Bolzano becomes first team to clinch playoff spot

Bolzano clinches Playoffs with shutout
HCB Südtirol Alperia has become the first team in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League to qualify for the 2021 playoffs. This means that the two-time champions are also in the postseason in their eighth season of league membership, contesting the Pick Round for the third time in a row. The playoffs were locked in with a commanding 4:0 home win over the Moser Medical Graz99ers, which were defeated again after two straight wins. Leland Irving recorded his third shutout of the season, stopping 31 shots on goal. Early Brett Findlay (3./PP1) gave the "foxes" the lead, which was then increased by Dennis Roberton (17.) and further extended by Dustin Gazley (29.) and Angelo Miceli (34.).

Klagenfurt only two points behind Fehérvár
EC-KAC is now just two points behind second-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League standings after a comfortable 3:0 road win at HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie. The “Rotjacken” celebrated their third shutout in the last four road games. For goalie Sebastian Dahm, who saved 25, it was already the seventh game without conceding one goal. Rok Ticar (8.) gave the KAC the lead with his 15th goal of the season, Manuel Ganahl (30.) increased halfway through the game, again proving his fine technique in one-on-one with HCI goalkeeper Tom McCollum. The final goal was scored by Thomas Koch (50./PP1), who scored his 110th career powerplay goal.

Caps secure rollercoaster win
spusu Vienna Capitals had a roller coaster ride in their 5:4 shootout win over Dornbirn Bulldogs. The fourth-place team let a comfortable 2:0 lead slip away within 163 seconds, then trailed by two goals with three minutes left after Nikita Jevpalovs’ power play goal. But Niki Hartl - who scored a brace finally - and Ali Wukovits forced the overtime with goals each in the last one and a half minutes. This ended goalless before newcomer Darren Archibald decided the shootout in favor of the guests. For the sixth-placed Vorarlberg team, it was the second defeat in a row.


Linz takes first home win after almost two months
The Steinbach Black Wings 1992 put an end to their losing streak on home ice. After nine losses in a row, Linz celebrated a hard-fought 4:3 home win against EC GRAND Immo VSV, which the bottom team in the table only fixed with a brilliant final third. It was the first home win for the Upper Austrians since November 24th (3:1 vs. VIC). The Carinthians remained without a point for the first time after four games, although they were 3:1 ahead after two periods - Scott Kosmachuk (32.) and Julian Kornelli (34.) scored after an even opening frame. In the final period Will Pelletier (42./PP1) immediately cut the deficit and the two Linz top scorers Dragan Umicevic (52.) and Brian Lebler (55.) turned the game around. Returnee Josh Roach recorded three points in his second game (1G|2A).


Bratislava cheers first ICE shutout
The Bratislava Capitals recorded their first shutout in their 34th game in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. The newcomer won 1:0 at home against fifth-placed EC Red Bull Salzburg. It was the fourth road game this season without a goal for the Austrians, who were playing their fifth game in eight days. The narrow victory was also Bratislava's first win in their third attempt against the "Red Bulls", which lifted them up to eighth place in the standings. Goalie Jared Coreau went without a goal for the first time in his eighth game, stopping 34 shots on his way to a shutout. The game winning goal in came early: already in the 6th minute Milos Bubela converted a rebound from an acute angle on the power play. It was the 28-year-old Slovak's tenth goal of the season.

Bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | Friday, January 22nd 2021:
iClinic Bratislava Capitals - EC Red Bull Salzburg 1:0 (1:0, 0:0, 0:0)
Referees: BALUSKA, HRONSKY, Durmis, Konc.
Goal BRC: Bubela (6./PP1)

Dornbirn Bulldogs - spusu Vienna Capitals 4:5 SO (0:1, 1:1, 3:2, 0:0)
Referees: BULOVEC, PIRAGIC, Martin, Sparer.
Goals DEC: Salmela (39.), Nilsson (41.), Yogan (42.), Jevpalovs (58./PP1)
Goals VIC: Hartl (14., 59.), Richter (32.), Wukovits (60.), Archibald (65./PS)

Steinbach Black Wings 1992 – EC GRAND Immo VSV 4:3 (1:1, 0:2, 3:0)
Referees: HUBER, SMETANA, Gatol, Tschrepitsch.
Goals BWI: Roach (10.), Pelletier (42./PP1), Umicevic (52.), Lebler (55.)
Goals VSV: Schmidt (15.), Kosmachuk (32.), Kornelli (34.)

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie – EC-KAC 0:3 (0:1, 0:1, 0:1)
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Kontschieder, Seewald.
Goals KAC: Ticar (8.), Ganahl (31.), Koch (50./PP1)

HCB Südtirol Alperia – Moser Medical Graz99ers 4:0 (2:0, 2:0, 0:0)
Referees: BERNEKER, RUETZ, Pardatscher, Rigoni.
Goals HCB: Findlay (3./PP1), Robertson (17.), Gazley (29.), Miceli (34.)