Ružinov Amateur Hockey League 1

The new RAHL1 season is underway, and goals were flying in at both ends right in the first round. Wild Thing Karaoke routed Mad Vipers 6:0, Uličníci and HK Petržalka also got off to winning starts — and the most goals came in a thrilling 7:7 tie between Ducks and Wild Hogs.

The top amateur competition starts on Saturday, 5 September at 8:30. Nine teams, 18 rounds and, right from the start, one question: can anyone stop a Petržalka side that is on a roll?

While in the first game they really struggled against the opponent's goaltender, in the second they unleashed an offensive hurricane. HK Petržalka blew out Mad Vipers 7:2 and strides confidently into the RAHL1 final. The fantastic team performance bore the clearest signature of Patrik Hubek (2+3), who conducted the play and fed his wingers with perfect passes. In the interview he reveals the tactical changes that led to seven goals, assesses the surprise of the playoffs, team Wild Hogs, and explains why, in the locker room of the most frequent finalist, absolute calm and determination reign this time instead of stress.

The first point of the RAHL1 semifinals is in the bag! After an excellent team performance, HK Petržalka beat Mad Vipers 3:1, with two-goal scorer Štefan Pilár having the main say. In the postgame interview he made it clear that individual stats take a back seat in the elimination stage and that only the win matters. Find out how the Petržalka players respond to the opponent's excellent goaltender and with what clear tactics they will skate onto the ice in the return game.

Playoff mode is fully activated. HK Petržalka entered the quarterfinals exactly as a favorite should – by the fifth minute the scoreboard already read 3:0, and Uličníci were unable to recover from the shock. The main driving force in the 5:2 win was two-goal scorer Marek Hronec. In the postgame interview, with a smile but with strict analysis, he breaks down not only the quick start but also the importance of team discipline and video preparation. Read what he thinks will decide the return game and whom they will have to watch extra closely.

The biggest surprise of the elimination stage so far has arrived. MAD Vipers shocked reigning champion Wild Thing Karaoke, swept the series 2:0 in games and, after a comeback in the second game (3:1), are headed for the semifinals. The cornerstone of the success was phenomenal goaltender Martin Šimášek, who rightly became Player of the Week. In the interview he describes the sweet feeling of eliminating the favorite, praises his teammates' sacrifice and hints at what Vipers will bring against the dominant regular-season winner from Petržalka.

Five points, a hat trick and a clear 7:1 win. Alexander Ftáčnik had his day against Mad Vipers, but he is not turning the success into a one-man show. In the interview he raised a smile by comparing his partnership with Nikolas Ketner to NHL stars (in a "slightly" slowed-down version) and revealed that honest “Ružinov pickup games” are also behind his form. Read why he thinks 3rd place in the standings is deserved and whom he named as the savior of the game.

A goal fest in RAHL1 produced not only 11 goals but also a new Player of the Week. In a crucial game against Mad Vipers, Vladimír Lantoš went 2+2 and kept Neanderthals theoretically alive in the race for the top eight. In a candid interview, however, the former professional doesn’t just assess the 6:5 win – he takes a critical look back at his suspension from the start of the season and frankly admits whether his team even deserves the playoffs this year.