Release from 19.03.2017

Capitals set record, KAC gets first win

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On Sunday’s third semifinals game day, Erste Bank Eishockey Liga welcomed the one millionth fan this season. The league has reached the magical mark for the eighth year in a row. EC-KAC got the first win against EC Red Bull Salzburg with Stefan Geier scoring the GWG with 80 seconds to go. In the other series UPC Vienna Capitals set another record, becoming the first team to win the opening seven playoff games. The Viennese beat Bolzano thanks to Ferland’s lone goal. Plus: YoungStar vote of the season 2016/17 has started.

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KAC gets first series win at Volksgarten
Klagenfurt came out hard and as in the first two games the first goal was scored early. This time the record-holding champions had cause for celebration when Ziga Pance lit the lamp. Soon later Salzburg tied it with a pp marker: Daniel Sondell's blue liner overcame David Madlener who got the nod over Tomas Duba today. After Christoph Duller failed from promising position, Mark Popovic retook the lead. Both teams generated chances in the course of the opening period with Salzburg tying it again on power play by Bill Thomas. Klagenfurt was the better team in the middle frame but missed some chances. The hosts were out of luck when Hochkofler only hit the post and the second ended goalless. It continued to be the same story in the third but with 80 seconds to go Stefan Geier broke the spell. Salzburg's Matthias Trattnig lost the puck in the neutral zone and Manuel Geier found his brother for the decision. Klagenfurt halved the deficit in the "best-of-7" series.
 
Caps set record thanks to Ferland's only goal
In front of 7.022 fans the Capitals took over command early. Andreas Nödl and Ryan McKiernan missed the first chances and it remained a game Caps versus Bolzano goalie Marcel Melichercik who did great. Despite outshooting their opponents 14:1, the game remained goalless in the first. The foxes became better in the second and had a game at eye level now. However, the Caps still had the best chance when Taylor Vause was not able to find the back of the net while being one man down. In the final minute of this period the hosts finally broke the spell. After a great solo attempt Rafael Rotter fed captain Jonathan Ferland who tipped into. In the third period Anton Bernard had Bolzano's best chance but he failed because of JP Lamoureux. In a final push the visitors were out of luck with Jesse Root and Bernard striking only metalwork. Thanks to Ferland's only goal, the Caps took a 3:0 series lead.

YoungStar vote of the season 2016/17 has started!
Nominated for the EISNER Auto YoungStar vote of the season 2016/17 are Mario Huber (HCI), Stefan Gaffal (BWL), Sascha Bauer (VIC), David Kickert (VIC), Johannes Bischofberger (KAC) and Christoph Duller (KAC). The vote is online at www.erstebankliga.at until Saturday, March 25th 2017 and is done by fans (1/3), National Team Coaches (1/3) and ServusTV experts. >> Vote here
 
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 3rd semifinals:
Sun. 19.03.2017: EC Red Bull Salzburg – EC-KAC 2:3 (2:2,0:0,0:1)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC/TRILAR, 3.400 spectators;
Goals RBS: Sondell (5./pp), Thomas (19./pp)
Goals KAC: Pance (3.), Popovic (12.), St. Geier (59.)
Score in the "best-of-7" series: RBS – KAC: 2:1

Sun, 19.03.2016: UPC Vienna Capitals – HCB Südtirol Alperia 1:0 (0:0, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: LEMELIN/PIRAGIC, 7.022 Zuschauer
Goal Capitals: Ferland (40.)
Score in the "best-of-7" series: VIC - HCB 3:0