HC Kufstein comfort­ably beat cham­pions Wattens Penguins – KSV cele­brate rout against WEV

In the Western Group, the first appearance of reigning Ö Eishockey Liga champions WSG Swarovski Wattens - Penguins against HC Kufstein Dragons developed into a lively match from the outset, with the visitors making the better start and taking a 1:0 lead through Lukas Schwitzer.

Shortly before the first intermission, Christoph Hörtnagl made it 2:0 for the Penguins. In the second period, fans at the Eisarena Kufstein witnessed a rampant home side. Herbert Steiner pulled Head Coach Ivo Novotny's team back to 1:2 on the power play after just 32 seconds of play. Dominique Saringer equalised just 50 seconds later.

Maximilian Camondo scored to give Kufstein the lead for the first time in the 26th minute, bringing the Eisarena to life for the first time.

Then Czech new signing Martin Kosnar introduced himself to the fans in the fortress town, with the home side turning the game around to 4:2 in just under eight minutes. Maximilian Camondo put the result beyond doubt with two quick goals – one shorthanded and one on the power play – in just under two minutes, as Kufstein won the second period 6:0.

There were no further goals in the final period, as Kufstein Dragons beat the defending champions from Wattens 6:2 to cause a major upset right at the start. Maximilian Camondo was the man of the match with a hat-trick.

EHC Crocodiles Kundl edge VEU Feldkirch

The team needed exactly 49 seconds to VEU Feldkirch exactly __OEHV_NUM_M_A__ seconds in their first appearance to get on the scoresheet away to EHC Crocodiles Kundl in the ÖEL. Benjamin Kyllönen scored the first goal for the Vorarlberg side in Austria's third-highest division on the power play. The strong home side from Tyrol hit back in the first period thanks to their Slovak attacking power.

Vladimir Dolnik and Tomas Trnka turned the game around to 31 for the Crocodiles within 2:1 seconds. What followed was an exciting and hard-fought match, which the hosts only sealed late on through a Matthias Haas power-play goal five minutes before the final buzzer.

Co-favourites SC SAMINA Hohenems host the young Sharks of HC TIWAG Innsbruck II at Eisstadion Herrenried on Sunday. The Innsbruck side are a young, ambitious team visiting Hohenems' Herrenriedstadion. Coach Werner Strele's Sharks are already in the midst of the U20 league season and arrive in the Ländle well drilled.

After last season's debut campaign, in which Hohenems completed the regular season unbeaten, the objective for the Emser in the Ö Eishockey Liga is clearly to reach the final.

North-East Group: Kapfenberg rout WEV

In the North-East Group, Kapfenberger SV made a dream start in their second consecutive home game. Lukas Draschkowitz gave the Kangaroos the lead in the clash against Wiener Eislauf-Verein after exactly 62 seconds to make it 1:0. Rupert Fichtinger on the power play and Max Wimmer ensured a comfortable 3:0 lead after 15 minutes.

Shortly before the end of the period, Florian Hoppl and Stefan Trost scored two goals within 13 seconds, and the game was decided after 20 minutes. In the second period, the team coached by player-coach Kris Reinthaler continued to apply the pressure against the Vienna side, who had travelled with only twelve skaters, extending the lead to 7:0 through Paul Matscheko and Maximilian Ramsbacher.

At that point, exactly 24 minutes and 30 seconds had been played. The Kangaroos then took some of the pace out of the game and Tobais Schöner was able to score WEV's first goal.

In the final period, Kapfenberg stepped up the pace again and added four more goals to complete an 11:1 rout. The first line in particular, featuring Stefan Trost (3 goals, 1 assist), Florian Hoppl (1 goal, 3 assists) and Lukas Draschkowitz (1 goal, 4 assists), left their mark on the Kangaroos' attacking play.

ATSE Graz beat Sharks Gmunden

The UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden also came unstuck against the second Graz team. The Sharks from Lake Traun, making their home debut after the 0:4 defeat against newcomers UHT Dukes Graz , also came off second best against ATSE Graz, losing 1:3.

