goals today, after the first game on the ice was “worked out” by the second goalkeeper in Budapest, Žan Us.
The Slovenians won the first period, after a quick start and a leading goal by Žiga Urukal in the fourth minute and a Ukrainian reduction less than a minute later, Rok Kapel took the lead in the eighth minute. The continuation was initially even better for Terglav’s team, as Matic Török took advantage of the player advantage in the second period for 3:1, but then the Ukrainians needed less than a minute to reduce the score again. Later, they took advantage of the “power play”, Slovenia had three consecutive penalties, the last of which tied the game at 3:3.
But the Slovenians had an agreement again in the last third. Rok Kapel took care of the new leadership, but again it did not last long. Then, a minute and a half before the end, Čosić scored to make it 5:4, and the Slovenian rivals, even though they also pulled Eduard Zaharčenko from the goal, were unable to nullify this advantage. Kolin didn’t hesitate anymore, and the Slovenians, who fired 44 shots at the opponents’ goal, finally achieved a narrow victory.
Terglav invited, in addition to goalkeepers Usa and Kolin, defenders Aljoša Crnović, Kristjan Čepon, Čosić, Nejco Stojan, Binet Mašič, Niko Širovnik and Žigo Urukal to Budapest for the first action as a selector, as well as forwards Martin Bohinac, Žan Jezovšek, Erik Svetina, Marcel Mahkovac , Roka Kapla, Žigo Mehlet, Juret Povšet, Niko Simšič, Jako Sodjo, Jako Šturma, Roko Macuha, Luka Mavra, Blaž Tomaževiča, Matic Török and Miho Zajc.
Slovenia will play against the Hungarians in Budapest on Saturday at 17:00.
