BRATISLAVA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tipos Extraliga newcomer HK Spisska Nova Ves put an end to its six-game losing streak in the 36th round of the Slovak ice hockey premiership, outscoring bottom-ranked MHK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas 4-1 on Tuesday.
On the ice of the struggling Liptovsky Mikulas which only won nine games this season, the visitor's forward Andreas Strauch scored twice to enable his team to move up to the top half of the standings. The league's best-ranked goalie Marcel Melichercik was close to his third shutout of the season, saving 36 shots on goal.
HC Grotto Presov opened scoring against HC Slovan Bratislava late in the first period, but the league leader answered with three straight goals in the second before cruising to a 6-2 triumph. Presov's Russian goalie Nikita Bespalov was fined off after smashing his stick in frustration after conceding the sixth goal.
Defending champion Penultimate HC Nove Zamky was close to a solid result against the second-ranked HKM Zvolen, tying 3-3 in the 52nd minute but struck in the penultimate minute when Zvolen sealed the 4-3 victory through American Peter Krieger. His countryman Nick Saracino had a solid night as well, scoring twice for Zvolen and enabling his team to stay within five points from Slovan in the standings.
Elsewhere, HK Nitra took home a 6-4 victory over HK Poprad as its top scorer Samuel Bucek scored twice to continue on top of the league's scoring sheet with 21 goals. Third-ranked HK Dukla Ingema Michalovce was upset by tenth-placed HC '05 Banska Bystrica, and HK Dukla Trencin wasted a first-half advantage to lose to HC Kosice 4-3. ■
