Kapfen­berg and Wattens reach the final!

Image information: Kapfenberg prevail in the open-air clash in Hohenems. Photo: Robert Broger/blende47.com

Four became two. The first final of the newly founded Ö Eishockey Liga has been decided. The runners-up in the regular season in the West Group – WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins – lost the second leg against 1. EHC Althofen 1:4, but Mathias Kastner fired the Tyroleans into the final in overtime. Kapfenberger SV played extremely cleverly against title favourites Hohenems in the second leg as well, following the 7:4 first-leg result, and ultimately secured a clear 4:1 victory and a comfortable place in the final.

Following last Saturday's dramatic and thrilling first leg in Leoben, which Kapfenberger Kängurus had won 7:4 against SC Hohenems, the Böhlerstadt side took a three-goal lead into the second leg at Eisstadion Herrenried. The Vorarlberg side, considered title favourites until this game, knew before the opening face-off that they could not afford to take long to feel their way into the match this time. And that was exactly how head coach Bernd Schmidle's players started. From the outset, the Steinböcke focused on offence. The Styrians, without player-coach Kris Reinthaler for health reasons, tried to keep Hohenems away from the danger area. With every passing minute, the hosts raised the tempo and forced the Kängurus back into their own defensive zone. Kapfenberg netminder Oliver Zirngast was kept busy and maintained the 0:0 scoreline for his team. Following a Hohenems power play, the visitors took the lead with their first genuine scoring chance. Lukas Draschkowitz converted Pierre Graf's pass from close range to make it 1:0 (13.). Hohenems remained on top but were not efficient enough in front of goal.

In the second period, Kapfenberg were able to make the game more open and also created chances in front of the Steinböcke's goal. The Vorarlberg side were not as dominant in the opening minutes as they had been in the first 20 minutes. HSC netminder Matthias Fritz now had considerably more to do, while the Kängurus played extremely cleverly during this phase and tried to disrupt Hohenems' build-up play. Hohenems fought desperately to get on the scoreboard at last, but the Mürztal side were strong defensively and took an aggregate score of 4:0 into the second intermission.

The task for SC Hohenems was clear in the final period: take full risks and throw everything forward to avert their semi-final exit. The Steinböcke missed an early power-play opportunity to finally get on the scoresheet in this match. The decisive moment came after eight and a half minutes. Following a Hohenems turnover, Pierre Graf passed the puck to Lukas Draschkowitz, who scored at the far post to make it 2:0 for Kapfenberg (49.). The Vorarlberg side showed character and refused to give up. Martin Grabher Meier broke the deadlock from close range to make it 1:2 from Hohenems' perspective (54.). In the end, the Vorarlberg side were weakened by penalties, and Kapfenberg made perfect use of the situation to seal a clear final result: Stefan Trost made it 3:1 (58.) before Florian Hoppl's 4:1 addition (59.) finally sent the travelling Kapfenberg fans into celebration.

1. EHC Althofen also had to begin the decisive second game against WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins with a three-goal deficit. "The calculation is very simple. We have to win every period 1:0, then we will at least force overtime. I expect a close game!" Althofen head coach Gerald Ressmann had set his players this task before the second leg at Stadthalle Althofen, following the 0:3 defeat in Wattens. And the calculation paid off early for the Rhinos. When Wattens forward Moritz Geisler was serving a two-minute tripping penalty, Martin Goritschnig made it 1:0 for the Kurstädter. That was exactly how the hosts had envisaged their game plan. Just under two minutes before the end of the first period, the Rhinos improved on their coach's calculation, with Kevin Schettina making it 2:0 for the Carinthians (19.).

With 13 seconds remaining in the opening period, Taylor Holst received a two-minute penalty for tripping. And that was to cost the Penguins at the very start of the second period. Kevin Schettina converted the power play after just 57 seconds to make it 3:0 (21.), as the Rhinos had erased their three-goal deficit after just under 21 minutes. Wattens coach Jaroslav Betka now had to lift his team mentally. Shortly after the halfway mark, the Tyroleans survived a tricky 3:5 shorthanded situation. The contest became more exciting by the minute, with Althofen's comeback having sparked a genuine playoff thriller. The final period began with an aggregate score of 3:3.

Pure tension then in the third period. It was now also a question of who could keep their nerves under control better. The game became more intense and more physical. Althofen's Benjamin Kogler and Wattens player Christoph Hörtnagl came to blows. Eight minutes from the end, Markus Prock put the Penguins on the scoreboard at 1:3 and gave them a 4:3 aggregate lead (53.). Drama was the order of the day at Stadthalle Althofen, as the Rhinos hit back: Fabian Hafner made it 4:1 for the hosts (56.) and 4:4 on aggregate. A ten-minute three-on-three overtime period had to decide the outcome. It did not take long for Wattens Penguins to score 2:4. Mathias Kastner fired the Tyroleans into the Ö Eishockey Liga final after 1:20 of overtime.

The first final will take place in Tyrol (venue still to be confirmed) on Saturday, 12 March 2022. The return leg will be played a week later, on Saturday, 19 March 2022, at Leoben Ice Rink.

Semi-final 1 – return leg:
SC Hohenems vs. Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub 1:4 (0:1,0:0,1:3)
Sat., 05 March 2022, 18:30, Eisstadion Herrenried
SC Hohenems scorer: Martin Grabher Meier (53:40)
Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub scorers: Lukas Draschkowitz (12:44), Lukas Draschkowitz (48:24), Stefan Trost (57:12), Florian Hoppl (58:32)

Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub reach the final with an aggregate score of 11:5.

Semi-final 2 – return leg:
1. EHC Althofen vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 4:2 after overtime (2:0,1:0,1:1,0:1)
Sat., 05 March 2022, 18:00, Stadthalle Althofen
Goalscorers 1. EHC Althofen: Martin Goritschnig (06:22), Kevin Schettina (18:07), Kevin Schettina (20:57), Fabian Hafner (55:51)
Wattens Penguins scorers: Markus Prock (52:17), Mathias Kastner (61:20)

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins reach the final with an aggregate score of 5:4 after overtime.

Final, first leg:
WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub
Sat., 12 March 2022, venue TBD

Final, return leg:
Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins
Sat., 19 March 2022, Eishalle Leoben

Semi-final 1 – first leg
Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub vs. SC Hohenems 7:4 (3:1,2:1,2:2)
Sat., 26 February 2022, 19:00, Eishalle Leoben
Kapfenberger SV goalscorers: Dominik Wassermann (01:19), Maximilian Ramsbacher (05:14), Florian Hoppl (13:56), Stefan Trost (21:11), Dominik Wassermann (38:51), Pierre Graf (47:52), Pierre Graf (56:38)
SC Hohenems goalscorers: Marcel Wolf (15:39), Marcel Wolf (29:13), Thomas Auer (55:25), Julian Grafschafter (55:36)

Semi-final 2 – first leg:
WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. 1. EHC Althofen 3:0 (0:0,1:0,2:0)
Sat., 26 February 2022, 19:00, Alpenstadion
Wattens Penguins goalscorers: Valentin Schennach (39:51), Fabian Nußbaumer (44:39), Christoph Hörtnagl (55:36)