EBEL - tenth round review

HK Acroni Jesenice – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz  3:4 (1:0,1:1,1:2,0:0,0:1) p.s.

Teams from two steel cities expected last night's game with different feelings: guests from Linz are the most effective team in league and Jesenice struggle with scoring goals. Home defeat on Friday did not give any boost to the crowd; there were many gaps in the stands of Podmezakla Hall. Home team started the game off with enthusiasm, played well in defence and attacking the opposition from Linz with caution. Both goalies performed well during the first period. Guests were given penalty for Game Misconduct and Boarding 3 and a half minutes before first buzzer when captain of home team Andrej Tavzelj needed medical assistance to get off the ice. Jesenice scored power play goal 13 seconds from time to lead the game after first period. Second period wasn’t as good for Jesenice – Linz missed several good chances and home goalie Gasper Kroselj had to perform really well. He was beaten in 33^rd minute though when Brian Lebler scored with his third sequential shot. Jesenice scored on rebound (2:1) after quick counter attack in 36^th minute to restore the lead. Nothing much happened until the end of the second period – Black Wings were slightly better team, but Jesenice defended their lead. Linz scored power play equalizer in 46^th minute and came in front in 52^nd after poor home side defending. Luckily for Jesenice one-timer from A.Tavzelj levelled the result on 3:3 in 55^th minute. Last minutes of the game offered many excitements in front of home goal, but the result did not change. Over time also didn’t give any answers and penalty shooting was decided by the only goal scorer for Linz – Rob Hisey. Linz won for the sixth time in a row and is leading the league standings and Jesenice moved off of the last position in the league.

HC Orli Znojmo – EC Red Bull Salzburg  3:1 (2:0,0:1,1:0)

Obviously there’s a new boost in Znojmo after signing a new coach. Znojmo won on Friday away in Jesenice and beat the champions Salzburg last night. Orli started offensively from the first moment of the game and Salzburg goalie’s mistake in 9^th minute put Znojmo in front. Red Bulls were clearly in shock as Znojmo continued to play very attacking hockey. Few good chances were missed before 19^th minute when Orli doubled their lead after rebound. At the beginning of second period home team hit the post. Salzburg came closer with power play goal in 28^th minute (2:1), but that just strengthen the pressure on guest’s goalie. Another post was hit by home team later during the period but the crowd didn’t see any more goals. Pressure from Salzburg during the last period wasn’t effective. In fact, Orli scored another goal in 52^nd minute to seal their second win in a row. They now have 8 points on their account and are closer to teams in the middle of league standings.

KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC KAC  5:4 (1:2,2:1,2:1)

Goalie crisis in Zagreb: Robert Kristan is not ready yet, Michael Ouzas injured and 18-years old Andrej Vasiljevic was not fully prepared for the game. Medvescak had to find a solution: Croatian native another 18-years old Mate Tomljenovic was signed from Dubnica (SVK) only few hours before the game. Home team scored after marvellous pass from Slava Trukhno in the first minute already (1:0) to release the pressure off their young goalie. He was beaten in 8^th minute though (1:1), saved some shots after that and was beaten in 18^th minute again (1:2). KAC was the better side during opening minutes of the second period and as a result they scored their third goal (1:3) in 22^nd minute. Slava Trukhno produced another beautiful pass for Medvescak in the next minute and young Slovenian international Gal Koren had to just put the puck into net (2:3). Medvescak scored on PP2 situation in 39^th minute to level the score on 3:3. KAC came in front in 45^th minute (3:4), but another power play goal for home team levelled the score in 48^th again (4:4). It was Trukhno’s pass to decide a winner: his third assist of the night gave Medvescak the lead (5:4) and it proved to be the final goal of the night. KAC lost their second game of the season and is now off the league position Nr.1. Medvescak has now 5 wins out of 9 games.

Moser Medical Graz 99ers – EC Rekord Fenster VSV  5:2 (1:2,2:0.2:0)

Fourth consecutive home win for Graz 99ers! Sixth game in a row lost for guests from Villach! It didn’t look like that in the first minute of the game when guests scored their leading goal(0:1). It wasn’t a big shock for Graz though. They started to play attacking hockey and were forcing Villach to defend. 99ers managed to level the score (1:1) in 12^th minute, but there was another cold shower for them just a few seconds later when VSV renewed their lead (1:2). Another great chance was missed in the next minute for VSV and it gave something to think about for the home team. Boxing fight in 26^th minute between Kevin Moderer and Greg Kuznik turned things around: Graz started to play better and scored in power play situation in 28^th minute already. VSV tried to put some pressure on Graz after that, but one of the counter attacks gave 99ers their first lead of the night in 32^nd minute (3:2). Villach didn’t put their act together during the last period and Brett Lysak scored in 51^st (4:2) and 60^th (EN) minute (5:2) to secure Graz another home win. 99ers now have 10 points on their account and are currently on place Nr.5 of the league standings. VSV is now on the bottom of the league.

UPC Vienna Capitals – Sapa Fehervar AV19  (2:2,2:2,1:1,0:0,1:0) p.s.

Well known Sapa’s defensive play with counter attacks gave early results last night: opening goal of the night was scored in 4^th minute (0:1). Vienna played strong and offensive after that, but managed to level the score (1:1) in power play situation during 14^th minute only. Sapa had answer to that, too: they also scored on power play situation in 17^th minute (1:2). Capitals levelled the score yet in another PP situation in 20^th minute (2:2). Many mistakes in both defences offered nice chances for both teams during the second period. It was Sapa once again who scored the leading goal in 28^th minute (2:3). Another PP goal was the equalizer in 33^rd minute (3:3) and Filip Gunnarsson gave the lead for Vienna in the next minute (4:3). It was Sapa then to score in the final minute of the second period to level the score on 4:4. Vienna came in front once again during the last period: a 46^th minute goal by Daniel Nageler (5:4) offered a taste of win, but Sapa answered quickly – an equalizer in 47^th minute was scored by Balazs Ladanyi (5:5). Vienna was given a power play situation in over time, but it was Sapa who missed a good opportunity to win: Andras Horvath hit the post. Penalty shots were luckier for the home team and gave Vienna their second p.s. home win in a row. Capitals joined a group of teams with 10 points and are on the 8^th spot in the league. Sapa is the only team with 10 games played and is currently on Nr.4 of the league standings.

Schedule for next round, Friday, October 14^{th -}

Linz: Black Wings Linz – Vienna Capitals

Graz: Graz 99ers – Olimpija Ljubljana

Znojmo (CZE): Orli Znojmo – KHL Medvescak

Klagenfurt: EC KAC – Acroni Jesenice

Villach: EC VSV – Sapa Fehervar AV19

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