HC Kufstein win clash against SC Hohenems – Spittal over­come Althofen

In the Group West clash, HC Kufstein and SC SAMINA Hohenems faced off. Both teams had recently suffered derby defeats – the Dragons against Kundl and the Steinböcke against VEU Feldkirch. From the outset, a fast-paced game with plenty of good action at both ends developed at the Eisarena Kufstein.

The Dragons made the better start: Herbert Steiner sent the fans into celebration with his goal after two minutes and 43 seconds to make it 1:0. Head coach Bernd Schmidle's team responded, with Thomas Auer levelling the scores in the seventh minute. Leevi Ahonen restored Kufstein's lead in the 16th minute with the goal for 2:1.

In the second period, head coach Ivo Novotny's team raised the tempo once again and at times played superbly. In the 26th minute, Robert Schopf fired home to make it 3:1 for Kufstein. When Philipp Sappl made it 4:1 after a fine combination in the 28th minute, the Eisarena Kufstein erupted.

The final period initially unfolded very much to the delight of the Kufstein fans. The Dragons managed their lead skilfully and calmly saw out the game minute by minute. But Hohenems are not known for throwing in the towel early. Defenceman David Slivnik breathed new hope into HSC with the power-play goal for 2:4.

The game remained exciting, and in the end Hohenems coach Schmidle pulled goaltender Matthias Fritz, who had come on in the 35th minute for the injured Karlo Skec. The Dragons did not allow anything else to happen and won 4:2.

Kufstein head coach Ivo Novotny was satisfied after the match: "That was the best performance by my team so far this season. We controlled Hohenems for 60 minutes and deserved to win. It was the right response to Tuesday's defeat. I am truly proud of the boys."

Champions Wattens win in Kundl

On Friday, defending champions WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins celebrated their second win in a row. Head coach Jaroslav Betka's team won __OEHV_NUM_S_A__ away to EHC Crocodiles Kundl, who suffered their first defeat of the season after three wins, 5:2. Five goals were scored in the middle period after a scoreless first period.

Maximilian Agerer gave the Crocodiles a 1:0 lead after exactly 25 seconds of play. The Penguins then converted two power plays, taking a 2:1 lead through goals by Daniel Frischmann in the 26th minute and Julian Jagersbacher in the 31st minute. Exactly 60 seconds later, Markus Prock extended the lead to 3:1. Tomas Trnka brought Kundl back into the game with the goal for 2:3.

In the final period, Wattens survived a lengthy spell short-handed before striking ruthlessly. Taylor Holst finished off a counter-attack to make it 4:2 in the 53rd minute. In the end, Kundl coach Mika Perttilä risked everything, pulling goaltender Michael Sparr during an additional power play to play six against four. With 20 seconds remaining, Markus Prock scored his second goal of the evening into the empty net to seal the 5:2 final score.

Group North-East: Dukes Graz beat WEV

The Vienna Ice Skating Club made a lightning start in their home debut at the Eishalle Leithana against the UHT Dukes Graz and took the lead after 37 seconds through Felix Müller, making it 1:0.

After a brief scare, Graz quickly recovered and levelled at 1:1 on the power play through Tristan Schröttner in the fifth minute. While the Viennese were unable to convert two subsequent power plays into goals, the Dukes from Graz were more efficient: Tristan Schröttner again scored in the second power-play situation to make it 2:1 in the 16th minute.

Marko Ilic equalised for WEV in the 34th minute of the second period. The Styrians responded shortly afterwards: Tristan Schröttner completed his hat-trick to give Graz a 3:2 lead in the 37th minute, but they were unable to take their one-goal advantage into the second intermission. Four seconds before the siren, WEV player-coach Mario Kubeczka himself levelled the score at 3:3.

The visitors took the lead again in the final period. Following a swift attack, Luca Rodiga scored shorthanded to make it 4:3 in the 49th minute. Graz followed up and, after Matthias Kaltenegger scored to make it 5:3 in the 52nd minute, held a two-goal lead for the first time. But the home side did not let up, with player-coach Mario Kubeczka again bringing WEV back into the game by making it 4:5 in the 53rd minute.

The closing stages were thrilling: Vienna pressed for an equaliser and pulled goaltender Dominik Dieber, but the Dukes saw out their one-goal lead and celebrated their second win in the Ö Eishockey Liga.

Kapfenberg defeat Sharks Gmunden

Player-coach André Flatscher gave the UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden a dream start at the Haifischbecken am Traunsee against Kapfenberger SV.

