EBEL - round Nr.20

KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC Rekord-Fenster VSV  7:1 (1:0,3:0,3:1)

Nothing new in Zagreb: Medvescak is in great form lately and Dom sportova was sold out once again. Home team started the game in search of their fifth consecutive win. On the other hand VSV also won both of their last two games, including Friday’s away game in Linz. Bears played with confidence, but VSV did not let them put any real pressure at the beginning of the game. It all changed in 6^th minute when Frank Banham scored power play goal for Medvescak (1:0). Home team was slightly better later during the period, but nothing changed on a score shield. Second period was quite different: Medvescak applied enormous pressure; shots from VSV were very rare. Fans exploded in 28^th minute when Greg Day extended Bear’s lead (2:0). Sasha Pokulok and Ryan Kinasewich added goals in 34^th (3:0) and 35^th minute (4:0) and delirious Croatian crowd started to sing “Villach, Villach auf wiedersehen” (Villach,Villach goodbye) in German. Adam Naglich scored Medvescak’s fifth goal in 44^th minute (5:0) before referees let game slip out of their hands; guests provoked and Bears defended in few boxing matches, teams gathered 32 (Medvescak) and 30 (VSV) minutes of penalties in last period alone. Mike Craig prevented home goalie Robert Kristan from second shut-out in three days scoring a consolation power play goal for Villach in 46^th minute (5:1). David Brine added a goal himself in 51^st minute (6:1) and Ryan Kinasewich scored his second of the night in the next minute (7:1). Medvescak is sixth in the league with 20 points and VSV is on the bottom with 12.

Ryan Kinasewich, Medvescak: two goals

HK Acroni Jesenice – UPC Vienna Capitals 3:2 (2:1,1:1,0:0)

Jesenice performed poor on Friday in Znojmo, Czech Republic. Some 2000 fans gathered anyway to witness what during the last years developed to be traditional game between Slovenian champions and team from Austrian capital. Some Jesenice fans returned from Znojmo (about 450km away) an hour before last night’s game. Home team started atomic: they scored two goals in 17 seconds of 3^rd minute (1:0, 2:0) to please their fans. Guests were in shock and Jesenice controlled the game. It all changed in 17^th minute when Capitals’ fast break split home team’s lead to half (2:1). Jesenice started second period shorthanded and Nathan Robinson scored his first ever goal for Vienna in 22^nd minute to level the score (2:2). Guests were quite aggressive and dangerous in following minutes, but home goalie Gasper Kroselj was unbeatable. Power play for home team in 33^rd minute offered crowd some excitement before Jaka Ankerst scored his second goal of the night in 37^th minute to renew Jesenice’s lead (3:2). Antti Pusa failed to score for home team on great opportunity in 43^rd minute. Pusa was again in centre of attention in 50^th minute when he won a boxing match against Vienna’s Nathan Robinson. Guests tried to do something, but home defence was very cautious and solid. Surprisingly for home fans referees gave Jesenice power play two minute before final buzzer. Vienna’s desperate attempts to level the score finished with puck in Jesenice’s goal moments after game was finished. It all ended up in deserved 3:2 win for Jesenice. They are now together with Znojmo on 9^th place in the league standings, Vienna is seventh.

Jaka Ankerst, Acroni Jesenice: two goals against Capitals

HC Orli Znojmo – Moser medical Graz 99ers  0:3 (0:1,0:1,0:1)

First game between opponents from Znojmo and Graz ended up in disaster for Znojmo: Graz won 7:1. It never looked to be the same last night: both teams were not in good mood for goal scoring. Two power play situations on each side ended up unused before Kristof Reinthaler scored first goal for Graz in 8^th minute (0:1). Sven Klimbacher hit the post for Graz later in the period, but nothing changed on score shield. Znojmo started to play better early in the second period, but 4 on 3 situation on ice for 99ers meant extension to their lead in 28^th minute when Brett Lysak scored first of his two goals. Guillaume Lefebvre (Graz) and Jakub Stehlik (Orli) tried to entertain crowd with some boxing in 37^th minute. Both were given 14 minutes of penalty. Martin Podesva was charged for boarding ( + game misconduct) during the final period; six seconds before end of five minute penalty Brett Lysak scored his second and final goal of the night (56’, 0:3). Graz is on place Nr.8 with 16 points, Orli are point shorter.

HDD Tilia Olimpija – EC Red bull Salzburg  3:2 (1:2,0:0,1:0,1:0) o.t.

There’s always some controversy when it comes to game between Olimpija and Salzburg. Crowd in Ljubljana is very hostile towards guests from Salzburg, but it is all inside reasonable limits. Robert Earl and Fabio Hofer missed early game chances for Salzburg, and Tomi Mustonen failed to beat guests’ goalie on the other side. First goal of the night was scored in 15^th minute when last second of power play for guests gave them a leading goal (0:1). Jamie Fraser equalized for Olimpija in PP situation in 19^th minute (1:1). Scoring wasn’t finished for the period though: Brent Aubin put Red bulls in lead 14 seconds before first intermission (1:2). Both teams had their guns empty during second period, although guests hit the post on one occasion. Two men advantage on ice at the beginning of last period didn’t prove to be beneficial for home team. Anze Ropret hit the post for Olimpija in 53^rd minute and J.P.Lamoreux kept Olimpija in the game on other side. Red bulls were penalized in 57^th minute and guests’ goalie Joshua Tordjman saved dangerous shot from Jamie Fraser. It was Scott Hotham who equalized moments later (2:2, PP, 58’) and game went in over time. John Hughes scored in 63^rd minute after nice solo effort to give home team prestigious win. Olimpija is now second with 24 points, Red bulls are fifth with two points less.

Sapa Fehervar AV19 – EC KAC  5:2 (1:0,2:2,2:0)

It was a bit of a surprise when Sapa started the game in really aggressive manner. They usually concentrate on their defence and try to endanger guests with quick counter attacks. Well, not last night. Sapa attacked right from the first moment, Csaba Kovacs and Marton Vas failed to score on first opportunities. Guests from Klagenfurt were surprised, they were forced to commit many fouls. Eric Johansson scored for Sapa in PP2 situation in 8^th minute (1:0). KAC began to play a bit better, but nothing significant changed on the ice. It was E. Johansson on two occasions who failed to extend Sapa’s lead. Jordan Morrison scored his first goal for KAC in 22^nd minute (1:1), but Csaba Kovacs answered two minutes later (2:1). Sapa dictated the pace in following minutes, but KAC equalized in 28^th minute anyway (2:2). It was KAC’s turn to miss two great opportunities moments later; two different two-on-one situations weren’t properly finished. Istvan Sofron scored on rebound in 37^th minute (3:2) to give Sapa another lead before second intermission. KAC tried to level the score at the beginning of last period and home goalie Adam Munro had to show all his skills to keep Sapa in front. On the other side Derek Ryan was irregularly stopped during quick break in 46^th minute and he was given penalty shot. He failed to score and the game was still open. Sapa’s strong commitment and solid defence, plus Adam Munro kept result unchanged until 59^th minute. And it wasn’t KAC that changed score shield – it was Sapa. Krisztian Palkovics’ power play one timer gave home team extension to lead (4:2). Same player hit empty net seconds later (5:2) to give Sapa well deserved win and KAC their third defeat in last three games. KAC is third with 23 points, Sapa trail one point on fourth place.

Krisztian Palkovics, Sapa Fehervar: two crucial goals

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