Release from 08.09.2018
On Friday Medvescak Zagreb came back from a 4:1 deficit to beat HC Genève-Servette after penalties. It was the bears' first preseason win in front of their home crowd. While Innsbruck and Linz suffered tight away defeats, Graz lost their opening game at the Energie Steiermark Trophy. In addition Dornbirn Bulldogs signed Canadian defender Reid McNeill.
In their first game in front of a home crowd, Medvescak Zagreb welcomed HC Genève-Servette who took an early lead. Soon after Kyle Hardy's equalizer, the Swiss side restored their lead for a 2:1 after 20 minutes. In the middle frame they added two more goals but Greg Mauldin made it a two-goal game even before the second intermission. The Croats came out hard for the third and tied the score with a brace by Captain Nathan Perkovich and Mike Aviani. The game went into shootout where Kyle Hardy and Sondre Olden lit the lamp for a 5:4 home win.
Graz falls to Praha
With Rahm, Lukas Kainz, Robin Jacobsson and Ken Ograjensek missing, Moser Medical Graz99ers head coach Doug Mason mixed his lines for the game against HC Sparta Praha at Energie Steiermark Trophy. In the first period the hosts had some troubles with the Czechs' fast-paced hockey and took some penalties. Tomáš Dvořák used one power play for a Prha lead but just one minute later Ty Loney tied it. In the second Lukáš Pech restored the guests lead before Honza Košťálek even made it a two-goal game. With three minutes to go in the middle frame, it was once again Loney who added a second for Graz. The hosts tried hard but were not able to tie in the third. Pech rounded off the scoring with an empty netter. While Praha plays Swiss side SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in tomorrow's final, Graz takes on Slovak team HK Nitra in the game for third place.
Black Wings lose last friendly
In their last preseason game, Liwest Black Wings Linz suffered a 4:2 defeat in Augsburg. While Andreas Kristler opened the scoring for Linz after only four minutes, Ullmann turned the game around for the DEL side with a brace. After a goalless second, the Germans scored another two goals within short time for the preliminary decision. Bracken Kearns' second goal for Linz was not enough to come back again.
Innsbruck comes short in goal fest
With lots of penalties on both sides, the game Straubing against Innsbruck was good practice for the special teams. After the Germans opened the scoring on power play, Daniel Wachter and Andrew Yogan turned the game around. Joy was short-lived with Straubing equalizing soon with a man advantage. Early in the second the DEL side capitalized on a PP2 but Yogan found the back of the net again for a 3:3 score. Soon later the hosts came to winning ways with scoring a brace. Clark pulled one back in the third but Straubing promptly made it a two-goal game again. With three minutes to game John Lammers finished off the scoring.
Dornbirn sign defender
Dornbirn Bulldogs signed Canadian defender Reid McNeill. In the past six years the 26 years-old has played 334 American Hockey League games, gaining 49 points. Now he comes overseas for the first time to play for Dornbirn in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
Preseason:
Fri, 07.09.2018: Moser Medical Graz99ers - HC Sparta Praha 2:4 (1:1, 1:2, 0:1)
Goals: 0:1 Dvořák (16./PP), 1:1 Loney (17.), 1:2 Pech (23.), 1:3 Košťálek (34.), 2:3 Loney (37.), Pech (60./EN)
Fri, 07.09.2018: Straubing Tigers - HC TWK Innsbruck "Die Haie" 6:5 (2:2, 3:1, 2:2)
Goals Innsbruck: Wachter (6.), Yogan (11., 31.), Clark (46.), Lammers (58.)
Fri, 07.09.2018: Augsburg Panther - EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz 4:2 (2:1, 0:0, 2:1)
Goals: 0:1 Kristler (4.), 1:1 Ullmann (15.), 2:1 Ullmann (19.), 3:1 McNeill (42. PP), 4:1 Stieler (44.), 4:2 Kearns (46.)
Fri, 07.09.2018: KHL Medveščak: Geneve-Servette HC 5: 4 (1: 2, 1: 2, 2: 0, 1: 0)
Goals Zagreb: Hardy (8., 65./entsch. Penalty), Mauldin (37.), Perkovich (48.), Aviani (50.)