Some teams surprised on Friday

The game started with good chances on both sides, Shark Mitch Wahl even hit the post: Then the Red Bulls took advantage from a Power Play: Brant Harris scored from the slot. Innsbruck answered two minutes later: Andrew Clark scored after a solo. Both teams scored another goal in period 1 after mistakes in the defense, Mario Huber was successful for Salzburg and Morten Poulsen for Innsbruck. In period 2 both teams searched their luck in the offense, but no goal was scored. Shark Yogan just hit the post. In period 3 the Mozart Citizens were the chief on the ice, but Rene Swette was not to beat. In the overtime John Lammes fixed the win for Innsbruck after 77 seconds after a solo counter attack.

 

HCB Südtirol Alperia took the lead in a shorthanded situation in minute 10: Michael Halmo scored from close range. The Dornbirn Bulldogs stayed unimpressed and continued to play aggressive. On the other side Bozen stayed dangerous from counter attacks. Halmo came close to add the 2:0, but he just hit the post. In period 2 the Foxes scored from two Power Plays: Christopher DeSousa (28./pp1) and Angelo Micelli (33./pp1) were successful – 3:0. The Foxes continued to make pressure. In period 3 Dornbirn tried to come back, but Sean McMonagle only hit the post from the blue line. On the other side DeSousa (47.) scored the 4:0. In the last minutes Dornbirn showed character and scored two goals from Jamie Arniel (47.) and Stefan Häußle (58./sh1).

 

EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz was more active in period 1 and got a 2:0-lead from goals from the Austrians Fabio Hofer (solo-attack) and youngster David Franz, who finished a perfect pass from Andreas Kristler. Fehervar AV19 was dangerous from counter-attacks, but Mike Ouzas was not to beat. After the re-start Fehervar AV19 returned strong and scored the 1:2 from Oliver Lattendresse. The game went up and down now. While Hofer and Lebler missed chances, LoVecchio scored with a turn-around the 2.2. The guests then even got the lead, but the Austrians stayed unimpressed and answered with four goals – Schofield with a big shot, Lebler from the slot, again Schofield (EN) and Joel Broda (EN) were successful. Linz won 6:3 and returned on place 2.

 

The first home game for Medvescak's starting goalie Kevin Poulin after the return from the Spengler Cup in Swiss Davos started better for the visitors. Villach was the first to threaten through Kyle Beach in the third minute, but the shot was deflected wide. Merely two minutes later Harri Tikkanene intercepts the puck in the neutral zone and swiftly plays for Tyler Morley who easily beat David Kickert from distance. That was Morley's first of four points of the night, he added three assists. 40 seconds afterwards Michael Boivin loses possession on the blue line in the attacking zone, Benjamin Petrik breaks out in counter and dekes out Kevin Poulin to level the score at one apiece. Medvescak had four powerplay opportunities in the first period but couldn't capitalize, even in spite of that VSV were the better team. Villach carried over a penalty on Morley into the second period and started furiously, but couldn't find the back of the net. Valentin Leiler found Felix Maxa in the slot, the latter couldn't finish the tip-in. Soon after, at 26:32 Nikolas Petrik managed the tip-in after an assist from Robert Flick to bring the visitors the lead for the first time. VSV were still the more active team as Kyle Beach took the puck from his own zone into the attack, went into the slot but couldn't finnish against Kevin Poulin. The momentum shifted into Bears' advantage in matter of minutes. Four quick goals in the span of rougly 7 minutes proved enough for the home team to take the three points.  First Sondre Olden finds the back of the net after a scramble in the slot to tie the game at 29:04. Tero Koskiranta scores the game-winner a minute later on yet another counter, buries the puck below the crossbar alone with the goalie. Michael Boivin scores at even strength 4-on-4 at 35:00, Sondre Olden shorthanded at 36:29 adds another one.  Kevin Poulin pulled off two magnificent saves to start the second, but the biggest steal of the game came from David Kickert when Olden found Mahbod on the right who shot from near, the referees took good 5 minutes to take a look at the replay, but fairly ruled no goal. To end the game Aviani and Mahbod scored two in the third period for the final score of 7:2.

