Kapfen­berg edge Zeltweg Murtal Lions – Croc­o­diles Kundl win derby against HC Kufstein

Hockey fans, what more could you ask for? Before the playoffs – also known among ice hockey fans as the fifth season – get under way in the Ö Eishockey Liga, it was derby time.

The EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions challenged East Division group winners Kapfenberger SV to their third Upper Styria dance of the season and made a strong start: Thomas Schiechl fired the puck into the net for 1:0 (at 5). The Kangaroos found a swift response, with Pierre Graf perfectly placed just two minutes later to score the 1:1 equaliser from the slot (at 7).

Both teams served up an intense match with a playoff feel. A late double strike within 35 seconds suddenly put Kapfenberg two goals ahead: first, Manuel Trost was sent through (at 19), before Lukas Draschkowitz made it 3:1 for the Mürztal side (at 19).

The two Upper Styria clubs gave each other no quarter in the second period either, resulting in a closely fought battle. Kevin Pesendorfer was first to drive forcefully towards Oliver Zirngast's goal and put the puck away for 2:3 (at 27). Zeltweg's joy was short-lived, however, as just 31 seconds later Iacopo Granza restored Kapfenberg's two-goal lead with a 4:2 finish from the slot (at 28).

The 3:4 was emblematic of the intense derby battle: Andreas Forscher won the puck at the centre line, broke clear and scored to cut the deficit (at 35).

After just under four minutes of the final period, the Aichfeldhalle was rocking: Daniel Forcher won the puck in the offensive zone and scored the celebrated 4:4 equaliser for the Murtal Lions from close range (at 45). It was crunch time.

The division winners regained the lead on the power play: Christoph Draschkowitz was at the far post and tucked the puck home for 5:4 (at 52). Zeltweg threw everything forward in the closing stages and pulled goaltender Andreas Brenkusch. Kapfenberg's Daniel Oberkofler scored into the empty net for 6:4 five seconds before the final buzzer (at 60).

ATSE Graz celebrate convincing win over Dukes Graz

For UHT Dukes Graz, the Ö Eishockey Liga season is over after the regular season. Before that, they faced the eagerly anticipated city derby against ATSE Graz, who sealed their playoff berth for good with a win over Sharks Gmunden last weekend.

At least within the city of Graz, the Dukes are number one when it comes to head-to-head local derbies. Both previous games – one ending 5:2, the other 5:1 – went to the team coached by player-coach Jurica Bednjanec. The two teams got under way in their final derby of the season at the traditional football kick-off time of 20:45. Stefan Trost made it 1:0 for ATSE just under four minutes before the end of the period (at 16).

The Eggenberg side made a flying start to the second period: Niki Zierer increased the visitors' lead to 2:0 after exactly one minute (at 22). Three and a half minutes later, Luca Rodiga made it 3:0 on the power play for the team led by head coach Markus Losch (at 25). UHT Dukes Graz could not find a way to finally get on the scoresheet. On the contrary: ATSE Graz extended their lead to 4:0 following a quick attack and a fierce shot from Fabian Möth (at 37).

ATSE continued to showcase their offensive strength in the final period, with Stefan Trost scoring from the slot for 5:0 (at 48). The visitors then began to weave their magic, as Luca Rodiga made it 6:0 following a fine passing move in the offensive zone (at 50). With 18 seconds remaining, Stefan Trost completed the 7:0 power-play goal to put the game beyond doubt (at 60). Simeoni Kyllönen recorded a shutout as ATSE Graz finished the regular season in third place.

WEV edge Sharks Gmunden

Wiener Eislauf-Verein faced UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden, who were out of the playoff race following last weekend's defeat at ATSE Graz.

At home in front of the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Viennese had to accept a 3:7 defeat against EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions, but still made the playoffs thanks to ATSE's assistance.

This time, the Viennese made a flying start: Cedric Ehrenreich beat Sharks netminder Luka Gračnar to make it 1:0 after just under two minutes (2.). Head coach Mario Kubeczka's team then had the upper hand and created chances, but could not find a way past Gračnar for a second time. With exactly seven seconds remaining in the first period, the Upper Austrians equalised at 1:1 through Mathias Lahnsteiner-Schier following a fine attack (20.).

Things got even worse for the hosts in front of the Wiener Konzerthaus: just 28 seconds into the second period, Konstantin Schlair deflected the puck in to make it 2:1 for the Sharks from Lake Traunsee (21.). WEV pressed for an equaliser, but the Sharks were solid defensively and also posed a threat in front of Mathias Lichtenecker's goal. WEV equalised on the power play: Philippe Lakos fired from the blue line and Xaver Emslander deflected it in for 2:2 (38.).

The match remained on a knife edge in the final period. Felix Zandonella won the puck in the offensive zone and sent it superbly into the near corner to make it 3:2 (50.). In the end, Gmunden head coach Gregor Baumgartner pulled netminder Luka Gračnar for an extra skater, but WEV failed to hit the empty net and saw out the narrow victory.

Division West:

Crocodiles Kundl win derby against Kufstein

The EHC Crocodiles Kundl hosted HC Kufstein for the Kufstein district derby on Friday, having welcomed VEU Feldkirch as a warm-up.

The Crocodiles led 4:0 after two periods and then 5:1 early in the final period before the side from Vorarlberg were able to reduce the deficit to 3:5. With a fourth consecutive victory under their belts, Kundl travelled to face their local rivals at Eisarena Kufstein.

Those in charge at Kufstein had proclaimed the "Mission 1.000", and the magic number was reached: 1.073 fans created a wonderful ice hockey atmosphere at the Arena am Inn. Both teams contested a tight first period, with the goals only coming late on: first, Martin Kosnar sent the arena into raptures with the 1:0 (18.). Just under a minute later, the Crocodiles had an immediate response, with Fabio Müller scoring the 1:1 equaliser (19.).

