Many goals were scored on Sunday

VSV defended place 10 with Overtime-win at Ljubljana
HDD Olimpija Ljubljana finished off their home campaign of the 2016/17 Erste Bank Eishockey Liga season squaring off the same team they welcomed in the opening round. It was EC VSV, who came to the Slovenian capital. Despite both teams already missing the playoffs the game wasn‘t short in excitement. The Dragons had a slight upper hard in the opening period. But like throughout the season their power play failed to produce. With just under twelve minutes played Aljaz Chvatal opened the scoring with his 3rd goal of the season. 15 seconds had passed before the eagles got a power play of their own. Their execution was much better. Corey Locke set up Miha Verlic who netted the equalizer. Still Olimpija took a deserving lead into first intermission thanks to Sacha Guimond. As the teams returned the hosts quickly got one more shot on power play. Again the special team failed to produce. History then repeated itself. The visitors used their second man advantage perfectly with Eric Hunter getting the better of Jeff Frazee. Fighting and highly motivated dragons retook the lead once more in minute 33: With his first point Nikita Reyn found Gilbert Gabor. Fellow youngster had his aim ready and Rene Swette had to pick the puck out of his net for the third time. Thanks to Markus Schlacher's delay of game penalty late in the second the dragons started final period with 1:15 left on the power play, the Eagles managed to kill it off. With the game still up for grabs both teams kept on looking for a goal. It was Olimpija who added to their tally first with Gilbert Gabor's second of the night. With just under five minutes to go Jan Urbas managed to make it a one goal game again.VSV had a great chance to make it even a minute later with their third 5 on 4 of the game. This time the dragons managed to hold on for two minutes and keep their one goal lead. With 90 remaining in regulation time Greg Holst pulled the goalie for an extra attacker. The gamble paid off for the eagles. With 55 seconds left Eric Hunter brought the game into overtime. After some chances the decision came in the final minute of added time. It was the ex dragon Miha Verlic who scored the game winner. With Villach's win last three places in the Erste Bank Eishockey League are set before the final round. VSV will finish 10th, Olimpija 11th and Fehervar last for the season.

 

Youngster Donat Szita played his first EBEL-game this season after Patrik Kiss’s debut in Ljubljana. The first chance of the game was served by Graz but Hetenyi saved. Three minutes into the game Beauregard fouled but the guests couldn’t score five on four. After playing full strength Koger threatened and one minute later Graz scored, Pelech’s blueliner went into the upper right corner. In the middle of the period, the Hungarians had more chances, Erdély, then Maylan shot but Dahm saved. Seven minutes before the end Fehervar got a powerplay, and due to Pöck’s foul, the home team attacked five on three. Before the end of the period, Graz got two more penalties but Fehervar was ineffective. Bodo tried to score still on powerplay in the second period but Dahm saved. In the 5th minute, Erdely threatened, then Koger shot from the side. After Manavian’s penalty in the middle of the period, Graz scored their second goal, this time Siddall put the puck in the net. Fehervar had more chances in this period, but Dahm was the better goalie on ice. Boivin’s penalty Fehervar pushed for the goal, but no shots went into the net. Two and a half minutes left in the period, Erdely passed to Schiestel but his shot was blocked by the defense. At the beginning, the game went on on both ends. Pöck got the next penalty, yet Fehervar couldn’t use this chance either. Woger had a huge chance five on five but Hetenyi saved. 10 minutes left in the game first Boivin then Erdély had to sit in the penalty box, the game went on four on four. Pöck was left open on the right side in front of the net and he didn’t miss after Ograjensek’s pass. Fehervar had an answer to this goal, Bodo scored from close. In the last five minutes, Graz had one more powerplay, but neither Woger nor Zusevics scored. For the last few minutes, Fehervar pushed for another goal but they could not score anymore.

 

HC Orli Znojmo made pressure at Dornbirn in the beginning, but the „Red Eagles“ twice just hit the post. The Bulldogs also missed some really good chances, inter alia in Power Play. Finally in minute 25 the Czechs took the lead in a Power Play: David Bartos scored the 1:0 after a pass from McMonagle. But the west-club had a quick answer: Just 72 seconds later Martin Grabher Meier made the 1:1 also in a Power Play. At halftime Dominic Haberl was stopped with a foul after a solo and scored then the 2:1 from the Penaltyshot. The Austrians were now the chief on the ice: Martin Grabher Meier poked the puck in in another Power Play for the 3:1. Znojmo tried to come back, but Florian Hardy was not to beat. Brock McBride then decided the game with a rebound-goal. Lattner scored the 2:4, but it was to late for a comeback.