 

The Vienna Capitals took over the control of the game from the start, but the Caps could not use their chances. In minute eight Marek Spacek was free and he scored the 1:0 for HC Orli Znojmo after a counter. The hosts changed their goalie: Lamoureux replaced Tschrepitsch. But the lead gave the „Red Eagles“ an extra boost, Adam Miller missed the 2:0. On the other side Vause (solo) and Sharp failed to take advantage from good opportunities. The Caps stayed unlucky in period 2: Rotter (rebound), Wukovits (break away, post) and Vause (slot) missed their chances. Finally in minute 33 Andreas Nödl made the 1:1 from the slot. But the Czechs had a quick answer: Marek Biro scored the 2:1 from a rebound in a Power Play again. The Capitals answered in a Power Play: Pollastrone finished a nice combination for the 2:2. Period 3 and the Overtime stayed goalless. In the Shoot Out only Michal Plutnar was successful and fixed the road-win for Znojmo at Leader Vienna.

 

EC-KAC started strong, but the 99ers scored the goal: Daniel Woger was successful from a rebound. This was a wake-up call for Klagenfurt, that answered quickly: Thomas Koch finished a nice combination for the 1:1. The Red Jackets continued to make pressure, but faied to score again. In period 2 the guests from Graz did more for the offense and after a blueliner from Robin Weihager new signing Anthony Camara made the 2:1 from a rebound. The Carinthians did not found a answer and so the 99ers left Klagenfurt with three points.

 

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, round 37:
Fri, 05.01.2018: EC-KAC – Moser Medical Graz99ers 1:2 (1:1,0:1,0:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC, STERNAT; spectators: 3.940
Goal KAC: Koch (9.)
Goals G99: Woger (5./pp), Camara (23.)

Referees: K. NIKOLIC, spectators: 5.350
Goals VIC: Andreas Nödl (33. Min.), Jerry Pollastrone (40. Min., PP1)
Goals ZNO: Marek Spazek (8. Min.), Marek Biro (36. Min., PP1), Michal Plutnar (65. Min., PS)

Fri, 05.01.2018: KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC VSV 7:2 (1:1,4:1,2:0)
Referees: BABIC, TRILAR; spectators: 4.899
Goals MZA: Morley (5.), Olden (30., 37./sh), Koskiranta (31./pp), Boivin (35.), Aviani (47.), Mahbd (59.)
Goals VSV: B. Petrik (6.), N. Petrik (27.)

Fri, 05.01.2018: EHC LIWEST Black Wings – Fehervar AV19 6:3 (2:0, 0:2, 4:1)
Referees: BALUSKA; GRUBER; Zuseher: 4.865
Goals BWL: Hofer (9.Minute), Franz (16.), Schofield (44./59. EN), Lebler (46.), Broda (60. EN)
Goals AVS: Lattendresse (23.), Lovecchio (37.), Stipsicz (42.)

Fri, 05.01.2018: HCB Südtirol Alperia – Dornbirn Bulldogs 4:2 (1:0, 2:0, 1:2)
Referees: BERNEKER, ZRNIC; 2.980 spectators
Goals HCB: 1:0 Halmo (10./sh1), 2:0 DeSousa (28./pp1), 3:0 Micelli (33./pp1), 4:0 DeSousa (47.)
Goals DEC: 4:1 Arniel (47.), 4:2 Häußle (58./sh1)
Fri, 05.01.2018: EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ 2:3/OT (2:2,0:0,0:0,0:1)
Referees: BULOVEC/LEMELIN, spectators: 3.126;
Goals RBS: Harris (8./pp), Huber (13.)
Goals HCI: Clark (9.), Poulsen (17.), Lammers (62.)