yesterday 12:30 p.m
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More tickets have already been sold for the derby between Slovan Bratislava and HC Košice as part of the Kaufland Winter Games 2023 than the capacity of the largest hockey stand in Slovakia. The organizers are already enjoying a record attendance the day before the start of the event.
PHOTO: SEE HOW THE BRICK FIELD LOOKS BEFORE THE 2023 WINTER GAMES >>
Before Sunday’s Tipos extraliga duel, hockey players from Trenčín and Zvolen and Třinac and Kometa Brno, “Old boys” Slovan and Sparta will also compete on the Tehelno polí, and young hockey players will also try their hand at an open-air match.
“I dreamed that this dream would come true for me and I am extremely happy that we are facing the opening of a weekend that no one had even imagined until now. It will be a celebration of hockey and the celebration of Slovan’s centenary. Such a club deserves it and so do the people, who suffered for two years during the pandemic. I would like as many of them as possible to come and come to the football stadium for the hockey game. We would also like to give a chance to young children, because during the pandemic they stayed with computers and chocolates. We want to give them back the joy and smile on your face” said event organizer Marián Bezák.
On Friday, January 13, Třinec and Kometa Brno will face each other, while both teams have several Slovak players in their squad. The next day is a duel between Dukla Trenčín and Zvolen, which also played in the only “Winter Classic” in Slovakia to date. It took place in 2019 at Štiavničky in Banská Bystrica, and the guests then defeated Banská Bystrica 3:2.
The event culminates in the Sunday match between Slovan and Košice. For the home team, the Winter Games are also a celebration of the club’s centenary, which took place only in a limited mode due to covid. “I hope that this celebration will be reflected in the high participation of the spectators and the increase in the popularity of our extra league,” stated the owner of the Bratislava club and member of the Executive Committee of the Slovak Ice Hockey Association (SZĽH) Rudolf Hrubý.
All three meetings are scheduled for 18.30 and will be part of league competitions. In addition to the main duels, the organizers also prepared a rich accompanying program with several concerts and also involved young hockey players in the project, who will play three duels in the open air in the afternoon.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL ALSO PLAY
On Thursday, January 12, at 11:30 a.m., as part of the 29th round of the Kaufland youth extraleague, the HC Slovan Bratislava and HOBA Bratislava teams met, on Friday, January 13, at 12:00 p.m., a preparatory meeting for the junior competition between HC Slovan Bratislava and HK Ružinov will take place 99 Bratislava and on Saturday, January 14 at 11:00 a.m. a competitive meeting of the junior extra league between HC Slovan Bratislava and HK Dukla Trenčín. Admission to all meetings is free with a limited auditorium capacity without ticket sales.
“We thank you for this opportunity, because it will be an experience that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. From the point of view of youth hockey, we have experienced two very difficult years. That is why I take this as a beacon for the future and I believe that we will be able to attract more young people to hockey,” said the chairman of the SZĽH youth commission Lukáš Pék.
THE WEATHER SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM
Warm weather slightly complicated preparations for the organizers, but they believe that the event will take place without problems even if it rains. “I want to thank the entire Czech hockey team for accepting the invitation to this celebration and for their willingness, because it was not easy. Třinec and Kometa had to switch games to be able to present themselves here. I also want to thank Košice, Trenčín and Zvolen. We all joined together for hockey and we want to build something here. This is the first year, but not the last,” added Bezak.
The chairman of the Bratislava self-governing region, Juraj Droba, and the mayor of the capital, Matúš Vallo, took over the patronage of the event. The ambassador is the legend of Slovan Václav Nedomanský, who will throw the opening balls of Sunday’s derby. “When Marián Bezák came to me with this idea sometime in September, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I don’t think there will be any other event in Slovakia that would surpass it so soon. Dramaturgically, it is very well thought out and I have my fingers crossed that it will be successful.” said Droba.
