Release from 31.03.2023

Bolzano and Salzburg with away wins to match pucks

Short text 328 CharactersPlain text

The HCB Südtirol Alperia and EC Red Bull Salzburg each took s 3:1 leads in the two "best-of-7" semifinal series of the win2day ICE Hockey League on Friday. The top-seeded Bolzano side won for the fifth time in a row at the spusu Vienna Capitals. In addition, Salzburg turned the game at EC-KAC in the middle period in its favor.

Press release 3201 CharactersPlain text

More than 7,000 fans created a great atmosphere at the fourth semifinal game between the spusu Vienna Capitals and HCB Südtirol Alperia. But it got pretty quiet after 31 seconds when Christian Thomas scored from the slot to give Bolzano the lead. The Vienna Capitals - who had to do without eight players - missed the equalizer in two early power play occasions. The regular season winners, on the other hand, proved efficient and Brad McClure doubled the lead in the 17th minute with a precise finish. The visitors conceded the next penalty early in the middle period, but McClure took advantage of a mistake by Caps goalie Starkbaum to make it 0:3. In the middle of the second, the home side took over command but failed to beat HCB goalkeeper Sam Harvey, and after 40 minutes it remained a three-goal deficit. But the Viennese came out of the dressing room with verve and rewarded themselves with a goal from Chad Krys. When James Sheppard cut the deficit to 2:3 in the 51st minute, the atmosphere in the STEFFL Arena reached its peak. But Daniel Mantenuto (54th) provided the preliminary decision a little later, Dustin Gazley fixed the 2:5 final score with an empty-netter. The South Tyroleans thus won for the fifth time in a row in Vienna and can already move into the final in the home game on Sunday.



Salzburg wins in Klagenfurt
In the second home game of the series, KAC got off to a good start and created a good chances in front of the Salzburg goal early. In the 16th minute, the home side finally took the lead, Samuel Witting scored after a short poke to make it 1:0. In total, Salzburg had three shorthanded situations in the first period, but managed to prevent worse with strong defensive work. After the restart, the KAC put the pressure on again, but failed to score the second goal. Shortly after, Troy Bourke equalized, the Canadian scored on a rebound after a shot from the air. This gave the Red Bulls a boost, they became more pressured. And many penalties followed on both sides, which the Red Bulls were able to take advantage of. Mario Huber scored in the power play from half distance right into the cross corner for the 2:1 lead (31st). And Peter Schneider increased in the 39th minute also in the powerplay, he netted from an acute angle. The guests went into the dressing room with a 3:1 lead. The intensity remained high in the final period, but Salzburg largely controlled the action. The Red Bulls defended their lead, won the game 3:1 and now also lead the semifinal series 3:1.



win2day ICE Hockey League, 4th Semifinal:
Fri, 31.03.2023: spusu Vienna Capitals - HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:5 (0:2, 0:1, 2:2)
Referees: HRONSKY, STERNAT, Bärnthaler, Durmis
Goals Vienna: Krys (43.), Sheppard (51.)
Goals Bolzano: Thomas (1.), McClure (17., 22./SH), Mantenuto (54.), Gazley (57./EN)
Standings in the "best-of-7" semifinal series 1:3

Fri, 31.03.2023: EC-KAC - EC Red Bull Salzburg 1:3 (1:0, 0:3, 0:0)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, ZRNIC, Konc, Riecken
Goal Klagenfurt: Witting (16.)
Goals Salzburg: Bourke (23.), M. Huber (31./PP), Schneider (39./PP)
Standings in the "best-of-7" semi-final series 1:3