The forward made it 1:0 in the fifth minute. But the Styrian league leaders quickly found their rhythm after falling behind and levelled through Paul Matscheko in the ninth minute. The favourites took the lead for the first time in the twelfth minute: Stefan Trost beat Gmunden netminder Rudi Hummel, who was making his comeback after an injury, to make it 2:1. Just under a minute before the end of the period, the Kangaroos led by two goals, with Lukas Draschkowitz scoring to make it 3:1.

Pierre Graf extended the lead to 4:1 in the 24th minute of the second period, and Kapfenberg's victory in Gmunden appeared to be sealed early. But the Sharks fought their way back into the game, with André Flatscher reducing the deficit to 2:4 just 29 seconds after Kapfenberg's fourth goal. In the 34th minute, Lukas Draschkowitz restored the three-goal lead with his second goal. However, Upper Austria again showed spirit and closed the gap to 3:5 through Christopher Urstöger.

In the final period, Christoph Draschkowitz made it 6:3 in the 55th minute to all but decide the game, before Stefan Trost added Kapfenberg's seventh goal, making it 7:3 with his second goal in the 59th minute. The team coached by player-coach Kris Reinthaler now have twelve points from four games.

South Group: Spittal edge Althofen

The 1st EHC Althofen and EC LiWoDruck Spittal contested a hard-fought, physical battle with plenty of good passages of play at the Stadthalle Althofen from the outset.

Spittal, who had lost their opening match at home against VSV's Jungadler 3:6, broke through the Rhinos' defence in the 17th minute: Daniel Nageler scored from the slot to make it 1:0.

Little changed in the second period, with neither team giving the other much space. The match remained a thrilling affair. Althofen, coached by Gerald Ressmann, pressed for an equaliser but were unable to make the most of two power plays. The Hornets were more efficient in front of goal, with Luca Komar extending Spittal's lead to 2:0 in the 37th minute for the side coached by Florian Orzetek.

The Rhinos continued to try to find a way past the Hornets, who were playing very well defensively, in the final period. It took a long time before Sandro Seifried fired the puck into the net from the slot in the 50th minute to make it 1:2. The home side then pinned their opponents in their own zone and pulled goaltender Fabian Horn shortly before the end.

Kevin Essmann's empty-net goal 23 seconds before the end sealed a 3:1 victory for Spittal, who celebrated their first win in their second game.

Matchday, West Group

HC Kufstein vs.  SC SAMINA Hohenems 4:2 (2:1,2:0,0:1)
Sat, 29 October 2022, 17:30, Eisarena Kufstein
HC Kufstein scorers: Herbert Steiner (02:43), Leevi Ahonen (15:06), Robert Schopf (25:54), Philipp Sappl (27:07)
SC Hohenems scorers: Thomas Auer (06:21), David Slivnik (51:00/PP1)

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 2:5 (0:0,2:3,0:2)
Fri, 28 October 2022, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Maximilian Agerer (20:25), Tomas Trnka (34:49)
WSG Wattens - Penguins scorers: Daniel Frischmann (25:17/PP1), Julian Jagersbacher (30:40/PP1), Markus Prock (31:40, 59:40/EN/SH1), Taylor Holst (52:03)

Matchday, North-East Group

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. UHT Dukes Graz 4:5 (1:2,2:1,1:2)
Sat, 29 October 2022, 16:00, Eishalle Leithana, Bruck an der Leitha
Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorers: Felix Müller (00:37), Marko Ilic (33:50), Mario Kubeczka (39:56, 52:27)
UHT Dukes Graz scorers: Tristan Schröttner (04:23/PP1, 15:41/PP1, 36:18), Luca Rodiga (48:35/SH1), Matthias Kaltenegger (51:13)

UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden vs. Kapfenberger SV 3:7 (1:3,2:2,0:2)
Sat, 29 October 2022, 18:15, Eishalle Gmunden
Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: André Flatscher (at 04:14 and 24:03), Christopher Urstöger (at 35:59)
Kapfenberger SV goalscorers: Paul Matscheko (at 08:40), Stefan Trost (at 11:03 and 58:58), Lukas Draschkowitz (at 18:54 and 33:52), Pierre Graf (at 23:34), Christoph Draschkowitz (at 54:20)

ATSE Graz - Eishockey vs. EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions cancelled

South Group matchday

1. EHC Althofen vs. EC LiWoDruck Spittal 1:3 (0:1,0:1,1:1)
Sat, 29 October 2022, 17:00, Stadthalle Althofen
Goalscorer for 1. EHC Althofen: Sandro Seifried (at 49:26)
EC LiWoDruck Spittal goalscorers: Daniel Nageler (at 16:05), Luca Komar (at 36:48), Kevin Essmann (at 59:37/EN)

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