After losing their first three games, HC05 Banská Bystrica were able to reward their home fans with a win, 4-3 over Red Bull Salzburg.

The Slovakian champs were highly motivated to get a strong start and scored just 1:06 in when Martin Belluš deflected Dalibor Bortňák’s slapper. Salzburg evened the scored shorthanded in the 12th minute when Robert Raymond’s left-handed wrister from the right wing found the far top corner.

Banská Bystrica got goals from Matej Češík at even strength and Cason Hohmann on the  power play in the second period to go up 3-1, and then seemed to have victory in hand with another power play goal by Alex Tamasi early in the third, but the Red Bulls weren’t done.

The visitors from Salzburg started pushing hard. Matthias Trattnig had a great chance but Jan Lukáš robbed him, but the Slovak goalie had no chance on Alexander Aleardi’s armour-piercing slapper with 13:15 to go. When Michael Schiechl potted a rebound with 5:45 to go, the home fans became anxious, but a Bortňák empty-netter with 1:05 to go relieved the pressure.

The loss gives Salzburg the task of needing to take at least 5 of 6 points in their two remaining Group A games, which are home and away against Grizzlys Wolfsburg, in order to advance.