Capi­tals make the perfect restart

The Vienna Capitals have not forgotten how to win! In their first game after a28-day league break, the Viennese side beat the Dornbirn Bulldogs 2:1 (0:0,2:0,0:1). Wearing specially designed red-and-white jerseys commemorating the victims of the terrorist attack on 2 November, the action gets underway immediately.

Neither side shies away from the physical battles in a hard-fought first period, but despite excellent chances for Loney (7') and Yogan (11'), respectively, both teams are denied a goal. That changes, at least for the Capitals. Four seconds before the power play expires, Hartl (26') finds the far corner from the right face-off circle. Around ten minutes later, Peter lobs Bulldogs netminder Höneckl with a beautiful shot into the top corner – 2:0!

The Viennese side then squanders numerous opportunities, which Yogan (48') punishes with a one-timer to pull one back. However, it does not change the outcome, as goalie Starkbaum comes out on top against a blue-line shot from Kokkila (54').

EC-KAC celebrate a narrow 2:1 win at HC Innsbruck. The opening period is already dominated by the “Red Jackets”, who create chance after chance but repeatedly come up against the in-form Innsbruck netminder McCollum. Ganahl (9') and Koch (10') are both denied in one-on-one situations with the American goalie.

McCollum is finally beaten by Geier’s opener (11'/PP). After a scoreless middle period, Sideroff (43'/PP) gives Innsbruck the perfect start to the final period. The “Sharks” are unable to turn their newfound momentum into the lead, allowing KAC to respond with strong efforts from Ticar (46') and Erikkson (48'). Petersen eventually scores the winner, keeping his composure in a scramble in front of goal.

Hardly has the domestic ICE Hockey League returned from its weeks-long coronavirus break before another two games have to be postponed. EC Red Bull Salzburg are affected, with the club announcing that full team training can only resume at the start of next week, once the final players return from coronavirus quarantine.

As a result, and to allow the Mozart city side to prepare for the upcoming challenges, the games in Klagenfurt against EC-KAC, scheduled for 18 November, and against HC Bozen, which had been scheduled for 20 November, have been postponed. The away game at EC-KAC has been rescheduled for 22 November at 17:30. Salzburg will then also continue the regular season.