Olimpija Ljubljana defeated Celje 5-1 in an ICE Hockey League match on Wednesday. The game turned in the second period, when Olimpija overcame an early deficit to take control.
Celje had won the first league meeting 1-0 and opened strongly, with Kristaps Skrastinš scoring in the 13th minute after a counterattack. Olimpija equalized in the 36th minute through Marcel Mahkovec, assisted by Aljoša Crnović and Zach Boychuk, and took the lead two minutes later when defender Rožle Bohinc found the net. The decisive moment came in the 41st minute, as Bine Mašič and Nathanael Halbert scored within 23 seconds to extend the lead to 4-1. Josh Lawrence added a fifth in the 57th minute, with Nicolai Meyer and Quince Cooper providing the assists.
Olimpija’s coach, Ben Cooper, said the team improved as the game progressed. “We did not start well. The hosts had the initiative and more chances, including some power plays. We got better throughout the match. Once we took the lead, everything became much easier,” Cooper said. He noted the difficulty of the away fixture, adding that Vorarlberg, despite a winless streak, remained a tough opponent.
The match was part of the 16th round of the ICE Hockey League. Olimpija next hosts Vienna on Friday before traveling to Milan on Sunday, followed by a national team break.
