Ice Punkers got a welcome package from Ruček

RAHL 3 opened the new season, and right in the first round we witnessed a dominant performance that deserves a lot of attention. Jozef Rucek of the Rockets team decided the game against newcomer Ice Punkers practically on his own. The numbers don’t lie: Jozef recorded a hat trick and added one assist on top of it. The 6:0 result speaks for itself, but the play of Rucek himself speaks even louder, and with this performance he earned the title of Player of the Round. How did he see the game, what did he do over the summer and what are the team’s ambitions? Find out in our interview.

1. Three goals and an assist against the competition’s newcomer, Ice Punkers. It looked as if you had the game completely under control. How did you feel on the ice?

Yes, we had the game under control, but only once it started to show that the opponent had considerably fewer players than we did; until then they were a capable opponent. There were 14 of us and I think eight of them altogether, and that was bound to show. I felt good considering I’d been on the ice maybe twice since the end of last season. 😄

1. How did you prepare for the season over the summer?

I didn’t prepare for the season in any special way. Over the summer I took a break from hockey and spent my time on other hobbies like cycling, the gym or mountaineering. I spent almost a month in the mountains in the Alps, so that was my summer training. 😄

1. Last year you came into the league during the transfer window. How did you end up on the team, and who invited you? Did you know about our league before that?

It was Andrej Štefko and Miro Wieger who invited me to the Rockets team. Last year I started going to pickup games with them, and after a while they asked whether I’d want to play in the league with them as well. I knew there was some amateur league being played in Bratislava, but I didn’t know the details, e.g. that there are three levels.

1. Could you tell that Ice Punkers are a league newcomer? How would you sum up the opening game?

That’s a hard question to answer, since the opponent was short on players and couldn’t fully show what they have in them. But I think that, given the circumstances, they put in a likable performance.

1. What are the Rockets’ goals this season? Do you set yourself any individual goals before the season as well?

Well, the Rockets’ goals are first of all to advance to the playoffs from the best position possible, and then we’ll see. Personally, I want to contribute with the best game I can, maximum attendance and commitment💪.

Even though he spent his summer training off the ice, in the mountains and on a bike, Jozef Rucek showed that hockey is still in his blood. His performance against Ice Punkers was not just about the numbers, but also about dominance on the ice and the right timing. The Rockets thus got the season off on the right foot, and with a player who can be the difference-maker. As a reward for his performance he gets a €20 voucher from WILD THING and a voucher from partner LMTAuto.sk, who will take professional care of his car.

Congratulations to Jozef on the Player of the Round award, and we look forward to more performances in a Rockets jersey!