6 minutes and 14 seconds to leave the 99ers on the bad end

04 Oct 2015Lucas Bradelj»

The Graz 99ers came to Vienna to challenge the vice champion, but a nightmare start into the game sent them home with a clear defeat.

The 99ers haven’t had the best start into the season, winning only one out of their first 7 games. The Capitals also did not plan to show any mercy with the last placed team in EBEL, taking just 43 seconds to gain a two-goal-lead. Only 22 seconds were played when Florian Iberer’s shot was deflected off an opposing stick and 21 seconds later Mario Fischer was let alone in the slot to beat Danish national team goalkeeper Sebastian Dahm for the second time. It was the fastest two goals scored by one team in EBEL history.

Graz coach Todd Björkstrand opted for a timeout, but it would not really help: The Capitals kept absolutely dominating the game and even missed some chances before Nikolaus Hartl made it 3:0 for the home team. Dahm might wish to get this one back, as the puck bounced out of his glove and into the net, but he did not get much time to think about it.

Only 6 minutes and 14 seconds were played, when Andreas Nödl was given all the space in the world to skate into the slot and defeat the Danish net miner again. Björkstrand pushed the next alarm button, changing the man between the pipes. Dahm though could be hardly blamed for the harsh score, as he was hung out to dry by his teammates.

The Capitals put the feet off the pedal and the 99ers slowly found their game. Jonas Almtorp fought his way into the slot are, only to be stopped by Nathan Lawson’s glove hand.

In the middle frame the game cooled down significantly. Jim Boni, headcoach of the Vienna Capitals, wanted to rest goalkeeper Lawson for the important CHL game in Litvinov on Tuesday and so David Kickert was given the chance to prove himself. The 23 year old Austrian was much more tested than his partner in the first period, conceding also the first goal on Phil DeSimone’s wirst shot. Simon Gamache had the best chance for the Caps’s 5^th goal, but his one timer was denied by backup goaltender Thomas Höneckl, who played a very solid game.

The fans of the 99ers might have hoped for a more emotional third period, but Derek Whitmore showed that the home team had different plans, scoring the 5-1 goal to definitely decide the game. The result would not change, leaving the 99ers on last place.

Villach was the biggest surpise of the game day, defeating defending champion Red Bull Salzburg. In the clash between Austria’s and Italy’s record champion, Klagenfurt took a 3:1 win in Bolzano. In the other games Fehervar, Dornbirn and league leader Znojmo also added three points..