Release from 19.03.2021
© © Soós Attila (Hydro Fehérvár AV19)
The spusu Vienna Capitals become the first team to advance to the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League semifinals after a 6-0 shutout win over Hydro Fehérvár AV19 with a series final score of 4-0. While EC-KAC and HCB Südtirol Alperia clinched the match puck for Sunday with narrow victories, EC Red Bull Salzburg, led by Austin Ortega, managed to equalize the series against the Dornbirn Bulldogs.
Caps in semifinals after second shutout
The spusu Vienna Capitals are the first team in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League to reach the semifinals. The Viennese team won the best-of-seven quarterfinal series against Hydro Fehérvár AV19 4:0. The Viennese are the first team to reach the semifinals from fourth place since the live pick was established. Hydro Fehérvár AV19 had to end the season after a remarkable regular season. The strongest offense of the first phase did not get going in the postseason. While the Hungarians scored 3.35 goals per game in the first and second phases, they scored less than one in the postseason. The Caps celebrated their clearest success in these playoffs. It was Bernhard Starkbaum's second shutout win in a row. Ty Loney opened the scoring for the Viennese in the seventh minute. The Capitals went up 3-0 by the end of the first period, and after failing to score in the middle period, the Viennese added three more goals in the final period. Veteran Philippe Lakos finally made the final score 6:0. Ty Loney scored twice for the spusu Vienna Capitals.
Ortega hat trick brings series equalizer for Salzburg
After trailing the series 0:2, EC Red Bull Salzburg managed to equalize the series two quarterfinal games later. For the fourth time in the series, the team that also scored the first goal of the match prevailed. On Friday, it was Austin Ortega who opened the scoring for Salzburg. The visitors went up 3-0 by the 23rd minute, when the Bulldogs started to catch-up. Two goals by Anthony Luciani and a solo by Daniel Woger brought the equalizer. However, Ortega's third goal of the night ended the Bulldogs' comeback. Florian Baltram made the final decision in favor of the Red Bulls a little more than a minute before the end with the 6:3. Andrew Yogan finally made the final score 4:6. This means that everything is back to even in the best-of-seven quarterfinal series. For the second time in a quarterfinal series against the Red Bulls, the Bulldogs had to accept the equalizer after taking a 2-0 series lead.
KAC fights match puck for Sunday
The EC-KAC puts the score at 3:1 in the "best-of-seven" quarterfinals against local rival EC Grand Immo VSV. After the bitter defeat of Villach - the supposed equalizer came one second too late - the Eagles have to admit defeat again with a close score of 2:3. Matt Fraser opened the scoring on Friday with his fifth playoff goal. The Eagles got into the game better in the second period and were able to equalize in overtime in the person of Jerry Pollastrone. However, the Klagenfurters were not impressed by that and ended the middle period efficiently with a brace from Nick Pettersen and Samuel Witting. Martin Ulmer was able to score the connecting goal three minutes before the end, but again it was not enough for overtime. Thus, the EC-KAC already has the chance to enter the ICE semifinals with another win on Sunday.
Bolzano turns game within four minutes
HCB Südtirol Alperia took the 3-1 series lead in a hard-fought game and thus the match puck for Sunday. The Bratislava Capitals, however, made it anything but easy for the regular season dominator. After the Foxes grabbed the lead late in the first period, the league newcomers turned it up and took a 2-1 lead by the 33rd minute. In the final period, three goals from the South Tyroleans within four minutes turned the match once again. Brock Higgs was able to score the connecting goal, but the Slovakians were denied the equalizer. Thus, the Foxes have the first chance to enter the semifinals of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League with a win on Sunday.
bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | Quarter Finals 4 | Fiday, 19.03.2021:
Hydro Fehérvár AV19 (5) - spusu Vienna Capitals (4) 0:6 (0:3,0:0,0:3)
Referees: HRONSKY, ZRNIC, Durmis, Hribar
Stand in der “best-of-7”-Viertelfinalserie: 0:4
Goals VIC: Loney (7., 48./pp1), Besse (12.), Hartl (16./pp1), Archibald (41.), Lakos (54.)
Dornbirn Bulldogs (6) - EC Red Bull Salzburg (3) 4:6 (0:2,2:1,2:3)
Referees: OFNER, PIRAGIC, Pardatscher, Seewald.
Stand in der “best-of-7”-Viertelfinalserie: 2:2
Goals DEC: Luciani (30., 44.), Woger (31.), Yogan (60.)
Goals RBS: Ortega (7., 23., 47./pp1), Schofield (10.), McIntyre (55.), Baltram (59.),
EC GRAND Immo VSV (8) - EC-KAC (2) 2:3 (0:1,1:2,1:0)
Referees: BERNEKER, SMETANA, Bärnthaler, Zgonc.
Stand in der “best-of-7”-Viertelfinalserie: 1:3
Goals VSV: Pollastrone (28./pp1), Ulmer (57.)
Goals KAC: Fraser (7.), Petersen (37.), Witting (39.),
iClinic Bratislava Capitals (7) - HCB Südtirol Alperia (1) 3:4 (0:1,2:0,1:3)
Referees: FICHTNER, SIEGEL, Gatol, Riecken.
Stand in der “best-of-7”-Viertelfinalserie: 1:3
Goals BRC: Miklik (22.), Bezak (33.), Higgs (54.)
Goals HCB: Miceli (19.), Bernard (46./pp1), Findlay (47.), Frigo (50.),