Andrej Kmeč, head coach of Nitra: “Today was decided by the team’s determination. Every single guy believed in it. Especially those who played, but also those who were here with us and did not play. A disciplined, systemically good and selfless performance led us to the seventh game. All players help each other and it would not have been possible without the collective.”
Tomáš Marcinko, captain of Slovan: “We played fast and tried to move the pucks forward, but mistakes happened and they decide games like this. We will learn from it, game number seven is waiting for us, even the smallest detail will decide there, and I hope we will be ready. Today we imagined it differently, but it is a sport and it turned out like this. I believe that we will be better in the last game.”
Tomáš Královič, defender of Slovan: “We outshot them high, but we have to convert chances. They scored a goal 30 seconds before the end of the second period and that’s where it broke. We were winning 3-1, we could have ended it.”
Tomáš Surový, assistant coach of Slovan Bratislava: “We didn’t use the chances and we didn’t manage it. Nitra waited for theirs again. They played excellent hockey, which should be played on the opponent’s ice. Now they have an advantage because they will be playing at home. At least one used power play in the second period would have helped us, but we have the seventh game, where anything can still happen.”
Samuel Buček, scorer of two goals for Nitra, who missed the fifth match due to a penalty: “In the fifth game, I was shaking in the stands like a chihuahua, but I was also in the dressing room behind the guys and I’m glad that they managed it. Today it worked for me, I was hungry and it gave me such a playoff emotion that I seemed to have missed in the games before. Today I translated it into goals and I’m glad that we won. The seventh game starts from 0-0 and we’ll give it everything.”
Marko Stacha, defender of Nitra: “It was kind of a turning point where we felt we had to. We have the inner strength and we have to continue what we’ve been doing in the last two games.”