Early in the second period, the visitors took a 2:1 lead as Daniel Frischmann scored from close range for head coach Jaroslav Betka's team (24.). The derby remained exciting, providing a real test ahead of the playoffs, which begin next week, with intense battles for every inch of ice. Head coach Ivo Novotny's team pushed for an equaliser, but the Crocodiles closed down the spaces and, together with the outstanding netminder Kyle Plantz, allowed nothing.

Kufstein stepped it up again in the final period, but the visitors held on to their narrow lead, survived a penalty kill and, in the end, a 5:6 situation after Kufstein coach Ivo Novotny pulled netminder Thomas Hechenberger for an extra skater. Kundl ultimately won 2:1 and celebrated their fifth consecutive victory. HC Kufstein face Dornbirner EC away from home on Sunday in their final game of the regular season.

SC Samina Hohenems rout VEU Feldkirch

Saturday also saw derby time at Herrenriedstadion between SC Samina Hohenems and VEU Feldkirch. The Steinböcke had come through unscathed in the previous four encounters, winning every derby in regulation time.

The hosts immediately showed who was in charge on the ice in the fifth meeting, too: Johannes Hehle scored Hohenems' 1:0 on the first power play after exactly 103 seconds (2.). The forward added the 2:0 just under six minutes later (8.). Former VEU player Benjamin Kyllönen extended the Schlittschuhclub's lead to 3:0 (13.).

Feldkirch played well and even had more shots on goal in the first period, but head coach Thomas Sticha's team were far more efficient and composed in front of goal.

Just after the halfway mark, Martin Grabher Meier made it 4:0 to give the hosts a decisive advantage (31.), and two minutes later Christian Haidinger made it 5:0 for the commanding West group winners (33.). VEU could find no way past HSC netminder Matthias Fritz.

The Steinböcke do not know how to ease off, even with a commanding lead behind them: Martin Grabher Meier completed the half-dozen early in the final period with the 6:0 (43 minutes). Thomas Auer added the 7:0 (49 minutes). Hohenems continued to play themselves into playoff form as the match went on, with Benjamin Kyllönen making it 8:0 on the power play (52 minutes).

VEU managed a consolation goal through Aaron Matt to make it 1:8 (56 minutes), but SC Hohenems also won the fifth derby against the Montfortstädter.

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division East:

EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions vs. Kapfenberger SV 4:6 (1:3,2:1,1:2)
Sat., 03 February 2024, 19:00, Aichfeldhalle
EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions scorers: Thomas Schiechl (04:15 minutes), Kevin Pesendorfer (26:57 minutes), Andreas Forcher (34:57 minutes), Daniel Forcher (44:04 minutes)
Kapfenberger SV scorers: Pierre Graf (06:19 minutes), Manuel Trost (18:18 minutes), Lukas Draschkowitz (18:53 minutes), Iacopo Granza (27:28 minutes), Christoph Draschkowitz (51:30 minutes/PP1), Daniel Oberkofler (59:55 minutes/EN)

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden 3:2 (1:1,1:1,1:0)
Sat., 03 February 2024, 18:00, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22
Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorers: Cedric Ehrenreich (01:57 minutes), Xaver Emslander (37:55 minutes/PP1), Felix Zandonella (49:51 minutes)
Sharks Gmunden scorers: Mathias Lahnsteiner-Schier (19:53 minutes), Konstantin Schlair (20:28 minutes)

UHT Dukes Graz vs. ATSE Graz 0:7 (0:1,0:3,0:3)
Sat., 03 February 2024, 20:45, Graz Merkur Eisstadion - Hall A
ATSE Graz scorers: Stefan Trost (15:59 minutes, 47:00 minutes, 59:42 minutes/PP1), Nikolaus Zierer (21:00 minutes), Luca Rodiga (24:36 minutes/PP1, 49:27 minutes), Fabian Möth (36:41 minutes)

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. VEU Feldkirch 8:1 (3:0,2:0,3:1)
Sat., 03 February 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems
SC Samina Hohenems scorers: Johannes Hehle (01:43 minutes/PP1, 07:16 minutes), Benjamin Kyllönen (12:51 minutes, 51:34 minutes/PP1), Martin Grabher Meier (30:51 minutes, 42:30 minutes), Christian Haidinger (32:49 minutes), Thomas Auer (48:46 minutes)
VEU Feldkirch scorer: Aaron Matt (55:35)

HC Kufstein vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl 1:2 (1:1,0:1,0:0)
Sat, 03 February 2024, 17:30, Eisarena Kufstein
HC Kufstein scorer: Martin Kosnar (17:48)
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Fabio Müller (18:56), Daniel Frischmann (23:29)

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. VEU Feldkirch 5:3 (0:0,4:0,1:3)
Fri, 02 February 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Lukas Thaler (22:13), Simon Brander (27:55), Sebastian Schild (37:55/PP2, 42:52), Tobias Haid (38:09/PP1)
VEU Feldkirch scorers: Leon Peischler (41:08/PP1), Joonatan Kyllönen (46:32/SH1), Yannick Wiedner (53:23)

Dornbirner EC vs. HC Kufstein
Sun, 04 February 2024, 17:30, Messestadion

Ö Eishockey Liga 2023/2024 playoff participants:

Eastern Division: Kapfenberger SV, EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions, ATSE Graz, Wiener Eislauf-Verein

Western Division: SC Samina Hohenems, HC Kufstein, EHC Crocodiles Kundl, VEU Feldkirch

All Ö Eishockey Liga tables, statistics and fixtures in the Gamecenter

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