A comeback in grand style

RAHL 1 opened its new season with a big game right away. In a rematch of last year’s final, hot title contenders HK Petržalka and Wild Thing Karaoke faced each other. While it was the Wild Thing Karaoke players who celebrated the last title, this time it was Petržalka who enjoyed a 6:3 win to open the season. The main figure of the game was Ľubomír Patlevič, a fresh addition to HK Petržalka, who managed to shoot down the opponent with a hat trick and add two assists on top of it. Interestingly, although he played in the first round last year, that game was later forfeited because the rules on the required break from pro hockey had not been met. Now, however, nothing stood in the way of Patle showing what he has in him, and he immediately grabbed the Player of the Round award.

1. The game against Wild Thing Karaoke was a rematch of last year’s final. Could you feel more intensity and rivalry right from the start?

Ľubomír: “Well, I knew it was last year’s final, since I was on the Petržalka bench back then too, and I knew it would be a bit of a replay. I was hoping we’d win at least this first game, since Karaoke won the whole league last year. And it worked out for us and we’ve got a great start to the season.”

2. You personally had a fantastic game, 3 goals and 2 assists. What went most according to plan for you in this game?

Ľubomír: “Well, maybe it looks like I had a good game because of the 3+2, but that’s not how it was. Honestly, I felt really bad in the game, I was struggling, since it was my 4th game in a week. So I’d sum it up by saying I wasn’t happy with myself at all.”

3. You played on a line with Matúš Baran and Jozef Krafčák. How did you like playing with them?

Ľubomír: “Somehow we clicked and we pretty much find each other blind, and I hope it keeps going like that for us all season.”

4. What are your individual and team goals this season?

Ľubomír: “Individually, I’d be glad to be somewhere in the top spots, but that’ll be hard since there are a number of outstanding players in the league, so we’ll see what the season brings. And the team goal is definitely first or second place in the regular season and then step by step all the way to the title, and the individual stats will come along with that.”

5. If you had to single out one of your teammates for this game, who impressed you most and why?

Ľubomír: “Jozef Krafčák (a goalie playing as a skater)😂 keeps surprising me. I like how he moves and how he battles, and above all, when I have the puck, because he skates, I can always find him and pass it to him in open space.”

In his first official RAHL1 game, Patle thus showed that he will be one of the leaders of HK Petržalka and probably of the whole league. In the game he displayed offensive instincts and a feel for the game that went a long way toward an important win. Last season’s best goaltender, Tomás Pék, felt it too, allowing more than 4 goals in a single game for the first time in his RAHL1 career. For his performance Patle takes home the Player of the Round award, and with it a voucher from Wild Thing worth €20 and a service package from LMTAuto.sk, who will take professional care of his car. Petržalka got the season off on the right foot, and Patle made it clear they are a team to be reckoned with.