Release from 13.10.2021

Young Klagenfurt team narrowly defeated by Donetsk

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In the last match of the Champions Hockey League group stage, a young EC-KAC team was narrowly defeated by the HC Donbass Donetsk with 1:2. Even before the start of the game, the team from Klagenfurt were already the group winner. Donetsk was eliminated as third in the group despite the victory. In the sixth group match it was the first defeat for the KAC, where debutant Rok Kapel scored.

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In the sixth and last group match of the Champions Hockey League, nothing more was at stake for the EC-KAC. The group victory had already been decided before the game. Head Coach Petri Matikainen therefore sent a much rejuvenated team into the game against the HC Donbass Donetsk. For the Ukrainians, the victory in the „Klagenfurter Stadthalle“ was not enough. As third in the group, they missed out on advancing to the round of 16.

In front of 1209 spectators, the visitors took a 1:0 lead in the eighth minute of the match through a goal by Vitalii Lialka. The narrow lead lasted until the 28th minute of play before Rok Kapel scored to level the score. The 22-years-old Slovenian was making his debut for the professional team and promptly scored. Normally, the forward plays for the EC-KAC Future Team in the Alps Hockey League.
The score was 1:1 going into the final period, in which the home side had the better scoring chances for long stretches. About five minutes before the end of the game, however, the visitors scored to make it 2:1. In the power play, Olegs Sislannikovs scored. The EC-KAC could not answer and lost for the first time in the sixth group match.

Round of 16 draw on Friday
Next Friday, October 15th, the Champions Hockey League Round of 16 draw is scheduled at 12:00. In addition to the EC-KAC, the EC Red Bull Salzburg and the HCB Südtirol Alperia have also made it into the top 16 teams in Europe. Watch the draw live here: www.championshockeyleague.com.

Champions Hockey League:
EC-KAC - HC DONBASS DONETSK 1:2 (0:1, 1:0, 0:1)
Goal KAC: Kapel R. (28.)