BRATISLAVA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- HK Nitra will face Banska Bystrica in the finals after beating HKM Zbolen 4-1 in the deciding seventh match of the playoff semifinals.
Despite a roster decimated by injuries, the team led by the Czech-born coach Antonin Stavjana registered a great start, scoring the first goal of the match in the first minute by Kerbashian. Nitra also managed to finish the period strong by putting another puck behind the home goalie Skapsi three minutes before the first buzzer.
The home team of HKM Zvolen failed to capitalize on their chances and after a goal-less second period pooled all of its resources into the offense. But it was the visiting team that had the last word with Scheidl scoring late in the game and Bucek adding an empty netter to seal the victory.
In the finals, Nitra will face their greatest rivals in the league, the defending champions Banska Bystrica who are going for the three-peat this season. The two teams have met in the final battle for the Dusan Pasek Trophy twice already - in the seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, each of them winning one of these encounters.
