Final! SC Hohenems or Kapfen­berger SV – who will take a step towards the title?

Final – first leg: SC Samina Hohenems vs. Kapfenberger SV
Sat., 09 March 2024, 18:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

SC Samina HohenemsSC Samina Hohenems will face Kapfenberger SV in the first leg of the Ö Eishockey Liga championship final at Eisstadion Hohenems, aka Herrenried-Stadion.

It is the dream final of this season: both teams dominated their respective divisions during the regular season and have really hit their stride again in the play-offs. SC Hohenems reached the final with an aggregate score of 13:3 over WEV in the quarter-finals and an aggregate result of 10:4 against EHC Crocodiles Kundl in the semi-finals. That means the Vorarlberg side have scored 23 goals and conceded only seven.

Kapfenberger SV’s route to the final was even more impressive. They recorded an aggregate result of 17:3 against VEU Feldkirch in the quarter-finals, while in the semi-finals the Styrians produced an attacking fireworks display in each of the two derbies against ATSE Graz, winning 18:3 on aggregate after two games. The Mürztal side have therefore scored 35 goals in the play-offs so far and conceded only six in four games.

Hohenems and Kapfenberg also met in the play-offs in each of the previous two seasons, although on both occasions in the semi-finals. In the inaugural Ö Eishockey Liga season of 2021/2022, the Styrians won 11:5 on aggregate to advance to the final, where they had to yield to the Wattens Penguins.

Last year’s first leg ended in a 4:4 draw following a spectacular course of events. The Steinböcke led 3:1 at home, before the Kängurus turned the game around to 4:3, only for Christian Haidinger to equalise with 35 seconds remaining. In the second leg in Kapfenberg, the Vorarlberg side delivered a superb performance, winning 5:1 and advancing to the final with an aggregate score of 9:5, where ESC Steindorf ultimately prevailed to become champions.

That means one of the two teams will be crowned champions for the first time in the still young third Austrian league.

Kapfenberg forward Daniel Oberkofler wants to maintain his team’s play-off form in the final: "So far, we have played every play-off game confidently and that is how we want to approach the game against Hohenems. Our opponents are certainly a top team and we will certainly need a top performance. It will not be easy; they have a very strong squad and it will probably be an exciting series. But we want to secure a good starting position for the second leg in Vorarlberg!" 

KSV player-coach Kris Reinthaler adds: "We still have a score to settle with Hohenems; we want the title. We are fully motivated and hope that we can travel to Hohenems at full strength, where we will give our all!"

Thomas Sticha, head coach of SC Hohenems, has respect but no fear of their final opponents and wants to prepare his team optimally for the Kängurus: "Kapfenberg are an opponent with a deep, good squad featuring several well-known players. They also have the necessary skills and a strong goalkeeper. They are in the final for good reason. We will certainly not underestimate Kapfenberg and we respect them, but we are not afraid of them. Kapfenberg will face a team determined to give everything that is required and to play the best two games of this season!"

The second leg will take place at Stadthalle Kapfenberg from 19:30 on Saturday, 16 March 2024.

Play-offs – final matches:

Final – first leg:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. Kapfenberger SV
Sat., 09 March 2024, 18:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

Final – second leg:

Kapfenberger SV vs. SC Samina Hohenems
Sat., 16 March 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

Play-off semi-final second legs:

Semi-final 1 – second leg:

Kapfenberger SV vs. ATSE Graz 10:1 (3:0,2:1,5:0)
Sat., 02 March 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg
Kapfenberger SV goalscorers: Florian Hoppl (01:21, 03:42, 44:38, 55:25), Lukas Draschkowitz (14:19), Maximilian Ramsbacher (21:22), Adrian Stühlinger (28:32), Kristof Reinthaler (41:25), Lukas Winkler (46:04, 56:19)
Goalscorer ATSE Graz: Marco Scheriau (33:35)

The Kapfenberger SV reach the final of the 18:3 Ö Eishockey Liga on aggregate. First-leg result – 8:2.

Semi-final 2 – second leg:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl 7:3 (3:1,2:0,2:2)
Sat., 02 March 2024, 18:30, Eisstadion Hohenems
SC Samina Hohenems goalscorers: Martin Grabher Meier (at 08:26, at 12:30), Christian Haidinger (at 17:34), Marcel Wolf (at 32:24), Julian Grafschafter (at 36:42), Benjamin Kyllönen (at 47:06, at 56:22)
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Erik Hefke (at 17:04), Adrian Schuster (at 44:37), Patrik Lithen (at 48:08)

The SC Samina Hohenems are in the Ö Eishockey Liga final with an aggregate score of 10:4. First-leg result – 3:1.

Play-off format:

From the quarter-finals onwards, ties are decided over two legs in the Champions Hockey League (CHL) format. The club that finished higher in the regular season begins with the away leg. The aggregate score from the two matches played is used. The team leading on aggregate after the first and second legs is the Ö Eishockey Liga champion.

If the aggregate score is level at the final buzzer after 120 minutes, the outcome will be decided in a ten-minute three-on-three overtime period and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out with five shooters per team. This means there is no overtime in the first leg. Each first leg ends after 60 minutes either level or with a win in regulation time.

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