EBEL, Round Nr.15

EC KAC – EC Rekord Fenster VSV  2:1(1:1,1:0,0:0)

The biggest Carinthia sport event took place last night in Klagenfurt. KAC’s disgrace from Sunday’s game in Ljubljana (0:6) wasn’t good announcement for the game on one side and improvements in VSV form gave hope for guest fans on the other. KAC started the game off with great determination and pushed toward guest’s goalie very strong. Cristoph Brandner missed to score on great goal scoring opportunity in 7^th minute and some other good chances were missed by KAC’s players. VSV on the other side took advantage of their first power play situation in 15^th minute to score an opener (0:1) of the night. Lead for VSV lasted two minutes only as Markus Pirmann scored well deserved equalizer for KAC in 17^th minute (1:1). Second period offered same picture: KAC was better and Dieter Kalt scored in 22^nd minute to put KAC in front (2:1). Following minutes of predominance for KAC were unused and rare VSV counter attacks weren’t any trouble for the home team. Guests tried to do something in last twenty minutes of the game, but home defense was in way better form then on Sunday. Ex-KAC striker Mike Craig hit the post for VSV moments from final buzzer, but the score shield remained on 2:1. KAC won seventh consecutive home game and is again second in the league and VSV lost after two wins in a row.

HDD Tilia Olimpija – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz  2:3 (0:1,1:1,1:1)

3000 fans gathered in Tivoli to watch the game between second and first team in the league. Olimpija destroyed KAC on Sunday (6:0) and was full confidence for the game against leaders. Nothing much happened in opining minutes though. Both teams focused on defense. Yet in 4^th minute Linz managed to score on the near post (0:1). Afterwards both goalies stopped some dangerous shots. The beginning of second period offered pretty much the same picture. Great 2 on 1 situation for home side was saved by Alex Westlund on one side and J.P.Lamoreux had to perform his best to stop Justin Keller and Mike Ouellette twice. Olimpija scored an equalizer during power play situation in 37^th minute (1:1). Justin Keller renewed the lead for Linz in the same minute (1:2). Justin Keller was again scorer in 46^th minute power play for Linz (1:3). Jamie Fraser put Olimpija closer two minutes later (2:3). Home team tried to equalize the result during last minutes. Some strange refereeing was seen and the crowd booed referees on number of occasions. Linz hit the post on one occasion and Justin Keller had another great opportunity to seal the game. Nothing changed though. Linz extended the lead on top of the league standings to four points and Olimpija drop one place to the 3^rd position.

Justin Keller, Black wings Linz

Sapa Fehervar AV19 – Moser Medical Graz 99ers  6:3 (2:1,2:2,2:0)

Sapa is not a surprise any more. Their well known and well organized defensive playing with quick and dangerous counter attacks is very tough nut to break for any team in the league. Graz players found a key to that in the first minute of the game though when Patrick Harand scored on rebound. Istvan Sofron scored his and Sapa’s first of the night on power play situation two minutes later (1:1). Sofron did it again during another PP situation in 9^th minute (2:1). Later during the period home goalie Adam Munro saved good goal scoring chance for Graz. Zdenek Blatny scored an equalizer on 26^th minute power play for 99ers (2:2). Derek Ryan scored his 13^th goal in 14 games in 31^st minute (3:2) to put Sapa in front once again. Blatny equalized once again in 34^th minute (3:3), but Sofron’s third goal of the night in 38^th minute(4:3) put Sapa in front once again. Graz did not manage to put any real pressure against home side during the last period. In fact, Sapa scored in 53^rd minute (5:3) to extend the lead and sealed the game in 55^th minute (6:3) on power play situation. Sapa remain high on league standings (Nr.4) and Graz lost their third consecutive game.

Istvan Sofron, Sapa Fehervar: three goals

EC Red bull Salzburg – HK Acroni Jesenice 3:2 (0:2,1:0,1:0,0:0,1:0) p.s.

Last night’s game between champions of EBEL and Slovenian champions offered a lot of excitement. Red bulls were more dangerous in an opening minutes, but Gasper Kroselj in Jesenice’s goal defended his net very well. Surviving the early pressure Jesenice started to play their own offensive hockey, too, but Josh Tordjman in Salzburg’s goal was also well prepared. Kroselj saved great power play opportunity for home team in 15^th minute. First goal of the night was scored in 16^th minute when Anze Kuralt (once member of Salzburg’s youth team) managed to push the puck into the net (0:1). Counter attack by Jesenice in 20^th minute gave guests another goal (0:2). Salzburg scored in 22^nd minute power play (1:2) to put some pressure against well organized guests. Slovenian champions had to defend their lead shorthanded in many situations as they were given 18 minutes of penalties in second period alone! Their counter attacks were very dangerous though and home team have to thank Josh Tordjman to keep their hopes for last period alive. Rob Earl’s equalizer in 46^th minute (2:2) was the only goal in third period and teams had to go to over time. Nothing changed though and penalty shots had to decide a winner. Eight rounds of penalty shots had to be performed, both teams scored few goals, but at the end of the day Salzburg won the game. Red bulls are on position Nr.5 of league standings and Jesenice collected their 5^th point since Friday.

UPC Vienna Capitals – HC Orli Znojmo  9:2 (3:1,3:0,3:1)

Both teams lost their Sunday’s home games and were eager to improve their performance. Capitals started well and scored during power play in 2^nd minute (1:0) of the game already. Petr Kanko managed to score an equalizer for Czechs in 9^th minute (1:1), but home team answered strong: two goals in 26 seconds of 11^th minute gave them comfortable lead (3:1). Znojmo was offered good opportunity to come closer as they were playing a minute and twenty seconds with two men advantage, but nothing happened. Znojmo was dangerous at the beginning of the middle period, but unfortunate mistake by their goalie extended home lead in 28^th minute (4:1). Jiri Beroun failed to score on another great chance for Znojmo and punishment came in 34^th minute: Vienna scored their fifth of the night (5:1). Guests were in shock and Benoit Gratton scored another for Vienna only ten seconds after (6:1). Znojmo changed their goalie, but nothing significant changed on the ice. Guests scored anyway in 51^st minute (6:2) only to upset Vienna: Francois Fortier scored another for Vienna on PP situation in 54^th minute (7:2) and added another one in 55^th minute (8:2). Later on Jonathan Ferland  - after scoring first goal of the night – scored also the last one in 57^th minute (9:2) to give this season’s not convincing Capitals something to cheer about. Both teams now have 13 points and are on sixth (Vienna) and seventh (Znojmo) position in the league.

Jonathan Ferland, Vienna Capitals

Schedule for 16^th round, Friday, October 28^th

Znojmo (CZE): HC Orli Znojmo – HDD Tilia Olimpija

Zagreb (CRO): KHL Medvescak – Vienna Capitals

Villach: EC Rekord fenster VSV – Red bull Salzburg

Graz: Moser Medical graz 99ers – EC KAC

Linz: EHC Liwest Black wings Linz – Sapa Fehervar AV19

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