EBEL - 37th round

EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz – KHL Medvescak Zagreb 1:4 (0:3, 0:0, 1:1)
Unexpected and unwanted fail happened to Black wings last night. The guests from the Croatian capital were more focused and determined on their first 2012 game. There was a bit of bad luck included for Black wings as well, as Pat Leahy hit the post of Robert Kristan’s goal in seventh minute. Medvescak took a lead in 9th minute when Frank Banham scored (0:1). Things got worse for home team in the 15th minute when Ryan Kinasewich effectively finished a fast break for Medvescak (0:2). That wasn’t all – Kinasewich added another for guests in PP two minutes later (0:3). Black wings played with two men advantage on ice for more than a minute and a half at the beginning of second period and they hit another post, but they didn’t score. Daniel Oberkofler failed to push the puck in empty guests’ net minutes later. On the other side, Kinasewich missed a good chance to extend the lead for guests. There was also a bit of boxing in second period as Matt Siddall (Medvescak) and Michael Mayr (Linz) got into a fight. Another PP2 situation for Linz appeared at the beginning of third period – no goal whatsoever. The home team hit another post of Kristan’s goal in 48th minute, only this time Daniel Oberkofler managed to score on rebound (1:3). Following attempts of Black wings weren’t effective and guests used their power play in 55th minute to score another goal (1:4). Medvescak’s win was well deserved and it proved good form before crucial part of the season. Linz is however still on top of the league, leading following Salzburg with comfortable 10 points advantage. Medvescak is third, another point behind Red bulls.

HC Orli Znojmo – UPC Vienna Capitals 2:3 (1:1, 1:0, 0:1, 0:1) OT
Both teams began last night’s game in Znojmo in quite offensive manner. Orli hit the post of guests’ goal twice in opening minutes and opened the scoring in 10th minute, when Martin Podesva scored (1:0). Guests from Austrian capital equalized 14 seconds before first intermission as Peter Casparsson effectively finished quick counter attack of Vienna (1:1). Mike Danton missed a great chance to score for Orli at the beginning of second period. Interesting things happened in 27th minute when both teams had penalty shots inside eleven seconds. Francois Fortier failed to beat Ondrej Kacetl on one side, but seconds later Adam Havlik beat Reinhard Divis to give Znojmo the lead (2:1). Francois Fortier and Mike Danton fist-fight was an introduction of third period. Martin Podesva was unlucky in following moments as he hit another post for Znojmo. On the other side, Philipp Pinter managed to equalize when Vienna played short-handed in 51st minute (2:2). Ross Lupaschuk was close to score a winning goal for Vienna moments before end of third period, but Kacetl was focused enough. Overtime was finished after 87 seconds, as Lupaschuk beat Znojmo goalie with a powerful shot from the blue line (2:3). That way Vienna remains in competition for sixth place in the league – they are currently seventh, three points behind Olimpija on sixth place. Znojmo remains tenth.

HK Acroni Jesenice – EC Rekord-Fenster VSV 1:5 (0:2, 1:2, 0:1)
Second miracle in three days didn’t happen for Jesenice players and fans. Winning against Salzburg on January 1st probably took too much power out of young Slovenian team. Guests from the other side of Karavanke mountain chain were the better side from the first moment on. Home team didn’t produce virtually anything in power play between third and fifth minute. Guests were more successful as they scored on their power play in 7th minute. Failure in home team’s defence in 11th minute offered guests a chance to extend the lead – ad Marcus Peintner did just that (0:2). Jesenice youngsters weren’t dangerous at all and shots on goal ratio were 20:2 in Villach’s favour after first period. Shane Toporowski added another goal for VSV after 22 seconds of second period already (0:3). Jonathan Juliano scored in 26th minute (1:3) to give home team some hope. Andrej Zidan missed a chance for Jesenice to get closer in following minutes. Kevin Mitchell scored another for Villach in 34th minute (1:4) and the winner of the game was already known. 39 shots on Gasper Kroselj’s goal in first two periods tired him and home coach Heikki Mälkiä decided that it is time for Michal Fikrt to stand in front of home goal in final period. Fikrt was also put on test at the beginning of third period. Craig Weller and Shane Toporowski both hit the post of Fikrt’s goal in 45th and 47th minute. Weller sored in 56th minute though and sealed an important win for VSV – they still have minimum chances to catch sixth place in last few rounds of regular part of the season. They are actually eighth, 5 points behind Olimpija on sixth place. Jesenice remain on bottom of the league.

