Kasper scores twice as Austria beat Slovenia

The game started with both teams struggling to find their rhythm offensively. Slovenia managed to capitalize on one of their rare opportunities, breaking the deadlock at 36:29. Rok Macuh scored the first goal of the match, assisted by Marcel Mahkovec and Ken Ograjensek, giving Slovenia a 1-0 lead. Despite being outshot 15-8 in the period, Slovenia's defense, backed by stellar goaltending from Gašper Krošelj, held firm.

Austria turned up the pressure in the second period, consistently testing the Slovenian defense. Despite multiple chances, they couldn't find the back of the net until the final moments of the game. Slovenia, despite taking fewer shots, struggled to keep up with Austria's increased tempo.

Austria's relentless attack continued into the third period. Their efforts were finally rewarded when Marco Kasper scored with just 57 seconds left on the clock, leveling the game at 1-1. Assisted by David Reinbacher, Kasper’s late goal ensured the game went into overtime, a well-deserved result considering Austria’s dominance in shots, outshooting Slovenia 41-20 over the entire game.

Austria carried their momentum into overtime, and with a power play advantage, Marco Kasper struck again at 62:48, securing the 2-1 victory. Clemens Unterweger provided the assist, as Kasper's precision finish ended the game and gave Austria a morale-boosting win ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.

Key Performances

• Marco Kasper (Austria): Kasper was the hero of the night, scoring both the equalizing goal in the final minute of regulation and the game-winning power-play goal in overtime.
• Gašper Krošelj (Slovenia): The Slovenian goaltender had a standout performance, saving 39 of 41 shots and keeping his team in the game despite Austria's overwhelming offensive pressure.
• Thomas Höneckl (Austria): The Austrian goalie made 19 saves, allowing only one goal, and played a crucial role in keeping Austria in contention before their late comeback.

Austria's head coach Roger Bader praised his team's performance, noting their dominance throughout the game despite a few lapses in the second period. "We deserved this victory. The team showed great spirit and energy, especially in the third period when we were pushing for the equalizer," Bader said. He also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in decision-making and maintaining consistency over 60 minutes.

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