Backed by strong goaltender Florian Zeugswetter – who allowed just one goal from 28 shots – the Styrians showed efficiency in front of goal. Cory Krenz gave the visitors, coached by player-coach Rupert Strohmeier, an early 1:0 lead.

Young signing Sebastian Fellner from the Styrian ice hockey academy made it 2:0 while shorthanded, before head coach André Flatscher, playing at right wing, personally gave the Upper Austrians hope again with the 1:2 goal to pull one back in the first period. Shortly after the halfway point of the game, Niki Zierer restored the two-goal lead, with the 3:1 also proving to be the final score at Eishalle Gmunden in favour of Graz.

EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions celebrate win against Dukes

Having gone into the second matchday as league leaders following their first-round win over Sharks Gmunden, UHT Dukes Graz had to accept a __OEHV_NUM_AU_A__ defeat against EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions suffer a 1:5 defeat.

Following the narrow 5:6 overtime defeat against WEV, the Lions were sharper and hungrier for victory from the very first minute in Graz. Michael Grüneis and Thomas Schiechl set the Murtal side on course for victory in the opening 20 minutes.

Peter Mateicka and Daniel Forcher secured an early decisive advantage in the second period before Luca Rodiga scored a consolation goal for the Grazer Herzöge. Mario Sulzer then added Zeltweg’s 5:1 with just under three minutes remaining, sealing the first three points for Christian Popatnik’s team.

1st matchday, West Group

HC Kufstein vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens - Penguins 6:2 (0:2,6:0,0:0)
Sat., 15 October 2022, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein
HC Kufstein scorers: Herbert Steiner (20:32 min./PP1), Dominique Saringer (21:22 min.), Maximilian Camondo (25:09 min., 33:51 min./SH1, 35:35 min./PP1), Martin Kosnar (27:48 min.)
Wattens - Penguins scorers: Lukas Schwitzer (08:17 min.), Christoph Hörtnagl (18:46 min.)

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. VEU Feldkirch 3:1 (2:1,0:0,1:0)
Sat., 15 October 2022, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Vladimir Dolnik (13:48 min.), Tomas Trnka (14:19 min.), Matthias Haas (54:56 min./PP1)
VEU Feldkirch scorer: Benjamin Kyllönen (00:49 min./PP1)

SC Hohenems vs. HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie II
Sun., 16 October 2022, 17:30, Eisstadion Herrenried Hohenems

2nd matchday, North-East Group

Kapfenberger SV vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein 11:1 (5:0,2:1,4:1)
Sat., 15 October 2022, 19:00, Stadthalle Kapfenberg
Kapfenberger SV scorers: Lukas Draschkowitz (01:02 min.), Rupert Fichtinger (10:13 min./PP1, 53:24 min.), Max Wimmer (14:55 min.), Florian Hoppl (18:40 min.), Stefan Trost (18:53 min., 48:26 min., 52:05 min.), Paul Matscheko (20:53 min.), Maximilian Ramsbacher (24:30 min.), Patrick Huppmann (55:42 min./PP1)
Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorer: Tobias Schönauer (36:58 min.)

UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden vs. ATSE Graz 1:3 (1:2,0:1,0:0)
Sat., 15 October 2022, 18:20, Eishalle Gmunden
Sharks Gmunden goalscorer: André Flatscher (17:35)
ATSE Graz goalscorers: Cory Krenz (03:02), Sebastian Fellner (13:42), Nikolaus Zierer (32:58)

UHT Dukes Graz vs. EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions 1:5 (0:2,1:2,0:1)
Sat., 15 October 2022, 19:15, Merkur Eisstadion Graz
UHT Dukes Graz goalscorer: Luca Rodiga (37:05)
EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions goalscorers: Michael Grüneis (10:54), Thomas Schiechl (17:44), Peter Mateicka (23:44), Daniel Forcher (27:14), Mario Sulzer (57:10)

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