EBEL - 38th round review

Sapa Fehervar AV19 – Moser Medical Graz99ers  6:3 (1:1, 2:0, 3:2)
Back up goalies started last night’s game in Szekesfehervar, Hungary. Bence Balizs proved good form in previous rounds and Adam Munro needs some more rest before crucial part of the season for Sapa. On the other side, Fabian Weinhandl stood between posts for Graz 99ers as their first choice Frederic Cloutier got injured. It was atomic start for Sapa – their top scorer Derek Ryan scored on rebound in first minute already (1:0). Guests weren’t shocked and they began to endanger Sapa’s goal. They were threatening during power play (three such occasions during first period) and they managed to level the score in 20th minute power play – Zdenek Blatny scored on rebound (1:1). Sapa was the better team in second period, but there was always Weinhandl to stop their shots. Well, until 34th minute: first Marton Vas beat him (2:1) and seconds later Balazs Lada one-timed another puck into Weinhandl’s net (3:1). The game was also very fluent in third period. First Krisztian Palkovics extended Sapa’s lead in 43rd minute PP situation (4:1). Guests answered to that by their own power play goal in 47th minute (4:2), but there was another power play extension to Sapa’s lead in 50th minute (5:2). Blatny finished PP scoring with his second goal of the night in 53rd minute (5:3). Guests didn’t manage to produce any more significant after that. In fact, Istvan Sofron scored another goal for Sapa after nice solo effort in 57th minute (6:3). This win for Sapa means they remain on fifth place with 40 points, but their place in top 6 teams is not secured yet. Graz 99ers are probably out of the race for sixth place now, as they trail 8 points behind sixth place team and they have six games to play.

UPC Vienna Capitals – KHL Medvescak Zagreb  3:2 (1:0, 0:2, 1:0, 1:0) OT
It all seemed like play-off game last night in Wien! The importance of the game for the Capitals was enormous on one side and there was a chance for guests to go to second place in league standings. 16 minutes of penalties during first nine minutes for Zagreb meant that Vienna players were dominant on the ice, but one has to say that guests were more dangerous in their attempts. Anyway, Jonathan Ferland scored the only goal of the period in 14th minute when he surprised Robert Kristan from the right hand side (1:0). Guests were dangerous after that and Reinhard Divis in home goal had a lot to do. Kristan on the other side saved another great chance for Capitals in dying seconds of first period. Slava Trukhno equalized for Medvescak in 23rd minute (1:1). Vienna had answer to that as Marcel Rodman scored, but his goal was disallowed. Both teams performed well after that and it was Medvescak who took the lead in 31st minute (Prpic, 1:2). Divis had to save some dangerous shots after that and Vienna were thanks to his job only one goal down before the beginning of third period. Home team came on ice in third period with clear mission – to equalize. Pucks were flying towards Kristan from everywhere. Guests focused on defence and they were pretty lucky on occasions, too. Rodman was close to equalizer in 58th minute, but his shot was stopped by Kristan. Kristan however couldn’t save a rebound shot from Pat Kavanagh and Capitals equalized (2:2). Francois Fortier missed two great chances to give Vienna the win in last minute and the game went to overtime. Jonathan Ferland scored for Vienna 13 seconds before the end of OT to give home side an important win in hunt for the sixth place. Capitals are actually on place Nr.7, trailing sixth spot three points, five games to play. Medvescak – winning a point - is up one place to second position, but they haven’t secured play-off position yet.

HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV  4:1 (1:0, 3:0, 0:1)
One opponent less in a fight for sixth place for Olimpija. It was a crucial game for guests from Villach. They managed to override another Slovenian representative in EBEL three days ago, but they failed to do the same last night in Ljubljana. Brad Cole gave a perfect start to the game for home team, as he scored in 4th minute power play (1:0). Both teams were trying to impose their style of playing to the opposition. There were 28 shots to both goals fans could see until the end of first period, but the result didn’t change. Olimpija was better in second period and the players in green were threatening to score another goal. They did it in 27th minute when Ales Music scored after poor defending of Bernhard Starkbaum (2:0). Greg Kuznik missed nice chance to score for VSV after that. Andreas Wiedergut “earned” him 2+10 minutes of penalty in 27th minute and it took home team 20 seconds only to score another goal (3:0). When Damjan Dervaric scored his first goal of the season in 33rd minute (4:0) the winner of the game was already known. VSV coach decided to take time out and give his players additional advice. Guests failed to score in power play after that and were really in lost position after two thirds. Both teams failed to score in PP situations during first five minutes of last period. Guests fired few dangerous pucks towards JP Lamoreaux in home goal. Lamoreaux was close to his fifth shut-out of the season, but Wiedergut beat him in 59th minute (4:1) to give guests at least some consolation. Olimpija remains sixth with three point advantage in front of Vienna on seventh. VSV are eighth, trailing Olimpija by seven points, five games to play.

EC-KAC – HK Acroni Jesenice  2:0 (0:0, 2:0, 0:0)
EC KAC in fight for play-off place, Acroni Jesenice for their honour only game took place last night in Klagenfurt. Weak KAC’s superiority in first minutes of the game was quickly balanced and Jesenice youngsters showed they can play hockey too. Guests were in fact the better side during first period, but couldn’t score. Tomi Hafner also hit the post of Andy Chiodo’s goal, but there were no goals in first period. It was pretty much the same picture at the beginning of second period as guests continued the pressure, but could not score. That took some steam out of their machine and it was time for KAC to do more. Experienced home team came in front in 34th minute when Johannes Reichel scored (1:0). Guests had to deal with two minor penalties moments after that and were actually close to equalizing goal. Instead of equalizer, Gregor Hager scored PP2 goal in 36th minute (2:0). A nice chance for Jesenice ten seconds into third period was miraculously saved by Chiodo and KAC took the play into their hands after that. Guests were forced to defend and they did it well. No real danger came on their attacking side, although final balance in shots was 38:25 for Jesenice and KAC won the game with Chiodo’s first shut-out of the season. KAC is on place four with 42 points and needs to gather some more points to secure play-off place. Acroni Jesenice are on the bottom of the league, trailing second last Znojmo now four points.

HC Orli Znojmo – EC Red bull Salzburg  4:2 (2:0, 1:0, 1:2)
Another surprising defeat by Salzburg. Having lost in Jesenice two rounds ago, hardly win over Olimpija in last round and lost their last night’s game in Znojmo, reigning champions of EBEL are not in a good form before crucial part of the season. Martin Podesva scored for Znojmo in 4th minute (1:0) to materialize enormous pressure towards guest’s goal. It was the same picture on ice after that and Red bulls coach was forced to call time-out in seventh minute already. Anyway, Peter Pucher extended Orli’s lead in 15th minute (2:0). Redbulls performed better on ice in the middle period, but they couldn’t beat OndrejKacetl. On the other side Tomas Kominek surprised Thomas Honeckl and extended home team’s lead in 25th minute (3:0). Guests became nervous after that and Jeremy Williams earned him 2+10 minutes of penalty. Andreas Kristler managed to score in 42nd minute (3:1) to give guests some hope. Doug Lynch was in chance to score in Penalty shot later, but he failed. Mike Danton punished that with fourth Znojmo goal in 55th minute (4:1) and shorthanded goal by Daniel Welser in dying seconds of the game (4:2) was weak consolation for guests. Orli are on tenth place with no chances for direct play-off spot. Red bulls are down one place to third, still in need of points to secure play-off.

Schedule for 39th round, Sunday, January 8th, 2012:
Zagreb (CRO): Medvescak – Acroni Jesenice
Znojmo (CZE): Orli znojmo – Olimpija
Linz: BW Linz – Sapa Fehervar
Wien: Vienna Capitals – Graz 99ers
Salzburg: RB Salzburg – EC KAC

 

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