BRATISLAVA, April 17 -- For the third year in a row, Banska Bystrica hockey club claimed the league title in Slovak premiership Tipsport Liga on Tuesday.
Players from the central region of the country beat their arch-rivals from Nitra 6-2 in game 5 of the finals, ending the series at 4-1. Banska Bystrica are only the second team in the league's history to complete a triple title feat.
The squad of the Canadian-born coach Dan Ceman dominated in the power plays of game 5, capitalizing on three in the first period, five in total. Nitra hockey club, plagued with many injuries in the playoffs, managed to tie the game at 1-1, but after that, it was the home team that took over and developed a decisive 4-1 lead.
The league title automatically qualifies Banska Bystrica to play in the next year's edition of the European Ice Hockey Champions League.