 

Brett Olson, who celebrated his 30th birthday today, had the perfect start into the game. He captured the lead after 2 minutes for EC Red Bull Salzburg. Only 17 seconds after that increased Michael Schiel the lead. 10 minutes later the HC TWK Innsbruck stoke back – also with two goals. First Andrew Clark scored in the 14th minute and one minute later Ondrej Sedivy brought the tie. In the 18th minute Clark even succeeded with his second goal of the night and the first lead for the sharks. In the second period the sharks increased the lead in the 27 minute afte a goal of Daniel Mitterdorfer. But the Red Bulls stroke back quickly. Peter Hochkofler scored the third goal of Salzburg and pressured for the tie. But instead of that Tyler Spurgeon scored the fifth goal for Innsbruck. In the final period Salzburg recreated the tie thanks to a double strike of Mark Flood and Alexander Rauchenwald within 40 seconds. In the 49th minute Matthias Trattnig recaptured the lead. In the 51th minute it was again Innsbruck who scored and brought the intermediate tie and one minute later even the lead thanks to goal of Austin Smith for 7:6. The Red Bulls fought successfully back one more time and made the unpossible possible. Bill Thomas scored in the 58th minute the tie and Daniel Welser captured the lead in the 59th minute. John Hughes brought with an empty netter the result of 9:7. With this win the Red Bulls are back on the top with even points to the Vienna Capitals.

 

EC-KAC had a good start into the game vs. UPC Vienna Capitals: Already in minute 3 Mitja Robar beat goalie JP Lamoureux with a covert shot. Jerry Pollastrone failed to score the equalizer alone in front of goalie David Madlener in a Power Play. This was punished by Klagenfurt with the next action: Matt Neal passed the puck from behind the net to Jamie Lundmark, who scored the 2:0 from the slot. The Capitals dominated at the beginning of period 2, but they failed to beat goalie Madlener. The guests took some penalties, but were able to make their first goal shorthanded. Two penalties against Rotter and Nödl brought the decision: 5-on-3 Mark Hurtubise scored the 3:1 and still in Power Play Kevin Kapstad added the 4:1. The final 2:4 made Patrick Peter.

 

Right from the beginning Bozen showed an improvement of performance in comparison the last games. And the intensity incensement payed out immediately. First Ryan Glenn scored a Rebound and then Brodie Reid capitalized from a penalty of Linz. In the next minutes the Black Wings increased intensity. During a power play situation Linz score their first goal of the night. Pichè shot from the blue line for the 1:2. The intensity of both teams increased and both teams struggled with some penalties. In the second period Bozen started again strong and delivered goals like on a band-conveyor. First Daniel Frank celebrated a shorthanded goal. After that Ryan Glenn succeeded with a deep pass to Gander, who had no troubles to overcome Ouzas. Luca Frigo even increased with a quaint goal to 5:1. Bozen kept on pressuring, the chances of Linz were limited. The final period didn’t have much highlights anymore. Bozen still controlled the game and waited for break throughs. Linz had in power play some good chances, but didn’t succeed anymore. After 11 minutes in the last period Lumoa scored a long distance shot for the 6:1 – it was his his first goal in the white and red jersey. After that Brett Palin corrected the result to 6:2.

 

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 9. Pick Round:
Sun, 19.02.2017: HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie” – EC Red Bull Salzburg  7:9 (3:2, 2:1, 2:6)
Referees: TRILAR, ZRNIC, Kontschieder, Pardatscher
Goals HCI: Clark (14., 19.), Sedivy (15./PP), Mitterdorfer (27./SH), Spurgeon (34.), Stach (51.), Smith (52.)
Goals RBS: Olson (3.), Schiechl (3.), Hochkofler (28.), Flood (43.), Rauchenwald (43.), Trattnig (49.), Thomas (58.), Welser (59.), Hughes (60./EN)
Sun, 19.02.2017: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EHC Black Wings Linz 6:2 (2:1, 3:0, 1:1)
Referees: Berneker, Gruber / Ettlmayr, Schauer; spectators: 2339    
Goals HCB: Ryan Glenn (5.), Brodie Reid (7./pp.), Frank (23./sh.), Gander (29.), Frigo (36.), Luoma (51.)
Goals EHL: Pichè (13./pp.), Palin (53.)
Sun, 19.02.2017: EC-KAC – UPC Vienna Capitals 4:2 (2:0/0:1/2:1)
Referees: NIKOLIC, STOLC, Rakovic, Verworner, spectators: 3.548
Goals KAC: Robar (3.), Lundmark (13.), Hurtubise (51./pp), Kapstad (53./pp)
Goals VIC: Vause (34./sh), Peter (59.)

 

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 9. Qualification Round:
Sun, 19.02.2017: Dornbirner Eishockey Club – HC Orli Znojmo 4:2 (0:0, 3:1, 1:1)
Referees; K. NIKOLIC/LEMELIN; spectators: 3.204
Goals DEC: 1:1 Grabher Meier (26./pp1), 2:1 Haberl (30./ps), 3:1 Grabher Meier (37./pp1), 4:1 McBride (46.)
Goals ZNO: 0:1 Bartos (25./pp1), 2:4 Lattner (56.)
Sun, 19.02.2016: HDD Olimpija Ljubljana – EC VSV 4:5 n.V. (2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 0:1)
Referees: KINCSES/SMETANA, spectators: 1.212
Goals Ljubljana: Chvatal (12.), Guimond (16.), Gabor (33., 49.)
Goals Villach: Verlic (13./PP, 67.), Hunter (24. PP, 60.), Urbas (56.)
Sun, 19.02.2017: Fehervar AV19 – Moser Medical Graz99ers 1:3 (0:1,0:1,1:2)
Referees: PIRAGIC, SIEGEL; spectators: 2063
Goal AVS: Bodo (52.)
Goals G99: Pelech (7.), Siddall (28./pp), Pöck (51.)