Release from 19.01.2024
© Georgios Papaconstantis | HCI
Kevin Roy of HC TIWAG Innsbruck led the Sharks to victory over EC Red Bull Salzburg in the 41st round of the win2day ICE Hockey League with four goals within the first 25 minutes. With this defeat - and the victory of HCB Südtirol Alperia - the EC-KAC was able to extend its lead in the standings with a hard-fought win over the Moser Medical Graz99ers. Meanwhile, BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg and HK SZ Olimpija scored crucial victories in the race for the pre-playoff spots.
HC TIWAG Innsbruck's Canadian ICE crack Kevin Roy didn't need long to get hot in the 41st round of the win2day ICE Hockey League. In the top game against EC Red Bull Salzburg, the 30-year-old opened the scoring after just 45 seconds. In the same period, the goal-scorer completed his flawless hat-trick with unanswered goals two and three. But that was not all: Roy made it 4:0 in the 25th minute before the reigning champions started a comeback and reduced the deficit to 3:4 by the 57th minute. However, Innsbruck managed to hold on to their narrow lead and move up to fourth place in the table. EC Red Bull Salzburg, on the other hand, lost some ground on the league leaders from Klagenfurt as a result of this defeat.
KAC extends lead in table | Bolzano back in top 6
The EC-KAC managed a 3:1 home win against the Moser Medical Graz99ers, who fought valiantly and were short of substitutes. As a result - and also due to the defeats of Salzburg and Fehérvár - the lead over the chasing duo grew to four points. Despite a number of absentees, the team at the bottom of the table kept the game open until the end. The KAC only scored the leading goal in the 56th minute.
HCB Südtirol Alperia mastered the first task of its difficult home double within 24 hours with flying colors. The Foxes beat third-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 4:2 to move back into the top six.
Pioneers and Pusterians celebrate victories after "extra shifts"
The BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg were able to celebrate a crucial victory in the battle for the pre-playoffs on Friday evening. In the direct duel against their closest rivals, the spusu Vienna Capitals, the Vorarlberg team managed a 3:2 victory after overtime. The Viennese team fought their way back into the game after trailing 2-0, but were unable to take the important extra point in overtime.
HC Pustertal, meanwhile, won 3:2 in a shootout against EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV. Villach, who were already leading 2:1 in the middle period, stumbled in the 46th minute when David Morley scored the equalizer. It was also Morley who then converted the decisive penalty shot after a goalless overtime. The South Tyroleans thus reduced the gap to the top six to three points. VSV is still in a playoff spot, but their cushion has shrunk to two points over seventh-placed Steinbach Black Wings Linz, who were without a game on Friday and have therefore played one game less than their direct rivals.
In the final game of the 41st round of the win2day ICE Hockey League, HK SZ Olimpija, who were short of substitutes, also managed a crucial 5:4 win at Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey after trailing 0:3. With these three points, the Slovenians not only keep themselves further away from the pre-playoff race, but can also reduce the gap to the top six to nine points.
win2day ICE Hockey League, Fri, 19.1.2024:
EC-KAC - Moser Medical Graz99ers 3:1 (1:1,0:0,2:0)
Referees: GROZNIK, HLAVATY, Durmis, Konc
Goals KAC: Hundertpfund (6.), Maier (56.), Kraus (60./en)
Goals G99: Salinitri (7th)
EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV - HC Pustertal 2:3 S.O. (1:1,1:0,0:1)
Referees: HRONSKY, SIEGEL, Bedynek, Puff
Goals VSV: MacPherson (20.), Lindner (28.),
Goals PUS: Schofield (12.), Morley (46., 65./pen)
HC TIWAG Innsbruck - EC Red Bull Salzburg 4:3 (3:0,1:1,0:1)
Referees: HUBER, NIKOLIC K., Eisl, Pardatscher
Goals HCI: Roy (1., 9., 19., 25./pp1)
Goals RBS: Raffl (28th/pp2), Nissner (31st), Baltram (57th/pp1)
BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg - spusu Vienna Capitals 3:2 OT (1:0,1:0,0:2)
Referees: OFNER, SEEWALD, Sparer, Wimmler
Goals PIV: Oden (6.), Kirichenko (40./pp1), Owre (62./OT)
Goals VIC: Wardley (47th), Donohue (47th),
Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey - HK SZ Olimpija 4:5 (1:0,2:2,1:3)
Referees: SCHAUER, TRILAR, Fleischmann, Rigoni
Goals ASH: Marchetti (18.), Ierullo (24.), Rapuzzi (28.), Oksanen (42.),
Goals HKO: Leskinen (39., 40./pp1), Gooch (42.), Cosic (50.), Zajc (53.)
HCB Südtirol Alperia - Hydro Fehérvár AV 19 4:2 (1:2,1:0,2:0)
Referees: BERNEKER, ZRNIC, Snoj, Zgonc
Goals HCB: Ford (9./pp1, 37.),
Goals AVS: Magosi (8th/sh1), Stipsicz (18th), Miceli (45th/pp1), Gazley (60th/en)
Photo (c): Georgios Papaconstantis | HCI