BRATISLAVA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- HK Nitra squandered a 3-goal lead and lost to HC Kosice 5-3 in the Slovak ice hockey premier league on Friday, slipping from top to third after the second defeat in a row.
After the first period, things were looking good for HK Nitra, leading 3-0 against HC Kosice. But the visitors cut the deficit to two in the second period and then unleashed a barrage of four goals in the last to turn the game around.
In the nation's capital, Slovan Bratislava was having a hard time breaking the visitors from Trencin, going into the third period with a small 2-1 lead but then unleashed its full potential and with a storm of four goals in a row put the game away.
In the south of the country, HC Nove Zamky was intent on breaking the spell and snapping its four-game losing streak, but the biggest surprise of the season HK Dukla Michalovce was out of reach with a 5-3 win.
Last season's champions HKM Zvolen remain tied with fourth-ranked Kosice at 22 points after outscoring HK Spisska Nova Ves 4-3.
After struggling at the bottom of the standings for a while, HC Grotto Presov is climbing up, now at ninth place after winning its third game in a row. The newcomer edged out HC '05 Banska Bystrica 2-1. Enditem