99ers are forced to play in the Qualification Round

Vienna Capitals started to make pressure in Villach after some minutes of play and they quickly were rewarded: Riley Holzapfel scored from a rebound after a shot from Patrick Peter. The guests took the momentum into the second period and extended their lead in a Power Play: Rafael Rotter netted the 2:0 after a diagonal-pass from Peter Schneider. This was a wake-up-call for the Eagles. The hosts answered with pressure and managed a big comeback: Ben Walter with a deflection and Stefan Bacher with a rebound equalized the game still in period 2. In the last period the game went up and down. Villach had the better end. Jordan Hickmott scored with 3:06 minutes left, to give the hosts a 3:2-lead. Valentin Leiler added the final 4:2 21 seconds later.

 

HCB Südtirol Alperia was on Fire against HC Orli Znojmo. The Foxes were leading 5:0 at halftime, finally they won 7:3: Alex Petan opened the scoring in a 5-on-3-Powerplay in minute 16. The Italians were the chief on the ice now and quickly added two goals: Travis Oleksuk with a shot from the slot and Mike Halmo with a deke gave their team a 3:0-lead. Austin Smith added the 4:0 finishing a nice combination after the re-start. The „Red Eagles“ showed character, but Pekka Tuokkola fanned Boruta and Csamango. Besides the guests failed to score in a Power Play. On the other side Angelidis netted - volley - the 5:0 (30.). The game was decided. Znojmo scored their first goal late in the second period: Mrazek poked the puck in. The Foxes controlled the game until the end and celebrated a clear 7:3-home-win in the end.

 

The Black Wings were the chief on the ice from the very beginning and took advantage from two Power Plays: Dan DaSilva scored near the right post and Joel Broda netted the 2:0 with a big wrist-shot. The Sharks from Innsbruck had their best chances shorthanded, but Ouzas stopped Morten Poulsen and Andrew Yogan from scoring. Both teams could not score in period 2. Fabio Hofer came closest to score, but he just hit the post (38.). Period 3 started perfect for Linz: Brian Lebler gave his team a 3:0-lead with a shot from the slot (42.). The guests were shocked. Linz became dangerous again and added the 4:0: Joel Broda finished the puck from short distance. The last goal was scored by Innsbruck: Andrew Clark returned from the penalty box, received a pass and finished his solo with a deke.

 

Moser Medical Graz99ers had a perfect start: Daniel Oberkoflers Power Play goal (rebound) gave his team a quick lead (2.). The Styrians got an extra boost, but Salzburg threatened: First Julien Brouillette hit the post, then Ryan Duncan beat goalie Hannu Toivonen. Salzburg was on Fire in period 2. Peter Mueller had three early chances, but could not beat Toivinen, Kurtis McLean threatened on the other side. The goals were scored from Salzburg: John Hughes, Bobby Raymond, Raphael Herburger, Mario Huber and Alexander Cijan gave their team a 6:1-lead. After the 5:1 Höneckl fills in for Toivonen. In the end the Mozart Citizens won in Graz 7:3. The 99ers are forced to play in the Qualfication Round.

 

The game went up and down. The first goal was scored by Dornbirn: Brodie Reid finished a rebound after a shot from the blue line from Brian Connelly. Klagenfurt answered with much pressure in period 2, but Philipp Kreuzer and Co. could not beat goalie Rasmus Rinne. The guests on the other side played effective: D’Alvise started an attack and netted the 2:0. The Red Jackets tried hard, but Rinne prevented a goal in the last 20 minutes as well.

 

The game started with a chance from Koger, but Carr saved. Fehervar had the momentum from the beginning of the game, Sarpatki threatened, the Luttinen passed again to the Hungarian number 88 but he missed. Stipsicz was the first in the penalty box and Fehervar defended well four on five. Playing full strength, Uotila and Gilbert both had a chance bot Carr saved again. Fehervar missed their first powerplay, as well, then LoVecchio fouled and Medvescak scored fast on the powerplay, Olden shot in the upper left corner. During the next powerplay, when Kudelka got a two-minute-penalty, Koger only hit the post. Shorthanded, Zagreb attacked two-on-one but Carruth saved. Before the end of the period, Erdely and Deutsch had a fight so both players went into the penalty box. In the second period, Carr had to save more in the first minutes, Noonan got a penalty for holding and Fehervar tied the game: Latendresse got the puck in front of the net, he passed to LoVecchio and he didn’t miss. Stipsicz had to sit in the penalty box, but Fehervar was the better team on ice one man less as well, Koger and Hari attacked but number 62 missed. After Boivin’s penalty Fehervar got in the lead, Hari shot and Carr had no chance to save. At the end of the period, LoVecchio, then Olden fouled, but neither team had more chances.

The third period started four on four, Erdely found Hari open but he missed. On the other end, Simsic threatened but Carruth saved. The game became balanced, and as the time went on, Zagreb started to have the puck more. Zagreb tied the game in the middle of the third period after a counterattack, Deutsch scored from the left side. After the goal, Uotila was the next in the penalty box, yet the guests did not threaten. For the remaining time, there were only a few stops in the game, both teams had their chances to decide but Carr and Carruth saved all shots. In the overtime, Zagreb started better, Koger fouled in a breakaway, so the period went on on powerplay for Zagreb, without success. Latendresse and Luttinen went to Zagreb’s end on a counterattack, the puck went in the net, but the referees decided for no goal. Manavian’s blueliner was the last chance in the overtime. The first three rounds in the penalty shootouts were unsuccessful, Olden scored and Gilbert missed, and Zagreb won the game.

 

Referees: KINCSES, PIRAGIC, Nemeth, Zgonc; spectators: 2.597
Goals DEC: Reid (18.), D’Alvise (37.)

Goals BWL: DaSilva (11./pp, 52.), Broda (19./pp), Lebler (42.)
Goal HCI: Clark (60.)

Referees: KELLNER, STOLC; spectators: 3.480
Goals: 15:26 PP2 Alex Petan (1:0) – 17:43 Travis Oleksuk (2:0) – 19:48 Mike Halmo (3:0) – 22:01 Austin Smith (4:0) – 31:29 PP1 Mike Angelidis (5:0) – 35:17 Petr Mrazek (5:1) – 45:56 Matt Tomassoni (6:1) – 47:48 Radek Cip (6:2) – 55:04 Ryan Olsen (6:3) – 58:55 PP1 Alex Petan (7:3)

Fri, 26.01.2018: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC Red Bull Salzburg 3:7 (1:1,0:5,2:1)
Referees: LEMELIN, REIMER; spectators: 3.384
Goals G99: Oberkofler (2./pp, 49.), Ograjensek (55.)
Goals RBS: Duncan (9.), Hughes (23.), Raymond (28./pp), Herburger (32./pp), Huber (33.), Cijan (39.), Harris (48.)
Fri, 26.01.2018: Fehervar AV19 – KHL Medvescak Zagreb 2:3/SO (0:1,2:0,0:1,0:0,0:1)
Referees: SIEGEL, SMETANA; spectators: 3186
Goals AVS: LoVecchio (32.), Hari (38./pp)
Goals MZA: Olden (14./pp, 65./PS), Deutsch (50.)

Fri, 26.01.2018: EC VSV – Vienna Capitals 4:2 (0:1,2:1,2:0)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, TRILAR; spectators: 2.945
Goals VSV: Walter (29.), Bacher (40./pp), Hickmott (57.), Leiler (58.)
Goals VIC: Holzapfel (11.), Rotter (22./pp)