Caps are clearly ahead

EC VSV had the better start. Already in minute 4 Valentin Leiler scored the lead. The Eagles dominated and created chances. The Carinthians first missed two Power Plays, but then Nico Brunner scored with a big shot under the crossbar – 2:0. After the re-start Villach quickly added the 3:0. Linz still did not produce much offense. In period 3 the Upper Austrians tried to come back. After some good chances Brian Lebler made the 1:3. Villach answered and scored the 4:1 in a Power Play from Jordan Hickmott. Late in the game Patrick Platzer even added the final 5:1. Five from six goals at Villach were scored by Austrian Players.

 

EC Red Bull Salzburg took the lead at Klagenfurt already in minute 3 thanks a goal from Raphael Herburger. EC-KAC on the other side could not produce much offense in the first 20 minutes, the Red Jackets had their first chance in minute 14. Much more dangerous were the guests: Matthias Trattnig failed, but then Rob Schremp finished a rebound after a shot from Brant Harris - 2:0. Klagenfurt got more dangerous in period 2. KAC had an early Power Play, but the hosts could not beat goalie Bernhard Starkbaum. Late in period 2 the Vice-Champion made much pressure, but Salzburgs goalie was not to beat. In period 3 the Mozart Citizens extended their lead in a Powerplay – 3:0. The Carinthians had no answer, missed another three Power Plays.

 

The Power Plays made the difference in period 1: While Vienna Capitals missed to score in Power Play, Jamie Arniel took advantage from a Power Play and he scored the 1:0 for the Dornbirn Bulldogs with a slapshot. In period 2 Vienna took over the control and the guests were rewarded therefore: Rotter, Nödl and Holzapfel turned the game and gave the Leader a 3:1-lead. The chances from the Bulldogs were stopped by goalie J.P. Lamoureux. In period 3 Ryan McKiernan quickly added the 4:1 after a pass from Hartl with a shot in the upper corner. In the end the Leader won at Dornbirn 5:2.

 

Bears are usually stronger than Foxes. That happened also on ice, Medveščak easily outplayed HCB Sudtirol Alperia on Sunday night (7-3). With new three points Croatians stayed in Erste Bank Eishocke Liga's Top 6, while Italians sinked all the way to the bottom of the standings with just six wins after 18 games. Hosts wanted to quickly erase demolition in the last game, Linz outplayed them (8-1) and Bears managed to get back on wining track. After the six slow minutes, fireworks started. Medveščak striked twice in the span of just 31 seconds. Tyler Morley showed fantastic hockey sense and asissted to Zanoški and Mahbod in scoring. Especially happy was Zanoški, who finally scored his first on the season. Celebrations did not last too long. Mike Angelidis got left alone in front of the Poulin and Medveščak goalie had no chance. Few seconds later Medveščak defence again forgot on Angelidis, but calm Poulin saved Bears. Samson Mahbod returned the asisst favor to his team-mate in 13. minute. Oleksuk is probably still dizzy after his tricks. From the right wing he passed to Morley in the slot – too much for Smith. He needed to get third puck from the net. Bears weren't done with goals in the opening 20 minutes. Zanoški scored a baseball style, with fantastic hand&eye co-ordination. Four goals, 20 shots on the net, everything went in the hosts favor. After the break, Foxes got the mommentum, but they managed to lose it after an interesting fight. Mike Halmo dropped gloves against Mark Čepon. Canadian nose looked like he got in the ring with MMA fighter, not junior defender. Only goal in middle period came just before the break. Bernard scored on the power-play. Bozen chances of comeback were gone just as they returned from the intermission. Balej redirected Koskiranta's shot to the net in the 42. minute (5-2). Still, there was a few more goals before the end. Morley scored a SH goal to the empty net and managed later to asisst to Mahbod. Duo finished a night with eight points. Morley got five and Mahbod three, it was a Sunday to remember. While fans were celebrating in the stands,guests scored their third (Monardo) in the final minute.

 

Orli Znojmo didn’t make it to integrate their new acquisition Adam Miller from USA to their line-up and they were missing Jan Lattner due to his two games punishment. This maybe was the reason Orli got a goal in the third minute. Tyler Spurgeon delivered the puck in front of Schwarz and crowned the pressure of the guests team. Innsbruck then performed a good offensive play and soon they scored another one. Sacha Guimond showed his positioning skill as he was standing alone next to Schwarz’s net.  The second period looked quite like the first one with one difference. Znojmo was the better team and showed that four minutes after start. Antonin Boruta scored with a hard slap-shot from the left circle. Znojmo then pushed hard and finally got it to the tie when Erik Nemec used a powerplay. The home team was better on the ice, but it was Innsbruck who scored. Sacha Guimond appeared with a breakaway and set the score to three to two for Innsbruck.