EC-KAC – SAPA Fehervar AV19 4:3 (0:1, 1:2, 2:0, 1:0) OT
It was a fight for third place in EBEL last night in Klagenfurt. Guests were effective in 3rd minute already when Istvan Sofron scored (0:1). Home team wasn’t any good in following minutes; an early shock was probably too big. Two power play situations for KAC didn’t prove to be of any help as well. Balint Magosi repeated the exercise at the beginning of second period as he scored for Sapa in 22nd minute (0:2). KAC finally got their act together after that and began to endanger guests. Tyler Scofield scored in 26th minute (1:2) to raise KAC’s appetites. Red jackets (KAC) were the better side in following moments, but they forgot to be careful in defence. Punishment came in 30th minute when marton Vas and Istvan Sofron almost repeated action from the first goal – Sofron scored to extend Sapa’s lead (1:3). KAC didn’t produce anything significant in following minutes, having missed a chance to score on two power play situations. Home team was dominant in third period. First Kirk Furey scored in 43rd minute (2:3). Attacks on guest’s goal followed later one after another and Mike Siklenka managed to score an equalizer in 56th minute (3:3). Attempts to win the game in regular time failed on both sides and over time took place. KAC was more efficient and John Lammers scored the winning goal in 63rd minute (4:3). KAC remains on fourth position with 40 points, Sapa is fifth with 38.

EC Red Bull Salzburg – HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana 7:6 (1:1, 4:2, 2:3)
Strange game in Salzburg! Doug Lynch scored for Red bulls in 3rd minute (1:0), but guests equalized after 63 seconds already (1:1). Both teams performed fluent hockey in following minutes. Daniel Bois hit guests’ post on one side, but Jamie Fraser did the same on another and the result remained unchanged in first period. Both teams missed nice chances to score before Robbie Earl put Red bulls in lead in 31st minute (2:1). Another home team goal came in 33rd minute and it was on JP Lamoreux’s (guest’s goalie) behalf. Matija Pintaric came in as a substitute, but was beaten in 37th minute twice. First Alexander Pallestrang scored to extend the lead (4:1) and then Robbie Earl added his second of the night 26 seconds later (5:1). But what an answer Olimpija offered: Matej Hocevar (5:2) and John Hughes (5:3) both scored inside 43 seconds of 39th minute. Brock Mcbride added fourth goal for Olimpija after 33 seconds of third period (5:4), but Robbie Earl extended Red bull’s lead on two goals advantage after another two minutes (6:4).  When Danny Bois scored in 53rd minute (7:4) it all looked finally sealed for Salzburg, but strange thing happened seconds later. The puck bounced off the board and surprised Josh Tordjman. Tordjman actually waited for puck behind his goal, but strange deflection gave McBride an easy task to score (7:5). And that wasn’t all, as Hocevar managed to push the puck into Tordjman’s net only 46 seconds later to put guests even closer (7:6). It was all Olimpija after that; guests performed some nice combinations and imaginative actions, but didn’t manage to equalize until the end of the game. Salzburg is second with 44 points; Olimpija still manages to hold on such desired sixth place with 37 points.

Schedule for 38th round, Friday, January 6th 2012:
Ljubljana (SLO): Tilia Olimpija – EC VSV
Znojmo (CZE): Orli Znojmo – RB Salzburg
Szekesfehervar (HUN): Sapa AV19 – Graz 99ers
Klagenfurt: EC KAC – Acroni Jesenice
Wien: Vienna capitals – Medvescak Zagreb

 

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