Bozen continues good run

HCB Südtirol Alperia was on fire against EC VSV from the start. Anton Bernard with a deflection (6.) and Alex Petan (7.) with a shot from the slot gave Bozen a quick 2:0 lead. The Foxes continued to make pressure, finally in minute 25 the Italians had reasons to celebrate again: DeSousa skated around the opponents net and netted the 3:0. Matt Tomassoni added the 4:0 from a short distance a few minutes later. The Italians took some penalties in the end of the second period and this was punished by EC VSV: Kyle Beach (39./pp2) and Jordan Hickmott (41.7pp) put the blue & white Eagles with two Power Play goals on the score board – 4:2. The guests were back in the game now and threatened again with a covert shot from Ryan Glenn and a counter, but the score stayed unchanged. The Italians took over the control of the game again and even added the 5:2 from Mike Angelidis. Bozen celebrated their fourth consecutive win and moved up in the ranking of the Qualification Round to place 2, while Villach  fell in the ranking to place 4.

 

Martin Grabher Meier‘s Power Play goal gave the Dornbirn Bulldogs an early lead, he deflected a shot from Brian Connelly. Then it was getting tuff and one goal after the other followed: Mario Lamoureux (8., 10.) equalized a lead from Dornbirn twice – 2:2. But late in the first period Thomas Vallant put the Vorarlberger with a shot from the distance ahead again – 3:2. (18.). The teams played on an equal level after the re-start. The Vorarlberger extended their lead in a Power Play in minute 29: Jamie Arniel scored the 4:2 with a skilled goal. Stefan Häußle (33.) quickly added the 5:2 finishing a perfect combination with Kevin Macierzynski and Martin Grabher Meier. The Styrians did not give up and responded with goals from Lamoureux (43./pp1) and Kurtis McLean (54.) in the last period, but it was not enough for a comeback. Dornbirn won 5:4 and is leading in the Qualification Round with 19 points, while the Styrians are still on the bottom after their sixth consecutive defeat.

 

EC Red Bull Salzburg took the lead in Vienna with their first good chance. Martin Stajnoch scored the lead from the blue line in the first Power Play (9.). The Mozart Citizens applied pressure on their opponent, but Jean-Philippe Lamoureux allowed no more goals in period 1. Rob Schremp extended the lead with a skilled goal under the crossbar early in the second period – 2:0. The Caps responded with goals within 38 seconds from Brandon Buck in a Power Play and Tayler Vause from a sharp angel. The game got chippy. The Caps took some penalties and this was punished by the Red Bulls – Mario Huber deflected the puck after a shot from Peter Müller from the left circle. Bernhard Starkbaum and Co. defended their lead until the end and even added the fourth goal. Ryan Duncan scored into the empty net – 4:2. Capitals are still on first place, but Salzburg follows just one point behind.

 

Defenseman Drew Schiestel arrived new at KHL Medvescak Zagreb. The Canadian defended for Fehervar AV19 in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga 2016/17 and played lately in Norway. EC-KAC were the first to break the score after merely four minutes - Patrick Harand caught the rebound and sent a jumping puck behind Kevin Carr. Tomas Netik levels the score in the 13th minute after a pass into the slot from the right boards, assisted by Sondre Olden. The second period hadn't even started and the visitors were back ahead - Bischofberger passed to Thomas Koch who one-timed it behind the line after fifteen seconds. KAC made it 3-1 after Bischofberger with his second assist of the night into the slot finds Jon Rheault who finishes the play into the back of the net. A highlight-reel goal in the 46th minute made it 4-1 for the visitors: after finding himself alone on the left circle Johannes Bischofsberger fired a backhander without even looking towards the net and placed it in the upper left shelf. The newcomer in Zagreb Drew Schiestel scored late for the final score 2-4 for KAC.

