EBEL - 17th round review

EC Red bull Salzburg – EHC Liwest Black wings Linz  3:5 (1:2,2:1,0:2)

The derby of the seventeenth round of EBEL was held last night in Salzburg. The champions are slowly improving in their form and guests from Linz are currently top team in the league. Black wings presented immediately why they are on top at the moment: they scored in an opening minute of the game when Gregor Baumgartner and Pat Leahy exchanged double-pass. Baumgartner scored after 43 seconds (0:1) of the game only. Champions from Salzburg answered in style: they needed 37 seconds only to level the score (1:1). Later during period the crowd saw very substantial hockey. Linz was pressing forward and home goalie had to show all his skills to stop them. Black wings fired 17 shots towards Josh Tordjman in the period, Red bulls managed to shot only three. As it all looked to end as 1:1 for the period Gregor Baumgartner repeated what he did in first seconds – only this time it was seconds from first pause (1:2). Linz released their pressure a bit at the beginning of second period. Yet Danny Irmen and Pat Leahy had great goal scoring opportunities in 25^th and 29^th minute. Crowd in front guest’s goalie Alex Westlund helped Red bulls to score an equalizer in 34^th minute (2:2). Guests were in bit of a shock and less than two minutes later Salzburg scored again (3:2). And as if that wasn’t enough another 30 seconds later Manuel Latusa missed another great chance. Westlund was in fact already beaten, but the puck missed a goal for inches only. Black wings anyway managed to level the score in 37^th minute (3:3) to cheer up some 800 of their fans presented in Salzburg. Danny Irmen put Linz in front in 43^rd minute (3:4). It was his fourth goal of the weekend as he scored three on Friday’s game against Sapa. Salzburg tried to do something later in the period, but guests defended well. Last attempts of Red bulls  - pulling their goalie out and put on some extra skater – were denied again by Danny Irmen in 59^th minute when he hit the puck in an empty net (3:5). It was first this season’s Salzburg’s home defeat. Linz finished their thirteenth consecutive game with points, winning twelve of those.

Gregor Baumgartner: two goals in the first period

KHL Medvescak Zagreb – Sapa Fehervar AV19  4:2 (0:1,0:0,4:1)

Medvescak destroyed Vienna on Friday and Dom sportova was once again packed. Sapa presented themselves as tougher opponents than Vienna did. They played well organized defence to give Medvescak trouble finding any chances to shoot. The best chance was shorthanded counter attack for Tom Zanoski, but Adam Munro in Sapa’s goal stopped it with confidence. Marton Vas scored in 17^th minute (0:1) to use power play situation for Sapa in the best possible way. It was a bit of a different story during second period. Medvescak fired 18 pucks against Adam Munro, guests managed to shoot five times only. Many great chances were missed by Medvescak’s players including Greg Day’s missing of empty net. Last period started in the same manner: Medvescak attacked, Adam Munro performed miracles. Slava Trukhno lost his nerves and checked Sapa’s player in the head. He was given 2+10 minutes of penalty and Sapa scored again on power play situation in 47^th minute (0:2). It all looked lost for home fans, but their players didn’t think so. First Frank Banham deflected Joel Prpic’s puck into Sapa’s net in 54^th minute (1:2). Adam Naglich levelled the score seconds later (2:2) and Dom sportova was in fire. Frank Banham capitalized on Sapa players confusion again in 56^th minute (3:2). Slava Trukhno redeemed himself in 59^th minute (4:2) to give Bears second home win of the weekend. Medvescak is in group of five teams within two points on eighth place, Sapa remains on fifth.

Frank Banham, Medvescak: two crucial goals in dying minutes

HK Acroni Jesenice – Moser medical Graz 99ers  3:4 (2:1,1:0,0:2,0:1) 0.t.

The game started off with five minute delay. Guests from Graz came to Jesenice with their orange jerseys and referees ordered home team to change their traditional red jerseys for white. Both teams were precautious at the beginning of the game, shots were rare. Jesenice used their first power play situation in 12^th minute (1:0) when Antti Pusa’s one timer found Weinhandl’s net. Graz was trying to do something later, but home defence was solid. Olivier Latendresse scored equalizer for Graz in 17^th minute (1:1). Two minor penalties were whistled against 99ers during next moments and Jesenice scored PP2 goal in 19^th minute (2:1) after second crucial pass of the night by James Sixsmith. Graz started aggressive in the second period, but it was Jesenice fans who celebrated: Lukas Hvila scored his ninth goal of the season in 24^th minute (3:1). Graz players started to act nervous and aggressive and Jesenice’s defenseman Martin Tuma had to cool down Patrick Harand in a round of boxing. Lukas Hvila was close to his tenth goal of the season in 28^th minute, but he hit the post only. He was slashed with stick by Graz’s defence during the action and he had to leave the ice. Referees didn’t see anything though and no penalty was given. James Sixsmith was close to his third point of the night in 31^st minute, but Fabian Weinhandl stopped his puck. Last period offered equal situation on ice. Jesenice supported their goalie well and were on a way to fourth win in five games. Graz’s pressure continued to grow towards the end at it resulted in ex-Jesenice player Brett Lysak’s goal in 56^th minute (3:2). Confusion in home defence gave 99ers another goal only 29 seconds later. (3:3). Home team struggled to keep their net empty until the end of game. Lukas Hvila missed nice chance for home team in overtime and Toni Dahlman - another ex-Jesenice player – scored in 62^nd minute to give Graz first win after four consecutive losses. Both teams are now in group of five teams within two points. Graz is on 9^th and Jesenice on 10^th place in the league.

UPC Vienna Capitals – HDD Tilia Olimpija Ljubljana  4:1 (0:0,2:1,2:0)

Both teams began last night’s game with caution. They were focused on defence, goal scoring chances were rare. Jonathan Ferland missed the best chance in first period when J.P.Lamoreux denied him. Capitals were a bit better side, but nothing significant happened. It was the same picture during the start of second period. Guest’s goalie was stopping pucks until 25^th minute when Francois Fortier managed to push the puck into his net somehow (1:0). Benoit Gratton extended Vienna’s lead two minutes later (2:0) using power play situation. Guests used their PP in 33^rd minute (2:1) to come closer for the last period. Olimpija didn’t manage to put any real pressure against Vienna during third period. In fact Mario Fischer (50’, 3:1) and Jon Insana (53’, 4:1) secured home team comfortable win. Capitals are now sixth in the league, Olimpija remains third.

HC Orli Znojmo – EC KAC  x:x (2:2,x:x,x:x)

The game in Znojmo was stopped after first period due to problems with ice. Znojmo actually scored twice during fifth minute (1:0,2:0) and KAC came closer in PP2 situation in 7^th minute (2:1). Guests from Klagenfurt levelled the score in 13^th minute (2:2).
It was all stopped after first 20 minutes as referees decided that ice is not ready for the play to advance. Final outcome will be decided during following days...

Schedule for 18th round, Tuesday, November 1st:

Klagenfurt: EC KAC - KHL Medvescak

Linz: EHC Linz - HK Acroni Jesenice

Salzburg: EC RED bull Salzburg - HC Orli Znojmo

Villach: EC VSV - Graz 99ers

Szekesfehervar (HUN): Sapa Fehervar AV19 - UPC Vienna Capitals

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