EBEL - Round 40

Moser Medical Graz99ers – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz  3:2 (1:1, 1:1, 1:0)
Comfortable 99ers Sunday’s win in Wien was announcement of good form. Unfortunately for Graz, it came a bit too late, although theoretical chances to secure sixth place and direct play-off spot still exist. Black Wings – as persuasive leaders of the league – were put on test right from the start of the game. Mathias Iberer twice and Zdenek Blatny were close to beat guests’ goalie Lorenz Hirn in early minutes. Rob Hisey failed to score for Linz on good opportunity on the other side. Dominancy of home team was awarded in 14th minute when Olivier Latendresse scored after marvellous pass from Patrick Harand (1:0). Home crowd didn’t celebrate long, as Daniel Mitterdorfer equalized for Linz two minutes later (1:1). Second period started again with strong Graz intention to score, but Black Wings perfectly finished one of their fast breaks in 23rd minute, when Danny Irmen put them in lead (1:2). Iberer failed to score on another chance for Graz before Patrick Harand levelled the score in 27th minute (2:2). 99ers continued to play in offensive manner after that and they missed several good chances to score the leading goal. Blatny alone failed to score on three such occasions. Toni Dahlman was first to miss a nice chance for Graz in the final period, but Latendresse managed to put home team in front in 42nd minute (3:2). Linz later tried to equalize, but home team defended their lead with ease until the end of game. Graz 99ers are on eighth place with 35 points, Linz is comfortably on top with 56.

EC KAC – UPC Vienna Capitals  5:4 (2:0, 2:0, 1:4)
It was probably the last chance for Capitals to remain in the race for sixth place last night in Klagenfurt. Manuel Geier opened the scoring for KAC in 6th minute (1:0). Tyler Scofield added another in power play for KAC 81 seconds later (2:0). Tommy Samuelsson, guests’ coach, immediately called time-out. Nothing changed on the ice, though. KAC remained the dominant team and Tyler Scofield, Dieter Kalt and Greor Hager failed to extend home team’s lead on nice goal scoring chances. Capitals couldn’t find any better form in second period. Mike Siklenka scored in PP2 situation for KAC in 31st minute (3:0). Gregor Hager added another in 38th minute (4:0) and it all looked lost for Capitals. Christoph brandner added fifth goal in 42nd minute (5:0). When Martin Oraze scored in PP for Vienna in 45th minute (5:1), nobody expected anything serious will happen for home team. But it did – Jonathan Ferland (5:2), Nathan Robinson (5:3) and Phillip Pinter (5:4) scored each inside three minutes between 46th and 49th minute. Almost twelve minutes to play, the game really got exciting. KAC players managed to defend their lead anyway, despite last minute’s play with four skaters against six, as they had Siklenka on penalty bench and guests were desperately trying to equalize without their goalie. KAC secured play-off spot with that win and Vienna is probably lost for sixth place as they trail Olimpija 5 points, three games to play.

KHL Medvescak Zagreb - SAPA Fehervar AV19  3:4 (1:0, 0:2, 2:1, 0:1) OT
Second of the Arena Ice Fever seven games series took place last night in Zagreb. 15.200 fans gathered again in sold out Zagreb arena. Balazs Ladanyi was first in a good chance to mopen the scoring for Sapa, but Michael Ouzas saved home team. Joel Prpic scored in 8th minute, when Medvescak was shorthanded, as he rebounded his own puck after fast breakaway (1:0). Ouzas kept his good form after that, as he was forced to save his team on number of occasions, once on 3 on 5 situation as well. At the beginning of the second period, ouzas saved another few pucks, but was unable to stop Derek Ryan’s shot in 28th minute (1:1). Arpad Mihaly added another for guests in 34th minute (1:2). Medvescak dominated in following minutes, but Adam Munro in front og Sapa’s net was also in good form. Home team was attacking in the opening minutes of third period as well, but Istvan Sofron scored for Sapa after nice solo effort in 46th minute (1:3). Bears didn’t give up and fully packed arena supported them enormously. Alan Letang scored in 54th minute power play (2:3) to renew home team hopes. Medvescak produced chance after chance later, but guests performed heroics in front of their goal. Ouzas left the ice in 59th minute and Bears were trying to equalize with sixth skater on – and they did it one second before the buzzer!! Sasha Pokulok scored after nice pass from Ryan Kinasewich (3:3). Arena was still in delirium when Marton Vas scored a winning goal for Sapa 27 seconds inside over time (3:4). Medvescak remains second with 47 points, and Sapa secured play-off spot with this win and is fifth with 42 points.

EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – EC Red Bull Salzburg  4:3 (1:0, 2:0, 0:3, 1:0) OT
Craig Weller opened the scoring in 3rd minute when he scored for VSV (1:0). Both teams were in chances to score after that, Red Bulls were slightly more dangerous side. No additional goals were scored inside first period. Many penalties on both sides marked second period. Tomaz Razingar scored second goal for VSV in 32nd minute, when both teams had four players on ice. Roland Kaspitz added another in power play two minutes later (3:0). It all gave home team real boost and Thomas Honeckl was forced to save Salzburg on number of occasions after that. It all changed in third period though. Jeremy Williams opened the scoring for Red Bulls in 49th minute (3:1). Doug Lynch scored another two minutes later (3:2) and Manuel Latusa equalized 100 seconds later (3:3). Refferees had to take video studies by second and third Bulls goal, but they were both allowed. Video studies also took place with third VSV goal, which was also allowed. An equalizing goal was a big boost for guests who dominated the rest of regular time of the game. Bernhard Starkbaum kept his shocked team with some nice saves in the game anyway and Kaspitz managed to score the winning goal for VSV after 45 seconds of overtime. VSV are ninth, chances for direct play-off spot are long gone. RBS are on third position.

HK Acroni Jesenice – HC Orli Znojmo  3:5 (1:1, 1:0, 1:4)
Another disappointment for poor home crowd took place last night in ice hockey crazed place - Jesenice. 1300 fans only gathered to observe the game between last and second last team in the league. Znojmo proved in previous games they are unpleasant opposition to Jesenice. Guests were punished with minor penalty after 29 seconds of the game already, but hometeam wasn’t dangerous at all in following two minutes. Power play for Orli later in the game also did not produce any goal. It was home team who took command in following minutes. Miha Brus and Jaka Ankerst failed to score on good goal scoring chances before Marjan Manfreda scored funny goal in 11th minute (1:0). He somehow complicated in front of guests’ goal and he finished together with puck inside the net. It was first Jesenice goal after more than 154 minutes of play. Home team was slightly better than Znojmo in following minutes, but no good hockey was seen. Lubomir Stach equalized in 19th minute for Orli (1:1). Both teams failed to score in power play in opening minutes of second period. Branislav Bendik scored his first ever EBEL goal in 25th minute to put Jesenice in front (2.1). Final third was total black out for home team. Jiri Boruta equalized in 46th minute (2:2) and Lubo Stach added another goal seconds later (2:3). Both goals were consequence of poor defensive efforts of home team. Clearly in shock, home team received another goal two minutes later, when playing power play (2:4). Time out helped them to reorganize and Luka Tosic scored for Steelers in 54th minute (3:4). Znojmo clever defended their net after that and managed to score an empty net goal in 60th minute (3:5). Both teams remained in their positions; Jesenice are last in EBEL, seven points behind Znojmo.

Schedule for 41st round, Friday, January 13th, 2012:
Zagreb (CRO): Medvescak – KAC
Szekesfehervar (HUN): Sapa – Olimpija
Wien: Vienna Capitals – RB Salzburg
Graz: Graz 99ers – Orli Znojmo
Villach: VSV – BW Linz

 

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