 

The tension for both teams showed in a nervy opening period, with good scoring chances few and far between. The Hungarians eventually broke the deadlock with a bizarre opening goal - Csanad Erdely's 1-on-0 attempt was saved, but the puck bounced up off the back glass and landed in the crease for Janos Hari to simply knock in to an unguarded net. Having killed two minor penalties in the opening period, the visitors were then forced to spend 1:41 with just three skaters in the opening stages of period two. The home side failed to created any real opportunities. The visitors then doubled their lead in a Powerplay of their own, with Jan Lattner in the box some passing eventually found Eric Meland with a gaping goal to slot the puck into. As the period went down however the hosts got themselves back into things. A scrappy play eventually saw Erik Nemec poke the puck past Carruth to half the deficit. With things back to a one-goal game with just 20 minutes to play the third period saw both teams again nervous in their own zone. Znojmo had the lions' share of the puck possession but weren't able to create anything to really trouble Carruth - despite a couple of Powerplay opportunities, so Fehervar got a very important road win.

 

EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz made much pressure, but the first goal was scored by the guests from Innsbruck: Andrew Clark finished a rebound after a big shot from Andrew Michael Yogan in a shorthanded situation. The Upper Austrians responded quickly. Andreas Kristler netted the 1:1 after a pass from Rick Schofield still in Power Play just 16 seconds later. Morten Poulsen’s rebound goal gave the SHarks he lead again. On the other side Patrick Spannring missed the net from a sharp angel. Piche equalized with a skilled goalfrom a short distance in a Power Play in period 2.   The guests stayed dangerous in counter attacks, but they could not score. This was punished by Linz: Marc Andre Dorion netted the 3:2 after a perfect pass from Locke. The Upper AUstrians got an extra boost now and adjusted better and better into the game. Fabio Hofer added the final 4:2 in a Power Play.

 

Fri, 23.2.2018: EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz – HC TWK Innsbruck "Die Haie" 4:2 (1:2, 1:0, 2:0)
Referees: KINCSES, ZRNIC; spectators: 4.865
Goals BWL: Kristler (9./pp), Piche (26./pp), Locke (48.), Hofer (59./pp)
Goals HCI: Clark (8./sh), Poulsen (13.)
Fri, 23.02.2018: Vienna Capitals – EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:4 (0:1, 2:1, 0:2)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, SMETANA; spectators: 5.700
Goals VIC: Buck (28./PP), Vause (29.)
Goals RBS: Stajnoch (9./PP), Schremp (24.), Huber (42./PP2), Duncan (60./EN)
Fri, 23.02.2018: KHL Medvescak Zagreb vs. EC-KAC 2:4 (1:1,0:2,1:1)
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, STERNAT; spectators: 4.022
Goals MZA: Netik (13.), Schiestel (46.)
Goals KAC: Harand (4.), Koch (21.), Rheault (35./pp), Bischofberger (46.)

 

Fri, 23.02.2018: Dornbirn Bulldogs – Moser Medical Graz 99ers 5:4 (3:2, 2:0, 0:2)
Referees: PIRAGIC, TRILAR; spectators: 2.730
Goals DEC: 1:0 Grabher Meier (3./pp1), 2:1 McMonagle (9.), 3:2 Vallant (18.), 4:2, Arniel (29./pp), 5:2 Häußle (33.)
Goals G99: 1:1 Lamoureux (8.), 2:2 Lamoureux (10.), 5:3 Lamoureux (43./pp1), 5:4 McLean (54.)
Fri, 23.02.2018: HC Orli Znojmo vs. Fehervar AV19 1:2 (0:1,1:1,0:0)
Referees: BABIC, BALUSKA; spectators: 2.048
Goal ZNO: Nemec (38.)
Goals AVS: Hari (11.), Meland (35./pp)
Fri, 23.02.2018: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EC VSV 5:2 (2:0,2:1,1:1)
Referees: KELLNER, Stolc; spectators: 4.350
Goals: 05:53 Anton Bernard (1:0) – 06:58 Alex Petan (2:0) – 24:46 Chris DeSousa (3:0) – 35:45 Matt Tomassoni (4:0) – 38:48 PP2 Kyle Beach (4:1) – 40:48 PP1 Jordan Hickmott (4:2) – 52:52 Mike Angelidis (5:2)