EBEL - Round 43 review

KHL Medvescak Zagreb – HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana  5:2 (0:0, 3:1, 2:1)
Fifth in series of seven Arena Ice Fever games took place last night in Zagreb. The Arena was once again sold out. There were some fans from Slovenia, too.  76.000 spectators in last ten days are really something other teams in EBEL can be envy of. Tom Zanoski and Geoff Waugh were unable to beat JP Lamoureux in opening minutes to give some joy to the home fans. Guests were forced to defend and were completely nonthreatening on the attacking side. Greg Day, Ryan Kinasewich and Joel Prpic (twice) also tried to beat guests’ goalie, but could not. Medvescak’s atomic start into the second period resulted in two goals inside 23 seconds. Frank Banham was first to score in 22nd minute (1:0), Kinasewich added another goal 23 seconds later (2:0). Matej Hocevar scored on rebound in 26th minute (2:1) to give guests some hope. Sasha Pokulok was next who failed to score for Medvescak in following minutes, but Kinasewich did it in 39th minute power play (3:1). Bears started the third period with another goal – Matt Siddall scored his first ever for Medvescak in 41st minute (4:1). Strange backhand shot surprised Robert Kristan in Medvescak’s goal in 49th minute when Erik Pance scored for guests (4:2). Andy Sertich added fifth goal for home team in 54th minute (5:2) and Medvescak won the game comfortably. Both teams already qualified for the play-offs. Medvescak is on the second position, Olimpija is fifth.

EC KAC – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV  2:3 (1:0, 1:1, 0:1, 0:0, 0:1) PS
Traditional derby of neighbouring teams caused a lot of attention. KAC was already qualified for the play-offs before the last night’s game; guests from Villach were trying to defend their seventh position. Both teams focused on defending during opening minutes and chances were rare. Rob Shearer was close to score his first goal for VSV in 6th minute, but Andy Chiodo managed to keep his net clear. It took eleven minutes for KAC to endanger Bernhard Starkbaum on the other side, but Joey Tenute failed to score on nice chance. Mike Craig missed one for VSV in 13th minute and it all looked like goal-less period for the spectators. Mike Siklenka scored 37 seconds before first intermission anyway (1:0). He scored for KAC with 143km/h shoot. Second period was KAC-dominated from the beginning. Second goal by Tenute in 25th minute came as a result of that (2:0). As it is proper for derby – guests did not give up. Shane Toporowski hit the frame of KAC’s goal in 31st minute to announce what was coming – Marco Pewal scored in 32nd minute power play (2:1). Benjamin Petrik was in chance to level the score in 37th minute, but he failed to score. Tenute was unlucky to hit the frame only for KAC in 43rd minute. Shearer was in a chance to equalize in 45th minute and Manuel Pirmann was in chance to extend KAC’s lead in 53rd minute. They both failed to score. Derek Damon was close to equalizer in 56th minute and he hit the post in 57th minute. Damon scored in 59th minute anyway (2:2). Damon added some more excitement when he was hit with puck in the head by his team colleague’s one-timer in overtime. Manuel Geier missed a nice chance for KAC 20 seconds before overtime was over. It took as much as 22 penalty shots to determine the winner; Gerhard Unterluggauer’s goal gave VSV first derby win in eight games. KAC moved up one place to fourth, VSV remains seventh.

EC Red Bull Salzburg – Moser Medical Graz99ers  6:3 (0:0, 2:2, 4:1)
Red Bulls were keen to show their fans the good form before crucial part of the season. Their wish was also to win back second place in the league so they started to play aggressive right from the start. They outshot guests from Graz 18:6 during first period, but couldn't score. 99ers were only dangerous in fast breakaways, but there was also no effort. Robbie Earl opened the scoring in 22nd minute PP2 situation (1:0). Doug Lynch added another in 26th minute PP (2:0). Guests didn’t give up and they levelled the score with Guillaume Lefebvre (2:1, 36’) and Matthias Iberer’s goals (2:2, 38’). Jeremy Williams (3:2, 44’), Doug Lynch (4:2, 45’) and Thomas Raffl (5:2, 46’) decided the winner. Olivier Latendresse managed to put Graz closer in 53rd minute (5:3), but Brent Aubin added another for Salzburg in the next minute (6:3). Red Bulls remain third as Medvescak also won. Graz is ninth.

UPC Vienna Capitals – SAPA Fehervar AV19 3:2 (1:1,1:1,1:0)
Guests from Hungary were the dangerous team in the opening minutes of the game. Balasz Ladanyi capitalized his team’s dominance in 12th minute (0:1). It woke up Vienna’s players and they started to endanger guests. Filip Gunnarsson scored in PP in 17th minute to give home team an equalizer (1:1). Capitals were even better during the second period and they really put guests under pressure occasionally. Pat Kavanagh scored in 27th minute (2:1), but Marton Vas answered for Sapa two minutes later (2:2). Interesting hockey faded after that and both teams were equal before the final period.  Phillip Pinter put Capitals in the lead once more in 44th minute and it was the final goal of the night. Capitals are eighth and they still hope for position Nr.7. Sapa is sixth, theoretic chances for positions for and five still exist.

HK Acroni Jesenice – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz  1:5 (1:0, 0:2, 0:3)
What an easy win for guests last night in Podmezakla Ice Hall! Poor home team offered some weak resistance during the first period but it was clear that the leaders from Linz are not playing with full approach. Home team could not endanger Lorenz Hirn in guests’ goal even when power-played. It was power play situation anyway, when first goal for Jesenice was scored; Andrej Tavzelj skated from the middle line towards left-hand side board and was faking the board shot. It tricked the most of the spectators, as well as Lorenz Hirn when he fired the puck towards goal and it finished inside Black Wings’ net (1:0). Guests remained calm and played their game after that with patience. Rob Hisey equalized in 24th minute (1:1). Home team missed several semi-chances after that and Brian Lebler put Black Wings in the lead in 38th minute (1:2). It was total eclipse of home team in the final period: Martin Grabher Meier scored third goal for Linz in 46th minute (1:3) and Gregor Baumgartner added fourth in 47th minute (1:4). Grabher Meier scored in power play for Linz in 52nd minute also to give the leaders well deserved win. Jesenice management have a lot to concern if there are sincere wishes to fight for play-off places during next weeks.  Their team is by far last in EBEL, their hockey is poor and few fans that persevere on their games are only a pattern. Black Wings on the other hand are convincingly on top of the league.

Schedule for 44th (last) round, Friday, January 20th, 2012:
Zagreb (CRO): Medvescak – RB Salzburg
Ljubljana (SLO): Olimpija – KAC
Villach: VSV – Orli Znojmo
Graz: Graz 99ers – Acroni Jesenice
Linz: BW Linz – Vienna Capitals

 

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