He fooled himself and the goalie! Two-goal Hronec entertains in his interview, but Petržalka shows no mercy in the playoffs

HK Petržalka entered the RAHL1 playoff quarterfinals exactly the way it should. With a 5:2 win over Uličníci and a 1:0 lead in the series. The main face of the game was Marek Hronec, who scored two goals. After the game he talked about what was behind the rocket start, about the team's performance and about what awaits HK Petržalka in the return game.

1. Two goals in one game. How would you describe your performance?

Marek: “1. Two goals are always nice, especially when they come in one game. But I don't want to lick up all the cream myself, because on both goals my teammates did textbook work. On the first one I did step on the gas, but the key moment happened even before that. Šulo passed me the puck in the defensive zone with a dose of trust I hadn't felt in a long time, and right then I told myself I'd pay him back with an assist. Then, on my rare trip into the offensive zone, Kubo Valovič blocked out an opponent perfectly in the neutral zone, which opened my path to the net. I let go one of my honest shots along the ice, and in the end the opponent helped me a little too by redirecting the puck into his own net. The second goal came on the power play. In front of the net Pišta Pillár boxed out a player perfectly and cleared a good chunk of space there, and through that tangle of bodies Kubo Valovič fed me a pass that even the legendary Patrik Hubek, who was running our bench, wouldn't be ashamed of. So I got the puck in front of an absolutely wide-open net and, luckily for me, I hit it in a very unconvincing way, which fooled both me and Orol in goal, and the puck ended up in the net. Orol did what he could, but this one was almost impossible to stop. I reminded him of our time together in Trnava, where I used to score goals like this on him regularly in practice. So yes, the goals make me happy, but I take them as the result of a well-tuned team mentality.”

2. A fairly comfortable 5:2 win over Uličníci. How would you rate your team's performance?

Marek: “I think that as a group we managed this game with a very sensible approach. We scored three quick goals, which helped us a lot, and then we tried to control the game and not let the opponent build any real pressure. We moved very well, we pressured the opponent's defensemen actively and tried not to give them room to start their breakout. A fast skating style is something we've long been known for, and in this game we clearly outskated the opponent. At the same time, we were able to cash in on our chances, which often decides games like this. And in net we could again rely on a responsible performance from our Marek. I also rate the discipline positively. We managed not to get into needless conflicts with the referees and to keep our emotions under control. As captain for this game, I was the one who mainly took care of that, since I'm known for not saying much in the locker room, so we covered that aspect superbly too.”

3. ⁠You flew into the game like rockets; by the fifth minute you were already up 3:0. Did you prepare for this game in any special way?

Marek: “We prepare very responsibly for every game. Before every game Matúš hands out valuable information that helps us understand the opponent better and get ready for their game. We try to read the opponent's tactics and prepare for whatever they might try to do to us. We know Uličníci very well, we've already played a number of exhibition and league games against them, so we know what to expect from them. Those three quick goals? That was a combination of a good approach, team discipline, a slight dose of luck and some of what we've practiced. This year our new pro player, Patle, is also contributing to the team tactics, so it has to show in our performances right away. When everything fits together, the result often comes very quickly.”

4. ⁠You lead the quarterfinal series 1:0. Do you already have your tactics worked out for the return game?

Marek: “We'll have to step it up even more for the return game. Above all, we want to stick to our tactics and responsible play, not get caught up ice, cover our men and stay disciplined. Beyond that, we want to do something extra, something the opponent doesn't expect and that can catch them off guard. But I assume the opponent won't want to leave anything to chance either and will come flying into the game hard. I also assume that Šulo, who didn't play in the first game, will be in the lineup for Uličníci this time. Since the days when we played together at Slovan, it seems to me he hasn't lost his rhythm at all, he keeps himself in good shape and he's a very dangerous player, so we'll have to watch him extra closely. But we're prepared for that, so I believe that if everything goes according to plan, we'll be in a good position after the second game too.”

5. ⁠Do you also have something special ready for your teammates in the locker room for winning the Player of the Week vote?

Marek: “I don't think this is the time to celebrate individual achievements, now that we're in the playoffs. I don't want to break the team aura, so I'd rather not bring anything. As usual, I'll sit down quietly in the corner, listen to Jochen's mixtapes and wait for the game to start.”

Petržalka has a clear advantage after the first quarterfinal game, but according to Marek Hronec it is only the beginning, and in the second game they will have to go even harder and with more discipline. Even though he put up points, he repeatedly stressed teamwork, details and a responsible approach. Exactly what decides things in the playoffs. The second game will show whether HK Petržalka can keep up the pace and build an even firmer position in the series.