Linz and Salzburg increase pressure on the league leader

Austrian Salzburg cracks shine in success over VSV

EC Red Bull Salzburg celebrated a hard-fought 4-2 win over EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV thanks to a strong finish. Despite numerous imports on both sides, it was mainly the red-white-red cracks who provided the highlights in this encounter. Five of the six goals were scored by Austrians. After a goalless first period, Benjamin Lanzinger opened the scoring in overtime. The Salzburgers answered with a double strike by Paul Huber and Ali Wukovits. However, the home fans' joy over the lead did not last long. Only 32 seconds after the opening goal - still in the second period - Robert Sabolic - with the only goal of an import player - equalized. After the scoring between the 21st and the 36th minute, almost 20 scoreless minutes followed again, but they had it in them with numerous shots on the bar. In the last five minutes of the match, last year's MVP Peter Schneider was able to give the Red Bulls the lead in powerplay before 20-year-old Lucas Thaler put the "lid" on it. In the standings, the gap to league leader Bolzano, who were beaten by Linz, was reduced to three points. However, Salzburg played three games less than the leader.

Pustertal enters top-10 for the first time

HC Pustertal confirmed their current form with a 4-0 win over BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg and moved into the top-10 for the first time this season. The Wolves won three of their last four games, only suffering a defeat in the South Tyrol derby against Bolzano. In the game against the league newcomer from Vorarlberg, Pustertal top scorer Olivier Archambault provided the quick lead. The goal also opened the league-wide scoring in November. The Pioneers subsequently tested Tomas Sholl a couple of times, but he did not allow any goals against. After a scoreless middle period the Wolves continued to add offense: Aaron Luchuk, Archambault's second goal of the night, and Marc-Olivier Roy made the final score 4-0, Sholl's second shutout of the season - both shutouts came in the past eight days. The Pioneers had to take over the red lantern from Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey after this defeat.



Caps earn overtime win in homecoming after comeback

For the first time in almost a month, the spusu Vienna Capitals were able to return to the STEFFL Arena and the return promptly had a positive ending. However, the Caps had to turn around a 0:2 deficit against the Moser Medical Graz99ers before they managed to win in overtime. First, Michael Kernberger scored for Graz in the final seconds of the first period. However, the better chances up to this point had the Viennese, who had not yet adjusted their sights. Victor Granholm added a second goal in powerplay at the start of the second period. Christian Engstrand was once again convincing in the Graz goal, but had to accept a powerplay goal from Matt Bradley in the 33rd minute. The Viennese continued to play with pressure and were rewarded by Nicki Hartl's equalizer in the 45th minute. In the overtime it went fast: In only 24 seconds the Viennese took the Graz box massively under fire. James Sheppard then cheered on the supposed winning goal. However, the 3700 fans in the STEFFL Arena still had to tremble when the referees reviewed this goal. Sheppard's goal was finally confirmed as a "good goal". While victories and defeats alternated for the Viennese in the past four games, the Styrians suffered another defeat after two successes in a row. Nevertheless, Graz managed to score points in three consecutive games for only the second time this season.

Innsbruck inflicts third defeat on KAC in Heidi-Horten Arena

HC TIWAG Innsbruck celebrated a 2-1 away win against EC-KAC on Tuesday. For the Innsbruck team, this was already the second win of the season against the "Rotjacken", the second win in the last three games as well as the third game in a row in which they managed to score points. The KAC, on the other hand, already suffered the third defeat in the fifths game in the new Heidi Horten Arena. The Sharks took the lead in the seventh minute after a quick advance off a rebound by Shaw. The Red Jackets managed to tie in the 14th minute through a spectacular combination, completed by Lucas Lessio. Although Innsbruck had more game shares in the first period, they had to go into the first break with a 1-1 score. In the second period Dario Winkler - again through a rebound - put his team in front again. Subsequently, Innsbruck goalie Thomas McCollum was able to withstand the pressure of Klagenfurt and brought the lead over time with 30 saves. The Sharks were able to keep up with the top-3 teams of the win2day ICE Hockey League with this success.

Black Wings win top game thanks to Lebler brace

Steinbach Black Wings Linz celebrated a 2-0 win over HCB Südtirol Alperia in the top match of Round 16 and thus reduced the gap to the league leader - with the same number of games - to three points. While Bolzano had to accept another defeat after four victories, the Upper Austrians managed their second home win in a row. The Foxes did not do themselves any favors by taking penalties in the first period. In double powerplay, Brian Lebler scored the opening goal. In the second period, the goalies of the two could excel, neither Rasmus Tirronen nor Sam Harvey allowed goals. In the final period, first Brian Lebler, despite a strong period of pressure from the Foxes, managed to score his second goal to make it 2-0. However, the league leaders kept up the pressure and eventually reduced the score to 1-2 in the 52nd minute, but the defense of the Upper Austrians and Tirronen held on to the lead and eventually prevailed 2-1.

First "series" for Asiago

Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey managed to record two wins in a row for the first time in the win2day ICE Hockey League. After the overtime win against Hydro Fehérvár AV 19 on Sunday, the league newcomer followed up with a full success against HK SZ Olimpija. A strong initial phase of the yellow-reds was decisive for it above all. Allan McShane and Anthony Salinitri made it 2-0 in the first five minutes of the home game, and Giovanni Vallati added 3-0 in the first period before Ljubljana also scored for the first time. However, Ljubljana started to catch up and reduced the score to 3:4 by the 43rd minute, but Asiago did not let the lead slip away and finally prevailed 5:3.

win2day ICE Hockey League | 1. November 2022 | Results:

EC Red Bull Salzburg – EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV 4:2 (0:0,2:2,0:2)
Referees: NIKOLIC K., STERNAT, Gatol-Schafranek, Riecken.
Goals RBS: Huber (30.), Wukovits (36.), Schneider (56./PP1), Thaler (58.)
Goals VSV: Lanzinger (22./PP1), Sabolic (37.)

BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg – HC Pustertal Wölfe 0:4 (0:1, 0:0, 0:3)
Referees: BERNEKER, NIKOLIC M., Martin, Sparer.
Goals PUS: Archambault (3./52./PP1), Luchuk (45.), Roy (53./PP1)

spusu Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz99ers 3:2 OT (0:1,1:1,1:0)
Referees: HRONSKY, SMETANA, Durmis, Konc.
Goals VIC: Bradley (33./PP1), Hartl (45.), Sheppard (61.)
Goals G99: Kernberger (20.), Granholm (23./PP1)

EC-KAC – HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie 1:2 (1:1,0:1,0:0)
Referees: OFNER, TRILAR, Puff, Snoj.
Goals KAC: Lessio (14.)
Goals HCI: Shaw (7./PP1), Winkler (31.)

Steinbach Black Wings Linz – HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:1 (1:0,0:0,1:1)
Referees: FICHTNER, SIEGEL, Bedynek, Bärnthaler.
Goals BWL: Lebler (9./PP2, 49.),
Goals HCB: Miceli (52.)

Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey – HK SZ Olimpija 5:3 (3:1,1:1,1:1)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, STEFENELLI, Bedana, Rigoni.
Goals ASH: Mcshane (2.), Salinitri (5./PP1), Vallati (15./PP1), Gazzola (22.), Marchetti (57.)
Goals HKO: Zajc (16.), Kalan (39.), Bericic (43.)

Foto ©BWL / Eisenbauer