EBEL 19th round review

KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC Red bull Salzburg  5:0 (3:0,1:0,1:0)

Medvescak started last night’s game in sold out Dom sportova very confident due to winning in last three league games. Sasa Martinovic, Adam Naglich, Frank Banham and Joel Prpic missed to score on nice opportunities. Anyway, great chances missed did not run Bears will low. It all resulted in Tom Zanoski’s goal in 15^th minute (1:0). The lock was then opened and Ryan Kinasewich doubled the lead right in the next minute (2:0). Third effective break of the night finished Pascal Morency in 20^th minute (3:0) to give home team well deserved lead after first period. Second period wasn’t so fluid. Salzburg’s Johannes Bischofsberger was in chance to score, but home goalie Robert Kristan stopped his try in a great way. The only goal of the period was scored in 36^th minute (4:0) when Andy Sertich finished shorthanded break in style. Crowd was impressed and very loud, giving home players additional strength. Robert Earl was in great chance for Salzburg in last period, but Kristan finished his game with clean sheets: his first shut-out of the season. There was a bit boxing presented as well, two players of each team had to leave the ice. Vyaceslav Trukhno scored his sixth goal in four games in 58^th minute (5:0) to finish destroying of last season’s EBEL champions. Medvescak is seventh with 18 points and Red bulls are fourth with three points more.

Robert Kristan, KHL Medvescak: shut-out

HC Orli Znojmo – HK Acroni Jesenice  6:2 (2:0,2:2,2:0)

Great Jesenice’s performance in Linz on Tuesday attracted more than 200 fans from Slovenia to come to Znojmo. It all went wrong from the beginning for Slovenian champions: Adam Havlik scored for Orli in the second minute already (1:0). Guests were in shock despite great support from fans and Znojmo failed to extend the lead due to very confusing guests’ defence. On the other side Jesenice did not apply any real pressure even during power play. In fact, Jarusek somehow pushed the puck over the line in 16^th minute (2:0) for Znojmo. Orli finished first period with two goals advantage and two men down on ice. Jesenice did not capitalize on that. On contrary: Znojmo scored another in 22^nd minute (3:0). Fourth goal for Orli was scored in 30^th minute and Jesenice seemed to be completely lost. Antti Pusa (32^nd, 4:1) and Henrik Petre (36^th,PP1, 4:2) however gave some hope to enthusiastic guests’ supporters. It was Jesenice who ended period with two men less on ice this time. Guests managed to keep their net empty with 3 on 5 situation, but received a puck inside moments later with 4 on 5 (5:2, 42^nd minute). Orli scored once again in 52^nd minute (6:2) to finish guests’ point winning streak after six consecutive games. Znojmo is now on eighth place in the league and Jesenice are once again on 10^th place.

HDD Tilia Olimpija Ljubljana – Sapa Fehervar AV19  2:5 (1:1,0:2,1:2)

The game between this season’s surprise teams in the league took place last night in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Both teams have great goalies. Sapa’s Adam Munro was beaten in second minute already (1:0). Olimpija defended well during shorthanded play in next two minutes and put some real pressure against guests from Hungary later in the game. Brothers Erik and Ziga Pance both hit the post of Munro’s goal, but home team did not extend the lead. On the other side Eric Johansson and Istvan Sofron did not manage to beat J.P.Lamoreux on their first opportunities. Sofron scored though in 18^th minute (1:1) to level the score. Both teams failed to score in power play situations at the beginning of second period, shots were imprecise. Derek Ryan proved once again in 31^st minute that Sapa’s this year’s fast breaks are lethal (1:2). It was quite a shock for Olimpija and Sapa was the dangerous team later during the period. Another Sapa’s goal was disallowed before third post hit by home team. Guests scored in 39^th minute again (1:3). Anze Ropret scored his second of the night in 43^rd minute (2:3) to give home fans some hope. Arpad Mihaly failed to score on great opportunity for Sapa and Olimpija had to kill two penalties later during the final period. Erik Pance hit his second (Olimpija’s fourth) post of the night to put his team in desperation. On the other side Istvan Sofron scored in 56^th minute (2:4) and Balasz Ladanyi in 59^th minute (2:5) removed an illusion of unbeatable J.P.Lamoreux completely. Both teams remain on their league positions: Sapa is fifth and Olimpija is third.

