Victories for Graz and Pustertal in long-distance duel for 10th place

Graz defeats Innsbruck

The Moser Medical Graz99ers celebrated an important away win in Tirol in the fight for the top-10. Johan Pennerborn's team beat HC TIWAG Innsbruck for the first time this season at the fourth attempt. After a meager yield lately - the Styrians conquered only two points in four games before - the small liberation blow succeeded now. However, due to the victory of HC Pustertal in the parallel game, the 99ers are still below the red line - level on points with the tenth-placed Wolves. After the early goal of Graz, the Sharks answered with a double in the first period. In the middle third, the 99ers were much more efficient and took the lead. Sam Antonitsch had already scored two goals by this point. Innsbruck increased the pressure in the final period, but could not score any more goals - also because of a strong playing Christian Engstrand. The Moser Medical Graz99ers finally celebrated a 4:2 success.

Bolzano turns around two-time deficit against KAC

HCB Südtirol Alperia prevailed in a hard-fought game against EC-KAC in a penalty shootout and thus extended their lead in the standings over EC Red Bull Salzburg, which was not playing. The Klagenfurt team was at least able to gain a small 1-point cushion on seventh-placed Steinbach Black Wings Linz thanks to the point win. Rok Ticar opened the scoring after less than 100 seconds. After Bolzano equalized in double overtime in the middle period, the newly crowned "Young Star of the Month of January" - Fabian Hochegger - managed to score again to take the lead. A little more than five minutes before the supposed end, Mitchell Hults silenced the loud Heidi Horten Arena for a moment when he shot his team into overtime. After a scoreless overtime, Mike Halmo was the game-winner with two converted penalties.



Caps advance in fight for playoff ticket

The spusu Vienna Capitals took the first step in the fight for a playoff ticket with a 4:1 away win at Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey. Alex Wall put his team in the lead after just 24 seconds. Asiago managed to equalize in the first period, but then had no suitable answer against efficient Viennese in the middle period. 19-year-old Mathias Böhm scored his ICE debut goal to make it 3-1. The Caps finally prevailed 4:1 and thus already have a lead of 4 points over seventh-placed Linz.

Pustertal defends tenth place

HC Pustertal managed to defend the important tenth place in the table for the time being, despite the success of Graz in the parallel match. The team from Bruneck won 4:2 in its home arena against the Steinbach Black Wings Linz, who with the fourth defeat in a row missed the chance to make the jump back into the top-6. The decisive factor for the Wolves' success was their efficiency in the middle third. After a scoreless first period, the hosts managed to score three goals despite a rather clear chance deficit. Two late goals from Linz suddenly made the match exciting again. However, Ivan Deluca brought the decision with an empty netter.



VSV records work victory against Pioneers

EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV extended their winning streak to six with a work victory on Friday night. The win keeps HC TIWAG Innsbruck within reach for the Eagles. First, the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg still took an early lead. But the answer of the Villach team was not long in coming before a longer period without any further goals. A double strike by the Eagles in the 27th and 28th minutes then put the visitors on the winning track, even though the Pioneers were able to shorten the score just moments later. VSV eventually prevailed 3-2, cutting the gap to third-place Innsbruck to five points.

Fehérvár succeeds in a landslide victory over Olimpija

Hydro Fehérvár AV19 achieved its highest win of the season with an 8:2 victory. The Hungarians didn't let anything go from the start and built up a 4:0 lead until the 25th minute. Alex Petan scored twice until then. In the final period Fehérvár increased the lead to 5:0 before HK SZ Olimpija scored for the first time. The Hungarians seem to be cemented in eighth place in the table even after this success. While seventh-placed Linz have a six-point lead, the cushion on ninth-placed Asiago is nine points.


win2day ICE Hockey League, 17.02.2023:

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie - Moser Medical Graz99ers 2:4 (2:1,0:2,0:1)
Referees: HRONSKY, SMETANA, Durmis, Riecken
Goals HCI: Shaw (15.), Bourque (17./SH1)
Goals G99: Antonitsch (3. 29.), Egger (36.), Fladeby (45.)

EC-KAC - HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:3 S.O. (1:0,1:1,0:1)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, TRILAR, Bärnthaler, Hribar
Goals KAC: Ticar, Hochegger (37.),
Goals HCB: Alberga (30./PP2), Hults (55.), Halmo (65./PS)

Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey - spusu Vienna Capitals 1:4 (1:1,0:2,0:1)
Referees: OFNER, ZRNIC, Pardatscher, Zgonc |
Goals ASH: Castlunger (8.),
Goals VIC: Wall (1.), Zimmer (35.), Böhm (38.), Preiser (57.)

HC Pustertal Wölfe - Steinbach Black Wings Linz 4:2 (0:0,3:0,1:2)
Referees: PIRAGIC, STERNAT, Nothegger, Seewald
Goals PUS: Ahl (24.), Bardaro (34.), Deluca (40.), Deluca (60./EN)
Goals BWL: Lindner (45.), Lebler (54./PP1),

BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg - EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV 2:3 (1:1,1:2,0:0)
Referees: BERNEKER, SCHAUER, Martin, Wimmler |
Goals PIV: Heier (3.), Pallestrang (28.)
Goals VSV: Tomazevic (6.), Kulda (27.), Sabolic (28.)

HK SZ Olimpija - Hydro Fehervar AV 19 2:8 (0:2,0:2,2:4)
Referees: FICHTNER, RENCZ, Gatol-Schafranek
Goals HKO: Sturm (47.), Pance (60./PP1)
Goals AVS: Petan (8.;22.), Mihaly (8.), Erdely (25.), Kuralt (41.), Stipsicz (48.), Terbocs (50.), Csollak (53.)