Release from 26.02.2021
© (c) Soós Attila (Hydro Fehérvár AV19)
HCB Südtirol Alperia became the first team in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League to secure home advantage in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. The South Tyroleans won 6-:5 at Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and remain comfortably on top of the Pick Round. EC Red Bull Salzburg climbed to third spot, winning 5:3 at EC-KAC with a game-winner from Dominique Heinrich two minutes left.
In the Qualification Round, the Steinbach Black Wings 1992 made their 5:4 comeback win over HC TIWAG Innsbruck "Die Haie" perfect in shootout, while EC GRAND Immo VSV drew level with the third-place Moser Medical Graz99ers with a commanding 5:1 road win.
Giliati and Bardaro each have a brace in Bolzano’s road win
HCB Südtirol Alperia became the first team to secure home advantage in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League quarterfinals with a 6:5 road win at Hydro Fehérvár AV19. The leader of the Pick Round thus won the second duel with the Hungarians "back-to-back" - and again with a one-goal difference. Fehérvár thus conceded its fourth defeat, Bolzano has picked up three points away from home since January 12th (3:2 @KAC). The duo Anthony Bardaro and Stefano Giliati were decisive for the victory of the "Foxes": Both scored a brace and one assist too. The two also provided the perfect start to the game with a goal each, in which the guests from South Tyrol had the right answer to every comeback attempt by the home team. Alex Petan scored a hat trick for the Hungarians.
Salzburg takes third spot
EC Red Bull Salzburg celebrated a 5:3 road win against EC-KAC. With the third consecutive wine, the Salzburg side overtake the spusu Vienna Capitals, which were free of play on Friday, in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League Pick Round and is now in third place. The "Red Bulls" could thus triumph again against the "Rotjacken" after four consecutive defeats. The guests took the lead - several times: the lead by Thomas Raffl (11./PP1) was equalized by jubilarian Thomas Hundertpfund (23.) in his 700th league game for the EC-KAC with a blueliner. Then Martin Schumnig (51.) and Clemens Unterweger (56.) erased a two-goal deficit late in the final period before a shot by Dominique Heinrich (59.) was deflected with 111 seconds remaining and slipped through the pads of KAC goalkeeper Dahm. Johan Urbom then scored his ICE premiere goal via an empty-netter for the final score.
Villach levels Graz on points
EC GRAND Immo VSV celebrated its fourth win in the Qualification Round of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. With the clear 5:1 away win at the Moser Medical Graz99ers, the "Adler" drew level with the third-placed Styrians in the table and are also only two points behind the top duo from Dornbirn and Bratislava. Villach, which again had Jakub Sedlacek in goal, scored three goals within 110 seconds between the first and second period to take the lead: First - and ten seconds before the break - Kevin Schmidt (19.) regained the lead for the Carinthians. Then the guests quickly took advantage of the powerplay twice through Jerry Pollastrone (21./PP1) and Sahir Gill (22./PP1). After that, Sedlacek kept his sheet clean, saved 97.2% of the shots on his goal, before Collins rounded off the score with an empty netter.
Linz turns it in shootout
The Steinbach Black Wings 1992 have defended their fifth place in the Qualification Round of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League - and are currently only two points behind a playoff spot. However, the Upper Austrians needed a brilliant finish for their 5:4 shootout home victory over HC TIWAG Innsbruck "Die Haie": Max Gerlach (21.) and Luis Ludin (37.) put the guests from Tyrol up in the lead in the second period after a high-scoring, but even, starting frame. Atte Karppinen (58.) and Juha-Pekka Hytonen (59.) equalized for the home team in a competitive final period, while Brian Lebler (65./PS) secured the extra point in shootout.
bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | Pick Round | Friday, 26th of February:
Hydro Fehérvár AV 19 – HCB Südtirol Alperia 5:6 (1:2, 2:4, 2:0)
Referees: HRONSKY, SMETANA, Gatol, Konc.
Goals AVS: Kuralt (19.), Szabo (29./PP1), Petan (33., 44./PP2, 55.)
Goals HCB: Bardaro (2., 32./PP1), Giliati (10., 30.), Bernard (24.), Miceli (37./PP1)
EC-KAC – EC Red Bull Salzburg 3:5 (0:1, 1:1, 2:3)
Referees: OFNER, SIEGEL, Bärnthaler, Zgonc.
Goals KAC: Hundertpfund (23.), Schumnig (51.), Unterweger (56.)
Goals RBS: Raffl (11./PP1), Schofield (28.), Hughes (49.), Heinrich (59.), Urbom (60.EN)
bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | Qualification Round | Friday, 26th of February:
Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC GRAND Immo VSV 1:5 (1:2, 0:2, 0:1)
Referees: RENCZ, ZRNIC, Hribar, Vaczi.
Goal G99: Dodero (11.),
Goals VSV: Collins (8., 60./EN), Schmidt (20.), Pollastrone (21./PP1), Gill (22./PP1)
Steinbach Black Wings 1992 – HC TIWAG Innsbruck “Die Haie“ 5:4 SO (2:2, 0:2, 2:0, 0:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC, STERNAT, Kontschieder, Seewald.
Goals BWI: Roach (11./SH1), Meija (17.), Karppinen (58.), Hytonen (59.), Lebler (65./PS)
Goals HCI: Herr (9.), Sideroff (20.), Gerlach (21.), Ludin (37.)