Caps secure first points of the CHL season

The game in Stockholm got off to a slow start, as both teams tried to play cautiously out from the back and test out the opposition. Just 2 minutes into the game, Vienna’s Patrick Peter was awarded a hooking penalty and the Capitals faced a powerplay. They withstood all of Djurgården’s shots and kept the game goalless. It didn’t take too long for the first goal of the game to come though, as only 6 minutes later Djurgården’s Albin Grewe found the back of the net. After a penalty on both sides 3 minutes before the end of the period and Djurgården’s Marcus Högström being sent to the bench for interference, Vienna found themselves in a powerplay situation and just 11 seconds into the advantage the game was tied at 1-1. Djurgården stepped back onto the ice determined to take back the lead and Vienna offered them many opportunities to do so with 6 penalties in the second period alone. But to their surprise it ended up being Vienna who gained the lead thanks to Nikolaus Hartl’s goal 2 minutes into the period. Djurgården tied the game to 2-2 in a powerplay 6 minutes later and after Mike Zalewski’s hooking penalty. They even had the chance of gaining back the lead if they scored a penalty shot. Luckily for Vienna, Patrik Berglund missed and the score stayed unchanged. Ty Loney’s goal towards the end of the period gave Vienna back the lead and with the score sitting at 3-2 for Vienna, both teams left for the locker rooms. 26 seconds into the third period, Marcus Högström was able to get one past goalie Ryan Zapolski and tie the game for the third time in the match, but disaster struck as just 9 minutes later, Vienna had a comfortable 2 goal lead thanks to Ty Loney’s second on the night and Sondre Olden’s strikes. Taylor Vause finished up the game 2 minutes later and the 6-3 result stood right up to the final whistle.

Djurgarden IF – spusu Vienna Capitals 3:6 (1:1, 1:2, 1:3)
Goals DIF: Albin Grewe (11. Min.), Anton Hedman (29. Min.), Marcus Högström (41. Min.)
Goals Caps: Mark Flood (18. Min., PP1), Niki Hartl (22. Min.), Ty Loney (37., 45. Min.), Sondre Olden (50. Min.), Taylor Vause (53. Min.)

KAC suffers first defeat in Finland
After failing to record a point in their first two games on the road, Tappara Tampere were in a situation where they absolutely needed to win on home ice against previouslyh unbeaten KAC Klagenfurt. On an early power play, Olavi Vaukonen took a pass from Morley and beat David Madlener through the legs. Klagenfurt then battled back with a pair of goals to take the lead. They evened it on the power play at the seven-minute mark when Nicholas Peterson’s shot hit Matthew Neal in the skate and went in, holding up after a video review. Then 2:11 later, Manuel Ganahl at the side of the net banked in a shot off the skate of Garteig and in. In the dying seconds of the opening period, Bertrand’s first of the evening ensured Tappara would go into the break tied – dodging a check and sliding the puck along the ice through a crowd and past a screened Madlener. The score remained 2-2 for most of the second period, but then Tappara struck twice 30 seconds apart in the 37th minute to give them a two-goal lead for the first time. First, Sami Moilanen passed out front to Jere Karjalainen, who one-timed it in. Then Bertrand’s second of the game was almost like a pitching wedge shot that beat Madlener to the near side – certainly a goal that the Klagenfurt keeper would like to have back. In the first minute of the third period, Klagenfurt attacked hard and got themselves back within a goal, with Andrew Kozak banging it in from close range. However, that’s as close as they would get. Tappara struck for four goals in a span of 6:26, opening up a five-goal lead by the midpoint of the third period. The last goal was Bertrand’s hat-trick goal, chipping it in from the slot with 9:28 to play.

Tappara Tampere – EC-KAC 8:3 (2:2,2:0,4:1)
Goals Tappara Tampere: Olavi Vauhkonen (06:21/Tyler Morley, Teemu Suhonen/PP1), Charles Bertrand (19:48), Jere Karjalainen (36:02/Sami Moilanen), Charles Bertrand (36:32/Tyler Morley, Toni Utunen), Niko Ojamäki (44:06/Alexander Ytterell, Matias Lehtonen), Kristian Kuusela (45:47/Tyler Morley), Olavi Vauhkonen (47:49/Juhani Jasu, Patrik Puistola), Charles Bertrand (50:32/Kristian Kuusela, Tyler Morley/PP1)
Goals EC-KAC: Matthew Neal (07:00/Nick Petersen, Andrew Kozek/PP1), Manuel Ganahl (09:11/Nick Petersen, Martin Schumnig), Andrew Kozek (40:53/Matthew Neal)

Preseason games
Orli Znojmo beat Eislöwen from Dresden 4-1 in their last pre-season outing. David Bartos was the hero of the night, scoring two goals, followed by strikes by Jakub Stehlik and Anthony Luciani. Eagles were dominant throughout the game with the visiting team threatening mostly on powerplays. EC Red Bull Salzburg earned their first preseason win with JP Lamoureux getting a shutout in a 6:0 win against Slovan Bratislava. EC Panaceo VSV and HC Bolzano both won their opening game of the tournaments, they are taking part this weekend. With HC Innsbruck and Dornbirn Bulldogs two teams suffered defeats.

Preseason, Friday 06.09.2019:
HC Orli Znojmo - Dresdner Eislöwen (GER) 4:1 (2:1, 1:0, 1:0)
Goals Znojmo: Bartos (3., 43.), Luciani (11./PP), Stehlik (21./PP)

EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 6:0 (3:0, 2:0, 1:0)
Goals: Kolarik (2.), Raffl (5.), Hochkofler (9.), Herburger (27./PP), Rauchenwald (31.), Huber (52./PP)

Fischtown Pinguins (GER) – EC Panaceo VSV 4:7 (2:0, 2:4, 0:3)
Goals VSV: Lahti (21.), Bacher (28.), Schmidt (34., 40.), Björkstrand (44.), Karlsson (52., 60./EN)

HC Pustertal (ITA) - HCB Südtirol Alperia 1:3 (0:0, 1:2, 0:1)
Goal HCP: Althuber (27.)
Goals HCB: Miceli (25.), Arniel (38.), Bernard (43.)

HC TWK Innsbruck – Straubing Tigers (GER) 2:4 (0:1, 2:3, 0:0)
Goals HCI: Thörnberg (22./pp), Wachter (32.).

SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers (CH) – Dornbirn Bulldogs 2:1 (1:0, 0:0, 1:1)
Goals: 1:0 Loosli (6.), 1:1 Bau Hansen (46.), 2:1 Schlagenhauf (59.)

Photo: Maxim Thoré