They won the game of the season! Alpha is living the playoff dream; Alek Ivan orchestrated the win but is keeping the euphoria in check

In RAHL2 the fight for the last playoff berth is really heating up, and the game between Alpha Hockey Team and Trnava Beast only confirmed it. Alpha won the key game 4:2, and one of the central figures was Alek Ivan, who contributed a goal and two assists. In the interview he talks about what decided the “game of the season,” how they prepared for it, what the win means to them in the fight for the playoffs and whom he would like to see in the next phase.

1. One goal and two assists in the game against Trnava Beast. How would you rate your performance?

Alek: “I went into the game with the goal of helping the team as much as possible in the fight for the playoffs. I felt good, I was confident and I had a good feeling about the game from the start. Of course, individual stats are nice, but the guys deserve a lot of the credit – they created space for me, we read each other well and, thanks to teamwork, I was getting chances.”

2. An important 4:2 win for your team. How would you rate your team's performance?

Alek: “We put in a very responsible team performance. Everybody did his job, we played with discipline and stuck to the game plan. The fact that I managed to get on the scoresheet is the result of the whole team's work. We went into the game with a clear goal – to win and keep our playoff chance alive – and we managed to do that.”

3. The game against Trnava Beast could also be called the “game of the season.” The last playoff berth was on the line. How did you prepare?

Alek: “The preparation was intense. Before the game we went over the things we need to improve and stressed the details that can decide a game. We knew that Trnava is a strong opponent and that these games are always demanding both physically and mentally. All the more reason for us to focus on concentration and discipline for the full 40 minutes.”

4. In the playoffs you may run into Hockey For All or Uličníci. Which opponent would you prefer, and why?

Alek: “Honestly, we haven't discussed it as a team yet. Every opponent in the playoffs will be a quality one. Personally, though, I'd like to play against HFA, since my teammates from White Sharks Bratislava – Teo Kintler and Tomáš Šimek – play there too. It would be a special game for me.”

5. After an important win, the mood in the locker room must have been good. Did the team manager arrange anything special?

Alek: “The atmosphere was great, but we're keeping our feet on the ground. We had our team chant and a few motivational words from the manager. We still have the last game of the regular season ahead of us, so there will be time for celebrating only after that. Right now we're focused on the next goal.”

Alpha showed exactly what wins games like these. Discipline, responsibility and a clear plan. Alek doesn't present it as a one-man show. On the contrary, he repeats that the points came from teamwork and chemistry. Now it's simple: no heads in the clouds, one more step in the regular season and then the playoffs, where there will be no easy opponent. Whether it turns out to be Hockey For All or Uličníci in the playoffs, with this win Alpha is sending a clear signal that it can handle the pressure when everything is on the line.