BRATISLAVA, Sept. 13 -- After seven seasons in the prestigious Euro-Asian Kontinental Hockey League, Slovan Bratislava failed to secure funding for another and was forced to return to Tipsport Liga, Slovakia's premier hockey league.

In a fast-paced, defense-oriented clash of two 8-time champions residing on opposite ends of the country, Bratislava defeated their arch-rivals Kosice 2-1 in the first round and celebrated a triumphant return.

The season newcomers from Michalovce dominated their first Tipsport Liga game ever. The home team laid the foundations for their crushing 5-1 defeat of Liptovsky Mikulas in the second period, scoring three goals in succession.

Trencin managed to rally after being down by one in the second period and scored twice in the final period to triumph in Detva 2-1.

Banska Bystrica followed a similar path in Poprad. Luka Paukovcek put the home team 2-1 ahead in the second period but the visitors scored twice in the final outing to tip the scales of victory to their side 3-2.

Miskolc, one of the two Hungarian teams playing in the Slovak Tipsport Liga since last year, started off with a victory. Janos Vas assisted on the first goal of the home team and scored the winning goal in the final period to push his team over the top, 2-1.

Budapest, the other Hungarian team in the league, was close to winning in Nitra after Chris Langkow's two goals secured a 2-1 lead, but the home team turned the table in the final period and triumphed 3-2.

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