Release from 04.03.2017
Three teams are with their back to the wall on fourth quarterfinal game day: HC TWK Innsbruck, HC Orli Znojmo and Moser Medical Graz99ers need a first home win in their series to stay alive. In addition, HCB Südtirol Alperia could extend their lead against EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz.
Caps try to go through in ServusTV live game
In an intense and physical game, HC Innsbruck suffered a 7:4 defeat in Vienna on Friday. The Tirolese had too many penalties and suffered the 8th defeat in their 9th season meeting with the Caps. Coach Rob Pallin looks ahead: „Now it‘s all about the next game. We have to win the day, win the game. We are focused and will fight till one drops.“ The Viennes hit the road for Innsbruck early Saturday for a perfect preparation. The club got their only sweep against Graz in the 2011-12 campaign but this means nothing to Andreas Nödl : „We know to stay calm and focused. We have great respect for Innsbruck and it‘s not over until we have the fourth win.“ A trio of Capitals players leads the playoffs scoring charts: 1. Holzapfel (5G/3A), 2. Rotter (1G/6A), Tessier (1G/4A).
Znojmo wants to exten series at home
HC Orli Znojmo made some mistakes defensively and suffered a third defeat against Klagenfurt. Goalie Marek Schwarz kept their chances alive for long time but the Czechs were not able to score on KAC for the second time this season. „Yesterday we made too many mistakes in our own zone. I‘m always glad to start a game between the pipes,“ summarizes Schwarz. In their debut season 2011-12, Znojmo lost the quarterfinal series against Zagreb 0:4 and they have to improve on Sunday because Klagenfurt has nine wins in a row now. The record-holding champions decided two series 4:0 to their favour in the past: 2008-09 against Linz and the finals against Vienna 2012-13. „We should not take the series easy as the fourth win is alway the toughest one. We have to give 110 per cent again,“ reports Stefan Geier who leads KAC together with his brother Manuel in playoffs with 2 goals and 2 assists each.
Linz hopes to get the rebreak in Bolzano
Thanks to a strong performance of Marcel Melichercik, who had 53 saves, HC Bolzano got the break in Linz yesterday. It seemed like becoming the first goalless playoff game for long periods but with three minutes to go Brodie Reid broke the spell and led his team to winning ways. It's their first ever lead in a series against Linz. „We know that we have only won one battle. The series will be still long. The whole team has to help Marcel Melichercik," says Marco Insam. Bolzano's win was a game changer for Rob Daum's team, too. Now the Upper Austrians need a break to be in the driving seat again. They had major problems in front of the opponent's goal: In 168 postseason minutes Linz scored only three goals. After losing the last three games in Alto Adige, they need to find a way to bounce back. Linz mananger Christian Perthaler: „We have to play like last night and the puck will bounce for us again. Then we will win the series“
99ers want to bring back series to Volksgarten
Graz had no chance in their second away game in Salzburg, too. They suffered a 5:1 defeat and are just one loss away from the end of the season. The Styrians have never won a playoff series in their history. Now they are close to a 5th quarterfinal exit in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. „You have to put in your chances against a team like Salzburg. For us young players it‘s a great learning process,“ tells us young gun Stefan Trost who has palyed 54 games for Graz this season. The Red Bulls could not only go through with another win, it would be some days rest before the semis, too. However, defender Dominique Heinrich does not want to take Sunday's game easy: „We want to win the fourth as well and if we do as in the last game we can go through. But it will not happen all alone.“ In their championshp season 2014-15, the Red Bulls earned two sweeps.
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 4th quarter-finals (best of seven):
Sun, 05.03.2017: HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ – UPC Vienna Capitals (17:00, ServusTV live)
Referees: SMETANA, ZRNIC, Kaspar, Zgonc.
Score in the best-of-7 series: HCI-VIC: 0:3
Sun, 05.03.2017: HC Orli Znojmo – EC-KAC (17:30)
Referees: LEMELIN, SIEGEL, Nothegger, Verworner.
Score in the best-of-7 series: ZNO-KAC: 0:3
Sun, 05.03.2017: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (17:30, video33.it, in ITA)
Referees: PIRAGIC, TRILAR, Nagy, Nemeth.
Score in the best-of-7 series: HCB-BWL: 2:1
Sun, 05.03.2017: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC Red Bull Salzburg (18:30, Sky live)
Referees: GRUBER, K. NIKOLIC, Rakovic, Schauer.
Score in the best-of-7 series: G99-RBS: 0:3