Release from 29.03.2018
On Thursday HC Bolzano was the first team to win a road game in semifinals. While the foxes beat Vienna Capitals 3:2 in overtime, EC Red Bull Salzburg got a 4:2 home win against Liwest Black Wings Linz.
Red Bulls restore series lead
Salzburg, with some line changes, came out hard and Thomas Raffl opened the scoring on power play after only three minutes. The hosts pressed hard for a second but Rauchenwald and Duncan failed to score on great opportunities. It took the Red Bulls some more minutes to double the lead when Alexander Pallestrang stayed on top of things in front of the goal. With Piche hitting the post, Linz was out of luck late in the period. After the restart Black Wings captain Philipp Lukas pulled one back but Rob Schremp restored the two-goal lead soon later. Then the story was repeating itself. First, Dan DaSilva halved the deficit with an one timer but Hughes put his side 4:2 ahead on a rebound. The visitors had the better of the play in the third but Jonathan D'Aversa missed the best chance while being shorthanded. Salzburg earned a well-deserved home win to regain the series lead.
Bolzano gets road win in overtime
The Capitals were the dominant team in the first period but wasted some good power play chances. After both teams hit the post (Brocklehurst resp. Halmo), Jamie Fraser made the breakthrough late in the first. The teams were focused on their defense in the middle frame with the Jerry Pollastrone missing the best opportunities for Vienna. Bolzano's Alex Petan could not beat JP Lamoureux halfway through the game from close range. The visitors had a perfect start into the third, though, with Alex Petan going five-hole off a pass from Chris DeSousa. With nine minutes to go Kelsey Tessier restored Vienna's lead from scratch but Bolzano pushed hard in the final minutes. With 26 seconds to go and an extra skater for goalie Tuokkola, Petan sent the game into overtime with his second of the night. In the extra session the Caps wasted good chances with Tuokkola having some great stops. After 65 minutes Angelo Miceli scored the gamne winner on the break for Bolzano's first ever playoff road win in Vienna.
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 3rd semifinals:
Th. 29.03.2018: EC Red Bull Salzburg – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz 4:2 (2:0,2:2,0:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC/SMETANA, 3.400 spectators
Goals RBS: Raffl (4.), Pallestrang (16.), Schremp (29.), Hughes (35.)
Goals EHL: Lukas Ph. (27.), DaSilva (33./pp)
Score in the "best of seven" semifinal series, RBS – EHL: 2:1
Th, 29.03.2018: Vienna Capitals – HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:3 n.V. (1:0, 0:0, 1:2, 0:1)
Referees: PIRAGIC, TRILAR, Nemeth, Zgonc; 5.550 spectators
Goals Capitals: Fraser (19.), Tessier (52.)
Goals Bozen: Petan (43., 60.), Micelli (65.)
Score in the "best of seven" semifinal series, VIC-HCB: 1:2