The U-19 youth championship for this season is over. In the finals, we watched the classic eternal derby between the team of Jesenice and our Olimpija. These were also the best teams of this year’s state championship, so the conclusion was just right.

In addition, all 5 matches were played in the finals, so there was no shortage of hockey. Our players were better already in the regular part of the championship, so they had the advantage of the home field in the playoffs.

In the first match, our players justified the role of favorites. They stepped into it resolutely. In terms of shots on goal, ours were significantly better (36:14 throughout the match). But the result was still fairly even. Ours took the lead for the first time in the 10th minute after the goal Jakob Pečnik. The visitors then equalized in the second third, but it did Matic Perčič in the game with a player more in the 36th minute took our lead again. In the 46th minute he then Jakob Pečnik scored another goal and ours were able to escape a two-goal advantage. And 3: 1 in the end also proved to be the end result. Ours calmly and reliably took the lead with 1: 0 in victories.

But the second match was not so "one-way". She was much more even. Otherwise, our first ones took the lead here as well. He scored in the 19th minute Žiga mehla. But just before the end of the first third, they equalized the home result. Possibly straight this hit gave the home wing for further attacks. In the second third, the home team took the lead with 2: 1, but towards the end of the third they scored a goal in a game with a player less on the ice and the 3: 1 advantage before the last third was quite large. Jakob Pečnik then reduced the result to 3: 2 in the middle of the last third. Our team pressed on the home goal, and in the end, of course, they played without a goalkeeper. And there was no reversal. With a goal in the empty net, the home team set the final score 4: 2, which meant a draw in the victories to 1: 1.

A new match in Tivoli followed. Here, however, we first saw probably the blackest third of our Dragons in the entire final. The guests collected only 8 shots on goal in this third period, but that was enough for 4 goals. Nothing helped either, that our coach changed in the middle of the first third, otherwise very good Port of Kolin. Also Lan Kavčič he could not stop the raids of the guests. The encounters stopped only with the first break. Our team then slowly started to put together their game from the second third onwards. In the second third we first saw the first goal of ours. He hit Žiga mehla and this goal somehow finally relieved ours, that they started to play the way they know how. It is still in the same third Žiga scored again and the result 4:2 was still within reach before the last period. Our team continued their attacking game and it paid off in the middle of the last third. First, he reduced it to 4:3 Gal Friday, in the 53rd minute he is at 4: 4, with his third goal. equalized Žiga mehla. Ours had all the threads of the game in their hands, but of course we know very well that the guests can also be dangerous. And that's what happened. There was concern in the stands when, at the 58 minute mark, 5 minutes into the match. The guests were more to blame and so our team got the advantage in the game with more players. It was an ideal opportunity for our team to score the fifth goal and thus stage a complete turnaround, but the matter turned out completely differently. The guests stole the tile from our attackers and slipped in a counterattack. Our defender stopped the visiting striker and it seemed that nothing would come of it and that our team would be able to go back to the attack. But they were a little careless. The puck came back in front of our door, where the most collected guest striker was who scored and Tivoli was stunned. The guests took the lead with 4: 2. There was no time and energy for a new goal and the guests took the lead with 1: XNUMX in victories.

This was followed by the fourth match in Jesenice, which our team of course had to win. Ours gathered and repeated the game from the first match. They were significantly more at the shot. The shot ratio was 39:20 in our favor. But as many times, the result in such matches remained the same and any mistake could turn the match in one direction or another. The home team was the first to score in the first third. Blaž Stipanič however, he equalized with a powerful and accurate shot from close range in the 30th minute. The scales started to tip over to our side only in the last third. First, he took our lead with a new goal Blaž Stipanič, but the home side equalized in the 46th minute. Tense minutes followed. Ours were more at the plate and were more dangerous, but the outcome remained the same. Every home goal in those final minutes could mean the final victory and the end of the series. But fortunately, in the end, ours were more efficient. In the last minute, he was the most skilful in the crowd in front of the home goal Ian Petronijevic Lepsa and with the result of the match 3: 2, the series in the playoffs was tied at 2: 2.

The last decisive match in Tivoli followed. During the entire final series, we also recorded a fairly large number of viewers. Already in Jesenice, the last match was watched by more than 300 spectators. there were already more than 500 of them at the last match in Tivoli. A good atmosphere for the decisive match of the championship. This atmosphere, however, helped our team to show that real face in the decisive match. In fact, it soon turned out that the victory would stay at home. Already in the first third he scored for 1: 0 Mauro Zupanič. In the second third, however, we saw the final breakdown of the visiting defense. He increased it to 2: 0 first Even Žibert. The guests then reduced the result to 2: 1, but Tevž scored again soon after. He was the scorer for 4: 1 Nick Sechen, and then increased it to 5: 1 Martin Črepinšek. They then hit the guests before the end of the third. Maybe someone thought that this goal for 5: 2 in the last seconds of the second third could give the guests wings for a turnaround in the last third, but it was not so. In the last third, our team held the game in their hands reliably and calmly. The guests tried to attack, but it was not enough. During the entire last third, our guests were allowed only 9 shots on goal, which of course could not be enough for a new goal, let alone a turnaround. The match ended with the victory of our 5: 2 and the total victory in the series 3.2.

Our juniors won the title of national champions.

 

 

Written by: Vladimir Ban

 

You can watch the video of the 1st match at this link.

You can watch the video of the 2st match at this link.

You can watch the video of the 3st match at this link.

You can watch the video of the 4st match at this link.

You can watch the video of the 5st match at this link.

You can see the statistics from the 1st match at this link.

You can see the statistics from the 2st match at this link.

You can see the statistics from the 3st match at this link.

You can see the statistics from the 4st match at this link.

You can see the statistics from the 5st match at this link.