We almost managed to surprise them.

On Tuesday evening, our team started the EUHL 2024/25 season. We jumped straight into the deep end, hosting last year’s silver medallist Gladiators Trencin in the Győr Ice Sports Centre. It was obvious from the first moment that we didn’t go to the ice with our hands up, but the first goal came from a Slovakian stick: Duzek saw Róth’s goal in the third minute and was able to bomb it flat into the bottom right corner (0-1). For long minutes after that, the teams only managed to create chances, but halfway through the half we got a man advantage and managed to take advantage of it: Csata Sebestyén ruthlessly struck a rebound (1-1). A few minutes later he was the protagonist again, after a nice cross pass the goalkeeper and two defenders could not get back in time (see highlighted picture) (2-1). No more goals were scored until the break, so the teams could go to the break with Győr’s lead. The second period started dreamlike, Bence Dézsi got the puck and started to go towards the visitors’ goal, and one on one he didn’t make a mistake, increasing the lead to two goals (3-1). Unfortunately, we didn’t have to wait too long for a reply, 40 seconds later Skvarka could turn the puck into the goal without any problems (3-2). The Trenčín players were noticeably higher, we were repeatedly trapped in front of our own goal, which had its consequences: after a real firework Smolka found the gap to Róth (3-3). After the equaliser, the teams were only able to get into situations for 25 minutes, the next goal came halfway through the last period, unfortunately not from Győr: at the end of a brisk counter attack, Drapal was left in a clear position and made no mistake, and with this the Gladiators took the lead again after a long time. With 2 minutes to go, we called for a timeout and tried the “empty-goalie” formation, but the visitors managed to score from one of their puck possessions into our free-position goal through Koncir, thus deciding the game and setting the final score (3-5).

It didn’t take much to surprise them against a much stronger team on paper.
It was a solid first game in the higher tempo EUHL, and we can expect some exciting matches this season!

Go UNI GYŐR ETO!