The third period started with a careful hockey on both sides. Neither Znojmo nor Innsbruck were better on the ice. The most interesting situation of the period was empty net of Znojmo. It took almost two minutes and it was quite useful for Znojmo. Colton Yellow Horn got a pass to the left circle and aimed exactly above Nechvatal’s shoulder. The score was equal, and it came to overtime. Both teams performed good chances in it but Znojmo was luckier. David Bartos skated alone to Nechvatal and gave him no chance to save the wrist shot. It was the first victory for Znojmo after seven defeats in a row.

 

The game started with a save from both goalies. The first twenty minutes went on high-paced, although without big chances and many penalties. In the middle of the period, Higgs hit the post, and the score remained 0-0. The first penalty was served by Stipsicz and Graz used the opportunity, the puck got in front of McLean and he didn’t miss. Fehervar scored a powerplay goal 3 minutes later, LoVecchio shot in the bottom left corner from the right, Vincze screened well in front of Höneckl. The game became more physical towards the end of the period and the first 20 minutes ended with chances on both sides. Graz pushed hard for their second goal at the beginning of the second period, but Fehervar scored Gilbert passed to Manavian who got his team in the lead with a slapshot. After the goal, Graz started to dominate in the game, Fehervar and Carruth had to defend well to avoid the goal. First Setzinger missed, then Buzzeo hit the post, and on the other end, Höneckl saved Gilbert’s shot. With 8 minutes left in the period, Fehervar had their second powerplay, without success. In the remaining time, Carruth had to make big saves, however, the period ended with a missed opportunity from Gilbert.  The third period started with a Fehervar goal: Manavian shot in the upper right corner. Right after the goal, Latendresse had to sit in the penalty box and Graz scored on their second powerplay as well, Oberkofler was open on the right side and shot in the net. Fehervar missed the third powerplay, although first Erdely, then Manavian had a big chance. For the last 10 minutes, Doug Mason’s team pushed hard for the goal, but Fehervar defended very well. Gilbert missed a breakaway, but Höneckl saved. 60 seconds left, the Graz coach pulled his goalie but Carruth saved all shots. Finally, Fehervar won their second game at the weekend and climbed up to the 11th place in the rankings.

 

Nominated for the EISNER Auto YoungStar vote October 2017 are Sam Antonitsch (VSV), Gerd Kragl (BWL), Henrik Neubauer (DEC), Marco Richter (KAC) and Max Zimmermann (VIC). The vote is online at www.erstebankliga.at until Friday, November 10th 2017 (24:00) and is done by fans (1/3), Nationalteam Coach (1/3) and ServusTV-experts (1/3). Fans can vote once all 24 hours.

 

Sun, 5.11.2017: KHL Medvescak Zagreb – HCB Südtirol Alperia 7:3 (4:1, 0:1, 3:1)
Referees: KELLNER, ZRNIC; 6.013 spectators;
Goals Zagreb: Zanoški (7., 18.) Mahbod (7.,59.), Morley (12., 57./SH), Balej (42.)
Goals HCB: Angelidis (8.), Bernard (40./PP1), Monardo (60.)

Sun, 05.11.2017 Dornbirn Bulldogs – Vienna Capitals  2:5 (1:0, 0:3, 1:2)
Referees: BERNEKER, LEMELIN, 2.810 spectators
Goals DEC: 1:0 Arniel (19./pp1), 2:4 Neubauer (51./pp)
Goals VIC: 1:1 Rotter (28.), 1:2 Nödl (31.), 1:3 Holzapfel (38.), 1:4 McKiernan (42.), 2:5 Wukovits (55.)

Sun, 05.11..2017: EC-KAC – EC Red Bull Salzburg 0:3 (0:2/0:0/0:1)
Referees: NIKOLIC, STROLC, Nothegger, Zgonc; spectators: 3.713
Goals RBS: Herburger (3.), Schremp (20.), Raymond (43./pp)

Sun, 05.11.2017: EC VSV – EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz 5:1 (2:0,1:0,2:1)
Referees: BULOVEC, TRILAR; spectators: 2873
Goals VSV: Leiler (4.), Brunner (18.), Antonitsch (24.), Hickmott (53.), Platzer (59.)
Goal BWL: Lebler (50.)

Sun, 05.11.2017: Fehervar AV19 - Moser Medical Graz 99ers 3:2 (1:1,1:0,1:1)
Referees: BALUSKA, SIEGEL; spectators: 3086
Goals AVS: LoVecchio (14.), Manavian (25.), Manavian (44.)
Goals G99: McLean (11./pp), Oberkofler (46./pp)
Sun, 05.11.2017: HC Orli Znojmo – HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ 4:3/OT (0:2,2:1,1:0,1:0)
Referees: CHRISTIANSEN, K. NIKOLIC; spectators:: 2457
Goals ZNO: Boruta (23.), Nemec (32./pp), Yellow Horn (60.), Bartos (63.)
Goals HCI: Spurgeon (3./pp), Guimond (11., 35.)