UPC Vienna Capitals – EC KAC  5:1 (1:1,2:0,2:0)

Renewed Capitals arena was opened for the game against KAC. Some 7000 fans gathered to observe magnificent game. Both teams tried to put some early pressure, skated fast and wanted to score. Defensive fail from KAC’s Mike Siklenka offered Harald Ofner chance he didn’t miss: 1:0 for Vienna in 9^th minute. Fans were still on their feet when Raphael Herburger levelled the score 52 seconds later (1:1). KAC hit the post of home goal minutes later and both goalies proved to be in good form until the end of first period. Jonathan Ferland capitalized on two men advantage on the ice for Vienna in 21st minute (2:1). Mike Siklenka’s exaggeration sent him off the ice and added 5 minutes penalty for KAC as well. Ross Lupaschuk punished KAC for that with shot from blue line to give Capitals an extension to the lead (3:1, PP1, 34^th minute). Both teams concentrated on defence later during the period, Capitals satisfied with their lead and KAC preventing home side from scoring more goals. KAC surprisingly didn’t apply any real pressure in the last period and Vienna scored twice more in 52^nd (4:1) and 55^th minute (5:1) to seal comfortable win in front of ecstatic crowd. Third consecutive win for Capitals keep them in sixth place, KAC remains second in the league.

Ross Lupaschuk, Vienna Capitals

EHC Liwest Black wings Linz – EC Rekord fenster VSV  2:5 (1:1,0:2,1:2)

Surprise in Linz: Black wings did not win at least a point after as much as 14 consecutive games. It proved last night in Linz there are no easy games in EBEL. VSV was (as a matter of fact still is) on the bottom of the league standings, but Eagles from Villach fought really hard to win some points. Four players in fact were missing in home team, including star goalie Alex Westlund. Anyway, Linz failed to score on two great opportunities at the beginning of the game and VSV tried to fight back with many shots from different distances. VSV came in front in 7^th minute (0:1), but it lasted 18 seconds only before Pat Leahy levelled the score (1:1). The game wasn’t as spectacular as it promised to be in first minutes and period finished with 1:1. Villach did put some pressure at the beginning of the second period and it resulted in power play goal in 27^th minute, scored by the captain of Slovenian national team Tomaz Razingar (1:2). Boxing intermission between Craig Weller (VSV) and Brian Lebler (Linz) was decided in Weller’s advance, both players were sent off the ice. Derek Damon scored in PP2 situation for VSV in 34^th minute (1:3). Benjamin Petrik (VSV) was also sent off the ice at the beginning of the last period for checking against Robert Lukas, who ended up in lying on the ice in blood. Linz’s goal was disallowed in 46^th minute and Derek Damon scored again in 48^th for Villach (1:4, PP2). Additional minor penalties for VSV weren’t punished proper. Linz however scored shorthanded goal in 56^th minute (2:4) and tried to put some final pressure against guests. Two minutes and 17 seconds before final buzzer Black wings pulled their goalie off the ice, exchanged him with an extra skater, but Tomaz Razingar’s second goal of the night (2:5, 60^th, EN) sealed a surprise win for guests. Villach remains on bottom of the league, Linz is comfortably on top with eight points advance.

Tomaz Razingar, VSV: two goals

Schedule for next round, Sunday, November 6^th 2011-11-05

Zagreb (CRO): KHL Medvescak – EC VSV

Jesenice (SLO): HK Acroni Jesenice – UPC Vienna capitals

Szekesfehervar (HUN): Sapa Fehervar AV19 – EC KAC

Ljubljana (SLO): HDD Tilia Olimpija – Red Bull Salzburg

Znojmo (CZE): HC Orli Znojmo – Graz 99ers

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