Release from 27.11.2019

HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana extends top position

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The HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana strengthened its leading position in standings, as the reigning champions defeats first pursuer HC Pustertal Wölfe 3:2 at home, being now five points ahead of the vice-champion in standings. In Wednesday’s second game the EK Die Zeller Eisbären closed the gap to the top-6, after defeating second-last EC Bregenzerwald 6:3.

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After last year’s final series decided in game seven and the first remake too in October, the HK SZ Olimpija Ljublijana cheered another victory over the HC Pustertal Wölfe. With a 3:2 home-win the reigning champions extended the lead in standings to five points and destroyed vice champions four games winning-streak. However, the South Tyrolean remain second. The game at Hala Tivoli was balanced, with no penalties in the first two frames – and the hosts leading 2:0, as Nik Simsic and Janez Orehek scored. At the beginning of the last Tobias Brighenti Moretti pulled one back for the South Tyrolean, which could have been a gamechanger. But it was a warning signal for the leader to switch to a higher gear, striking back almost immediately, when Orehek completes his brace less than one minute later and gives Ljubljana the fourth straight win. John Lewis’ goal for the guests 1,5 minutes left came too late, to open the game up again.

In the second game the EK Die Zeller Eisbären took revenge for the tight 2:3-loss at EC Bregenzerwald in the first season-meeting, as the Salzburg side booked a clear 6:3 win to close the gap to the top-6, sitting on the seventh spot and trailing only one point. While the “polar bears” got their third straight home win, the “Wälder” got their ninth road-loss in the ninth away-game this season. Both in the first and in the second period the home team got off a perfect start, scoring each after 37 seconds. But the guests persisted, balancing the game twice. Only eleven seconds after the second equalizer, Zell retook the lead with Mans Hansson scoring, who got his colors on winning ways, followed by two more unanswered goals in the last of Maks Selan (49.) and Christoph Herzog (53.). After Julian Metzler (54.) pulled one back on powerplay, Tomi Wilenius second of the night rounded off the score.

We, 27.11.2019, 7.15 pm: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana - HC Pustertal Wölfe 3:2 (1:0, 1:0, 1:2)
Referees: KUMMER, WIDMANN, Javornik, Snoj. | Spectators: 873
Goals HKO: Simsic (15./Orehek-Svete), Orehek (34./Cepon, 44./Simsic-Kujavec)
Goal PUS: Brighenti Moretti (43./Lewis-Oberrauch), Lewis (59./Andergassen-Helfer)

We, 27.11.2019, 7.30 pm: EK Die Zeller Eisbären - EC Bregenzerwald 6:3 (1:1, 2:1, 3:1)
Referees: LEHNER, WALLNER, Bedynek, Wimmler. | Spectators: 1.612
Goals EKZ: Wilenius (1./Hansson-Selan, 59.EN/Sotlar-Putnik), Sotlar (21.), Hansson (28./Putnik-Wilenius), Selan (49./Putnik), Herzog (53./Aigner-Vojta)
Goals ECB: Haidinger (14./Müller), Hyyppä (28.PP1/Vogelaar-Haidinger), Metzler (54.PP1/Söder-Pöschmann)

Fotocredit: (c) Eva Brili Grebenar