Croc­o­diles Kundl edge Hohenems in over­time – Sharks Gmunden comfort­ably beat ATSE Graz

The SC Samina Hohenems faced EHC Crocodiles Kundl in Saturday's Ö Eishockey Liga Division West showdown. Both teams made a lively start at Herrenried, with play going back and forth and chances at both ends. Initially, both netminders took centre stage – Karlo Škec for the Steinböcke and Jakub Kostelny for the Crocodiles. Late in the first period, the visitors from Tyrol suddenly took the lead: Tobias Dinhopel completed a fine solo effort to make it 1:0 for Kundl (19 min).

In the second period, Hohenems pushed for an equaliser, but Kundl defended cleverly in their own zone and netminder Kostelny was also in good form. The team coached by head coach Jaro Betka increasingly focused on counter-attacks during this phase. 34 seconds after the halfway point of the game, the equaliser arrived: Leon Schmeiser scored from the slot to make it 1:1 for Hohenems (31 min). The team coached by head coach Thomas Sticha responded, with Patrick Spannring firing home to make it 2:1 (36 min). 

The game remained exciting in the final period. Kundl equalised on the power play: following a forceful burst from Tobias Dinhopel, Alexander Frandl hammered the puck into the net for 2:2 (52 min). It was now crunch time: both teams initially squandered chances to take the lead and seal the win, and the game went to overtime. There, Tobias Dinhopel scored his second goal following a quick attack to secure a 3:2 win for Kundl (64 min).

EHC Lustenau win comfortably against the Wattens Penguins

League leaders EHC Lustenau hosted the WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins in Division West on Saturday. The Lions had opened their Ö Eishockey Liga campaign in mid-October with a convincing 6:2 win over the Tyroleans. The Lions were dominant at the Rheinhalle, while the Tyroleans, together with goaltender Wotan Knecht, resisted the league leaders' attacks resolutely in defence. 

The Penguins held out until Lustenau defenceman Stefan Hrdina fired home to give his side a 1:0 lead (11 min). Shortly afterwards, the hosts had their first power play and once again it was Stefan Hrdina who scored his second goal from close range after a rebound to make it 2:0 (15 min).

In the second period, the players from the Crystal City held firm for a long time and kept a clean sheet in the period. Late on, the team coached by head coach Daniel Fekete made it 3:0. Following a fine one-two with Martin Grabher Meier, Chris D’Alvise gave goaltender Knecht no chance with a wrist shot (37 min). Goal scorer D’Alvise completed his brace with a backhand shot 54 seconds before the end of the period, making it 4:0 for Lustenau (40 min). 

In the final period, the hosts managed the result, while Wattens were unable to mount another challenge, leaving the league leaders with a comfortable 4:0 win. Following their victory over the Tyroleans, Lustenau face their next Vorarlberg derby away to the Dornbirner Bulldogs at the Messestadion Dornbirn as early as Wednesday. The two local rivals' ice rinks are only around five kilometres apart.

HC Kufstein beat Dornbirn in a penalty shoot-out

For the second time this season, HC Kufstein and Dornbirner EC faced each other in Division West. In their first meeting two weeks ago, the Dragons had celebrated a 6:3 away win. The Dragons struggled in the opening period against the defensively strong Vorarlberg side. At the other end, goaltender Kevin Wanger also shut the door. 

The team coached by head coach Andreas Luchner repeatedly created dangerous opportunities in front of the opposition net, but the puck would not go in. A bizarre goal finally made it 1:0 for Kufstein exactly one second before the first siren: Daniel Feilbogen sent the puck in front of goal, and Bulldogs defenceman Aaron Matt deflected it out of the air with his hand and into his own net, leaving goaltender Wanger with no chance (20 min).

Early in the second period, Dario Winkler made it 2:0 for HCK, beating netminder Wanger with an even finer deke following a fine pass (25.). The Tyroleans failed to add to their lead despite being clearly on top. The young Bulldogs dug in more and more with every minute and, through Aaron Matt, who atoned for his mistake on the 0:1, pulled one back to make it 1:2 with 22 seconds remaining in the period (40.). 

Little changed in the character of the game in the final period, with the Dragons on top but unable to put the game to bed. And so what had to happen, happened. Dornbirn pulled netminder Wanger and Aaron Matt scored the 2:2 with his second successful penalty, 35 seconds from time (60.), forcing the hosts into overtime and ultimately a penalty shootout. 

It remained tense for a long time, before Clemens Paulweber converted the decisive penalty to secure a 3:2 victory for Kufstein. However, the Bulldogs from Dornbirn could celebrate their first point of the season. Following their narrow defeat to Kufstein, the Bulldogs host EHC Lustenau at the Messestadion on Wednesday in the next Vorarlberg derby. It is a genuine local clash between two clubs whose ice rinks are around five kilometres apart.

Eastern Division: Sharks Gmunden celebrate emphatic win over ATSE Graz

League leaders UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden hosted ATSE Graz on Saturday at the MUKI Eisarena Gmunden in the first return round of the Ö Eishockey Liga's Eastern Division. The Upper Austrians had narrowly won the opening match against the Styrians at the Merkur Eisstadion by 5:4. 

