HC Bloemendaal showed their experience to snatch a late equaliser and then go on to win a shoot-out to deny Pinoké a first leg advantage in the Dutch men’s final playoff series.

They looked to be heading to defeat until Arthur van Doren struck from an off-kilter penalty corner move in the last minute to earn a 3-3 draw.

Maurits Visser then produced a perfect shoot-out series in goal while Jorrit Croon, Thierry Brinkman and Florian Fuchs all scored for a 3-0 success.

Played in front of a full house at Pinoké, Bloemendaal had taken an early lead from Brinkman from a narrow angle.

They were behind on the half-hour, though, when corner gun Alexander Hendrickx fired in the equaliser and Niklas Wellen finished off an excellent team move, Marlon Landbrug with the final assist, to make it 2-1.

Tim Swaen fired in for 2-2 but Hendrickx gave the navy-blues a 3-2 lead which they held until that final minute before Bloemendaal snatched the result out of the fire.

The sides will now go to ’t Kopje for the remainder of the best of three contest with Bloemendaal able to complete the title success on Saturday with a victory. Should Pinoké win on Saturday, the title will be decided at the same venue on Sunday.