Release from 12.02.2025
The race for playoff spots in the win2day ICE Hockey League couldn’t be any tighter. While the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV re-entered the battle for the Top-6 with a shutout win, the Steinbach Black Wings Linz secured a crucial victory in their direct showdown with the Moser Medical Graz99ers. Meanwhile, HCB Südtirol Alperia and EC Red Bull Salzburg took a big step towards the quarterfinals with wins—Salzburg’s coming in overtime. The only team already locked into a Top-6 finish is EC-KAC, who pulled off a comeback win in OT against Pioneers Vorarlberg.
Black Wings Edge Graz in High-Stakes Clash
In the only matchup between two Top-6 teams, the Steinbach Black Wings Linz secured a massive home win over the Moser Medical Graz99ers, leapfrogging them in the standings. The lead changed hands multiple times in a thrilling contest. The Upper Austrians came out flying, with Raphael Wolf opening the scoring just 90 seconds in. However, the Graz99ers turned the game around before the first intermission. Kilian Zündel tied it up before Kevin Roy jammed the puck over the line just seconds before the buzzer. The middle frame was a scrappy affair, with both teams finding the back of the net once, sending Graz into the final period with a one-goal advantage. However, the 99ers ran into penalty trouble, and the Linzers made them pay. They cashed in on their power plays to clinch a 5-3 victory. Brian Lebler recorded a hat-trick, propelling Linz to fourth place in the standings—though their cushion over seventh place is just two points.
VSV Closing in on the Top-6
VSV remains in striking distance of the Top-6 after a dominant shutout win over the spusu Vienna Capitals. They now sit just one point behind sixth-placed Graz. In the ORF live game against the Caps, Dylan MacPherson put the visitors from Villach ahead in the eighth minute, with Thomay Vallant doubling the lead in the 18th. Vienna pushed back in the second period but couldn’t solve J.P. Lamoureux. Goals from Maximilian Rebernig and Nikita Scherbak in the final frame sealed the 4-0 win for VSV.
KAC and Salzburg Rally for Overtime Wins
Pioneers Vorarlberg made life difficult for the league leaders on Wednesday night. While EC-KAC had the better start and took the lead in the 11th minute, the Vorarlberg squad—still fighting to stay in the playoff race—flipped the script before the first intermission. Between the 19th and 34th minute, the Pioneers struck four unanswered times, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. But a powerplay goal from Matt Fraser late in the second period swung the momentum back in Klagenfurt’s favor. Simeon Schwinger (56’) and Nick Petersen (60’) forced overtime, where Kevin Clark completed the comeback.
A similar scenario unfolded in Brunico, where HC Pustertal controlled the first 40 minutes and took a 3-1 lead into the final frame. But EC Red Bull Salzburg refused to go quietly. Dennis Robertson tied the game with just 100 seconds left in regulation, sending it to overtime. And it didn’t take long—just 40 seconds in, Andrew Rowe netted the game-winner. With the win, Salzburg held on to second place in the standings. The Red Bulls now need just one more point to officially punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Foxes Post Shutout in the ‘Grand Classico’
HCB Südtirol Alperia put on a dominant display, shutting out Migross Supermercati Asiago in the ‘Grand Classico’ and moving to the brink of a quarterfinal berth. The Foxes dictated play from the opening faceoff but couldn’t beat Asiago netminder Justin Fazio in the first period. That changed in the middle frame as Adam Helewka and Pascal Brunner finally found the back of the net, giving Bolzano a 2-0 lead. Asiago never managed to mount a comeback and had to settle for a 3-0 defeat. In the standings, Bolzano is now tied in points with second-placed Salzburg, sitting third. Just like Salzburg, they are only one point away from locking in a playoff spot.
win2day ICE Hockey League, Wednesday, 12.02.2025:
spusu Vienna Capitals – EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV 0:4 (0:2,0:0,0:2)
Referees: OFNER, SIEGEL, Bedynek, Durmis.
Goals VSV: MacPherson (8.), Vallant (18.), Rebernig (42./pp1), Scherbak (60./en.)
EC-KAC – Pioneers Vorarlberg 5:4 O.T. (1:1,1:3,2:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Bärnthaler, Puff.
Goals KAC: Hundertpfund (11.), Fraser (37./pp1), Schwinger (56.), Petersen (60.),
Clark (63.)
Goals PIV: Macdougall (19.), Centazzo (24.), Macierzynski (30.), Schnetzer (34.),
Steinbach Black Wings Linz – Moser Medical Graz99ers 5:3 (1:2,1:1,3:0)
Referees: FICHTNER, SEEWALD E., Jedlicka, Konc.
Goals BWL: Wolf (2.), Lebler (33.;44./pp1;48./pp1), Knott (48./pp2),
Goals G99: Zündel (13.), Roy (20.), Ganahl (40.),
HCB Südtirol Alperia – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 3:0 (0:0,2:0,1:0)
Referees: HUBER A., SMETANA, Fleischmann, Riecken.
Goals HCB: Helewka (28.), Brunner (37.), Frigo (54./pp1)
HC Pustertal – EC Red Bull Salzburg 3:4 O.T. (1:0,2:1,0:2)
Referees: NIKLOIC M., STERNAT, Hribar, Zgonc.
Goals HCP: Traversa (14.), Akeson (28.), Coulter (40./pp1),
Goals RBS: Kosmachuk (26.), Nissner (55.), Robertson (59./pp1), Rowe (61.)