The home side flew out of the blocks. The first attack made it 1:0 for the sharks from Lake Traun. Adrian Rosenberger slid the puck over the line from close range after exactly 20 seconds (1.). Two minutes later, Elias Koller, who also found the net from close range, made it 2:0 for Head Coach Gregor Baumgartner's team (3.).

ATSE Graz had to regroup after conceding two quick goals, but failed to create anything of note in the first period. On the contrary: the Sharks extended their lead to 3:0 as Simon Reder fired home past ATSE netminder Simeon Kyllönen (18.). Luca Rodiga finally got the Styrians on the scoreboard with 58 seconds remaining before the first buzzer, scoring from the slot with a well-placed shot to make it 1:3 (20.).

The Sharks added another early in the second period: defenceman Fabian Richter scored with a fine shot to make it 4:1 (25.). The hosts remained in control thereafter, with Ian Motil making it 5:1 just under two minutes later after a superb solo effort (27.). With five minutes remaining in the period, Moritz Neurauter made it 6:1, an early decisive goal for Gmunden (35.). 

The same pattern continued in the final period: after 59 seconds, Alwin Schuster fired from the left side to make it 7:1 (41.). The league leaders had then satisfied their appetite for goals, saw out the game comfortably and celebrated their third win in three games.

Champions Kapfenberg gain revenge against HDK Maribor

Champions Kapfenberger SV faced league newcomers HDK Maribor in Kapfenberg Stadthalle on Saturday for the first rematch. The hosts in Maribor had sensationally won the first encounter against the defending champions by 6:5. 

The Mürztal side initially struggled again in the second match, as Maribor defended very well and stood firm. Although the Kangaroos were on top in the first period and took a 1:0 lead through Neal Unterluggauer (11.), they were unable to add a decisive second goal. Maribor netminder Lazar Ilić also produced a strong performance. 

Maribor's defence was also well organised at the start of the middle period and preserved the narrow deficit. As the second period progressed, however, Kapfenberg pinned the Foxes in their defensive zone for minutes on end, and Pierre Graf's goal to make it 2:0 was the logical consequence: the goal-getter scored from the slot to give his side a two-goal lead (28.). Immediately afterwards, the puck was in the Slovenian net again following a shot by Michael Malle, but the refereeing team disallowed the goal.

At the start of the final period, Head Coach Jure Verlič's team had a power play and made perfect use of it to pull one back: after 52 seconds, Aljaž Ogrizek scored to make it 1:2 with a superb shot (41.). The game was suddenly exciting again. Midway through the final period, Head Coach Kris Reinthaler's team missed the chance to potentially seal the game on a power play. 

Shortly before the end, goalscorer Aljaž Ogrizek had the equaliser on his stick after a breakaway, but KSV netminder Oliver Zirngast preserved the narrow lead. Maribor then pulled their netminder, Pierre Graf broke away alone towards the empty net and could only be stopped by a thrown stick. The referee awarded Kapfenberg a technical goal with nine seconds remaining (60.). The narrow 3:1 win gave the defending champions revenge for their opening defeat in Slovenia.  

The Wiener Eislauf-Verein had a bye – Vienna's next game is away to Sharks Gmunden on 09 November. 

Ö Eishockey Liga – Division West:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl 2:3 after overtime (0:1,2:0,0:1,0:1)

Sat, 02 November 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

SC Hohenems goalscorers: Leon Schmeiser (30:34 min), Patrick Spannring (35:49 min)

EHC Crocodiles Kundl goalscorers: Tobias Dinhopel (18:47 min, 63:13 min), Alexander Frandl (51:16 min/PP1)

EHC Lustenau vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 4:0 (2:0,2:0,0:0)

Sat, 02 November 2024, 17:30, Rheinhalle

EHC Lustenau goalscorers: Stefan Hrdina (10:42 min, 14:50 min/PP1), Christopher D’Alvise (36:57 min, 39:06 min)

HC Kufstein vs. Dornbirner EC 3:2 after a shootout (1:0,1:1,0:1,0:0,1:0)

Sat, 02 November 2024, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein

HC Kufstein goalscorers: Daniel Feilbogen (19:59 min), Dario Winkler (24:50 min), Clemens Paulweber (65th min/decisive penalty)

Dornbirner EC goalscorer: Aaron Matt (39:38 min, 59:25 min)

Dornbirner Eishockey Club vs. EHC Lustenau

Wed, 06 November 2024, 19:30, Messestadion Dornbirn

Ö Eishockey Liga – Division East:

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. ATSE Graz 7:1 (3:1,3:0,1:0)

Sat, 02 November 2024, 18:30, MUKI Eisarena Gmunden

Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Adrian Rosenberger (00:20 min), Elias Koller (02:03 min), Simon Reder (17:26 min), Fabian Richter (24:27 min), Ian Motil (26:19 min), Moritz Neurauter (34:59 min), Alwin Schuster (40:59 min)

Goalscorer for ATSE Graz: Luca Rodiga (19:02 min.)

KSV Kängurus vs. HDK Maribor 3:1 (1:0,1:0,1:1)

Sat, 02 November 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

Goalscorers for KSV Kängurus: Neal Unterluggauer (10:14 min.), Pierre Graf (27:38 min., 59:51 min.)

Goalscorer for HDK Maribor: Aljaž Ogrizek (40:52 min./PP1)

Wiener Eislauf-Verein bye

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