Release from 25.03.2018
On Sunday Vienna Capitals opened the semifinals with a 4:0 shutout against HC Bolzano. EC Red Bull Salzburg came back twice against Liwest Black Wings Linz and finally got a hard-fought 3:2 win.
Capitals open semifinals with shutout
Bolzano played defensively solid in the opening minutes as they did against Klagenfurt in the quarters. Halfway through the first Chris DeSousa and Luca Frigo had the first chances for the foxes but could not score. After 14 minutes Niki Hartl missed for the hosts. With 17 seconds to go in the period, Vienna made the breakthrough with Andreas Nödl poking the puck over the line. Early in the second Bolzano's Mike Angelidis took a 2+2 penalty and Jerry Pollastrone lit the lamp. The guests had just a few offensive highlights and late in the period Peter Schneider put the hosts 3:0 ahead when Peter Schneider scored on his own rebound. The Capitals were on top of things in the third, too, and with ten minutes to go Mario Fischer rounded off the scoring when he netted on an odd man rush.
Red Bulls come back twice to take series lead
Salzburg and Linz both played very defensively-minded in the opening minutes with Thomas Raffl resp. Rick Schofield missing the first chances. The visitors took the lead after 15 minutes when Dan DaSilva took advantage of a bad Viveiros pass. After failing to score on some power plays in the first, the Red Bulls did better with a man advantage early in the middle frame. Hughes passed to Ryan Duncan who tied it from sharp angle. Just one minute later Thomas Raffl was fouled on a breakaway but could not beat Mike Ouzas on the following penalty shot. The next goal was scored at the other end, though, with Patrick Spannring litting the lamp on an odd-man rush. The Black Wings had the momentum and pressed for a third goal but Salzburg equalized from scratch when Martin Stajnoch found the back of the net from distance. The Red Bulls came out hard for the third and got the first lead after only 67 seconds when Brant Harris was left alone in front of Ouzas. Now it was all Salzburg, but Raffl (post), Herburger and Raymond failed to make the preliminary decision. With ten minutes to go Linz took over control again but RBS netminder Bernhard Starkbaum stopped them with some great saves. Salzburg killed the clock for a tight home win and the series lead.
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 1st semifinals:
Sun, 25.03.2018: Vienna Capitals – HCB Südtirol Alperia 4:0 (1:0, 2:0, 1:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC, TRILAR, Nemeth, Zgonc; 5.550 spectators
Goals Capitals: Nödl (20.), Pollastrone (24./pp1), Schneider (36.), Fischer (51.)
Score in the „best-of-seven“ series, VIC-HCB: 1:0
Sun, 25.03.2018: EC Red Bull Salzburg – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz 3:2 (0:1,2:1,1:0)
Schiedsrichter: LEMELIN/K. NIKOLIC, 3.400 spectators
Goals RBS: Duncan (23./pp), Stajnoch (34.), Harris (42.)
Goals EHL: DaSilva (15.), Spannring (26.)
Score in the „best-of-seven“ series, RBS – EHL: 1:0