ICE stragglers snatch up road wins

Bottom-placed Linz turns it at Dornbirn
The Steinbach Black Wings 1992 put an end to their losing streak. After six games without a win, Linz turned a 0-1 deficit at the Dornbirn Bulldogs into a 2-1 road win after the first period. The Vorarlberg side suffered their fourth defeat in a row, but remain sixth in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League standings. Andrew Yogan (6.) gave the home team an early lead after a breakaway - but the Linz sde turned the game around: Brian Lebler (27.) equalized for the visitors. Oskars Bartulis hit the game-winner in the 52nd minute on double powerplay. For the Latvian it was already the second game-winner in the current championship.

Gudlevskis secures VSV victory
With EC GRAND Immo VSV, the second straggler in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League also celebrated a 2-1 road victory. The "eagles" defeated the spusu Vienna Capitals in the third duel of the season too. Once again, the Viennese scored only one goal against Villach. The second win in a row put VSV in ninth place, while the "Caps" slipped to fourth after their second defeat in a row. The main reason for the victory was Villach goalie Kristers Gudlevskis: The Latvian saved 20 shots on goal in the first period and survived the second period without conceding a goal too. VSV was already 2-0 ahead, Jerry Pollastrone (20.) and Chris Collins (29./PP1) scored for the guests. Ty Loney (41./PP1) promptly reduced the score in the last period, but Gudlevskis - who had a save percentage of 97.5 in the end – secured it for the guests.

KAC moves to third place
EC-KAC successfully completed the fourth game in 2021 too. For the second time in a row, Petri Matikainen's team scored six goals, defeating bet-at-home ICE Hockey League newcomer iClinic Bratislava Capitals 6-1. For the first time this season, Klagenfurt won four games in a row and now ranks third. The Slovaks lost for the third consecutive time and the ninth place too. The game could not start until 6:30 p.m. due to a late arrival of the Slovaks, caused by a delay in entering Austria. Until the middle of the game Bratislava was within striking distance of the "Rotjacken" - then the Klagenfurter side pulled away: Steven Strong (30.) restored the two-goal lead, Thomas Koch (37./SH) increased it to 4-1 shorthanded. In the final period Manuel Ganahl (49.) and Paul Postma (51./PP1) cleard it for the hosts. For Postma it was the second brace in a row, he also dished two assists, had like Nick Petersen a four-point game.



Salzburg takes fourth straight win
EC Red Bull Salzburg holds four wins in a row in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League too. The six-time champions won 3-2 at HCB Südtirol Alperia. For the South Tyroleans, it was the second defeat in less than 24 hours - but they remain in second place. Salzburg, consolidated fifth place and is now only four points behind fourth-placed Vienna. The "Red Bulls" took the lead twice in this duel - the 1:0 was Tim Harnisch's first ICE goal - before John Hughes hit the game-winner with 44 seconds left after video review. For Salzburg, it was the 30th win over the South Tyroleans in league history.


Innsbruck ends losing streak
HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie recorded the first success after eight losses in a row. On home ice, the Tyroleans defeated the Moser Medical Graz99ers 6-3, as the "sharks", who are in eighth place in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League, took their tenth win of the season after regulation. After a balanced first period in terms of goals (2-2), Innsbruck's powerplay made the difference: three out of four powerplay occasions ended with a goal, giving the home team final control of the game after 48 minutes. Sam Herr recorded a brace, his second multiple-goal game for the eight-ranked, who are now four points behind seventh-placed Graz.


bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | Sunday, January 10th 2021:
HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie - Moser Medical Graz99ers 6:3 (2:2, 2:0, 2:1)
Referees: RUETZ, SMETANA, Nothegger, Sparer.
Goals HCI: Christoffer (7.), Herr (20., 48./PP1), Girard (23./PP1), Gerlach (38./PP1), Tansey (50.)
Goals G99: Ograjensek (18.), Grafenthin (19.), Oberkofler (58.)

spusu Vienna Capitals - EC GRAND Immo VSV 1:2 (0:1, 0:1, 1:0)
Referees: FICHTNER, SIEGEL, Gatol, Riecken.
Goal VIC: Loney (41./PP1)
Goals VSV: Pollastrone (20.), Schmidt (29./PP1)

Dornbirn Bulldogs - Steinbach Black Wings 1992 1:2 (1:0, 0:1, 0:1)
Referees: BERNEKER, VIRTA, Martin, Tschrepitsch.
Goal DEC: Yogan (6.)
Goals BWI: Lebler (27.), Bartulis (52./PP2)

EC-KAC - iClinic Bratislava Capitals 6:1 (1:0, 3:1, 2:0)
Referees: BULOVEC, ZRNIC, Miklic, Zgonc.
Goals KAC: Ticar (15.), Postma (22., 51./PP1), Strong (30.), Koch (37./SH1), Ganahl (49.)
Goal BRC: Bubela (27.)

HCB Südtirol Alperia - EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:3 (0:1, 1:1, 1:1)
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Basso, Pardatscher.
Goals HCB: Fournier (23.), Gazley (49./PP1)
Goals RBS: Harnisch (13.), Heinrich (35./PP2), Hughes (60.)