Kufstein into play­offs after win over Lustenau – ATSE narrowly lose to Sharks Gmunden

Given the league standings, the clash between HC Kufstein and EHC Lustenau in front of more than 800 fans was the highlight of the Division West round. The league leaders arrived in the fortress city on the Inn with a short line-up of 14 players – with offensive power duo Thomas Auer and Martin Grabher Meier among those missing – and, after their first penalty kill, initially took control and tested HCK goaltender Jakob Sprachmann.

The hosts took the lead: Kufstein had briefly established themselves in the offensive zone and Luca Reiter scored from the left face-off circle with a precise shot to make it 1:0 (9nd minute). Shortly before the end of the period, the Dragons launched an attack down the right and Ethan Browne made it 2:0 46 seconds before the first siren (20th minute).

The Tyroleans made a dream start to the second period. Ethan Browne drove into the offensive zone down the left, caught Lustenau goaltender Lukas Reihs off guard with a quick wraparound and made it 3:0 (22nd minute). Lustenau pulled one back on the power play: Chris D’Alvise fired from the left face-off circle and David Slivnik deflected it in for 1:3 (30th minute). Shortly afterwards, Kufstein’s top scorer David Hrazdira was denied by Lions netminder Reihs on a penalty shot. 

A little later, the Vorarlberg side pulled another goal back, as Ricardo Bell surprised Kufstein goaltender Sprachmann with a shot to make it 2:3, instantly making the showdown exciting again (35th minute). When Valentin Hammerle scored from his knees after an attack down the right to make it 4:2, the Kufstein Arena was rocking (45th minute). 

Manuel Eder even made it 5:2 from close range (51st minute). Lustenau once again made the match exciting: top scorer Chris D’Alvise brilliantly converted a steep pass to make it 3:5 (53rd minute). With just under two minutes remaining, the Dragons sealed the game while shorthanded – Lustenau had also pulled goaltender Reihs – as Clemens Paulweber scored into the empty net from his own defensive zone (58th minute). Kufstein inflicted only the West leaders’ second defeat of the season and definitively secured their playoff berth.

SC Hohenems celebrate convincing win over EHC Crocodiles Kundl

For the final time in the regular season, SC Samina Hohenems and EHC Crocodiles Kundl crossed sticks. Both teams engaged in a fast, open exchange in the first period, with only the goals missing in the opening minutes. That changed when Hohenems defenceman Panu Hyyppä fired from the blue line and beat Kundl netminder Johann Bauer to make it 1:0 (19th minute).

The nature of the game changed little in the second period, with both teams looking to move quickly through the neutral zone. The Steinböcke were more efficient in front of the opposing net and made it 2:0. Leon Schmeiser put the puck into the empty net from close range after a save by goaltender Bauer (26th minute). The hosts added another: Johannes Hehle drove forcefully towards the Crocodiles’ net and increased the lead to 3:0 (35th minute). 

Kundl made a good start to the final period, with Simon Brandner breaking clear in front of the Hohenems net and giving netminder Karlo Škec no chance to make it 1:3 (43rd minute). Just 50 seconds later, the three-goal lead was restored: Patrick Spannring made it 4:1 by driving forcefully in front of the net from the right and wrong-footing goaltender Bauer (43rd minute). When Niklas Gehringer deflected the puck in to make it 5:1, the game was finally decided in favour of the Vorarlberg side (50th minute). 

A little later, Marcel Wolf skated around the Kundl net and completed the 6:1 final score with a wraparound (52nd minute). The Crocodiles lost their fourth game in a row and must continue to defend the final playoff place in the West against the Wattens Penguins.

Dornbirn celebrate second win of the season – Bulldogs edge Wattens Penguins

The Dornbirner EC won on Sunday at the Messestadion against the WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins after an exciting match, 5:4 after overtime. Manuel Merk (3rd minute) and Mathias Hofer (4th) had given the Vorarlberg side an early 2:0 lead in the first period. Following Lorenz Klingler's goal to pull one back (11th), Tobias Metzler-Wagner scored to make it 3:1 at the start of the second period (22nd). Towards the end of the middle period, Metzler-Wagner again struck on the power play to make it 4:1 for the hosts (39th).

In the final ten and a half minutes, the Tyroleans launched a comeback, initiated by Ricards Purins' goal to make it 2:4 (50th). Lorenz Klingler pulled it back to 3:4 with his second goal (54th), before Luca Muigg levelled at 4:4 with three and a half minutes remaining (57th). In overtime, Tobias Metzler-Wagner capped a superb display with his third goal after exactly 36 seconds to secure the 5:4 win. It was the Bulldogs' second win of the season, while the Wattens Penguins reduced the gap to Kundl and the final playoff place by one point, but missed the chance to move even closer.

Eastern Division:

ATSE Graz narrowly lose to the Sharks Gmunden

The ATSE Graz battled against the UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden on Saturday to remain in the race for the final playoff place in the Eastern Division. Both teams ensured an intense contest from the outset. The significance of this game was particularly evident for the Graz side, with the first period already having a playoff feel. 

The motto was simply not to concede, and both goaltenders – Paul Mocher for the Styrians and Luka Gračnar for the Upper Austrians – adhered to it superbly in the opening 20 minutes. The Sharks were on top, but were initially unable to turn their superiority into goals.

A quick double at the start of the second period suddenly gave the Sharks a two-goal lead. First, Bastian Szieber scored from the slot to make it 1:0 after exactly 61 seconds (22nd). Straight from the face-off, Alwin Schuster broke through following a positional error by Graz and extended the lead to 2:0 just six seconds (!) later (22nd). ATSE fought their way back into the match. Defenceman Rupert Strohmeier fired from the blue line after a face-off to reduce the deficit to 1:2 (38th).

Just under five minutes into the final period, Luca Rodiga quickly equalised at 2:2 for the Eggenberg side from the left of the slot (46th). The visitors then applied the pressure again, with 3:2 on several occasions seeming imminent. Right as a power play expired, the Sharks eventually scored to take a 3:2 lead, with Alwin Schuster firing home clinically from the slot (55th).

In the final minute, ATSE head coach Markus Losch pulled goaltender Paul Mocher a total of three times, but ATSE could not find an equaliser. The Styrians therefore remain three points behind HDK Maribor in the table. 

KSV Kängurus defeat HDK Maribor

Defending champions Kapfenberger SV faced HDK Maribor for the third time on Saturday. The Kängurus took the lead after exactly 65 seconds: Florian Hoppl finished off a quick attack with a fine shot to make it 1:0 (2nd). After the Mürztal side had survived an early penalty kill, they made perfect use of their first power play: following a tic-tac-toe move, Manuel Trost made it 2:0 from close range (13th). 

Shortly before the end of the first period, the Slovenians were back in the game with a wonderful goal: Ian Fingušt superbly lifted the puck over the Kapfenberg defence, which had pushed too far forward, and Aljaž Ogrizek rounded KSV goaltender Oliver Zirngast to score the 1:2 goal with exactly five seconds left before the buzzer (20th).

Things got even worse from Kapfenberg's perspective: the Foxes made a lightning start to the middle period, with Žan Kuzman equalising at 2:2 from close range after a fine attack (22nd). The second period was marked by several power plays for both sides. Only the team led by player-coach Kris Reinthaler found the net. Adrian Stühlinger fired home on a power play to make it 3:2 a minute and a half after the halfway point of the game (32nd). 

The reigning champions added another in the final period: Lukas Draschkowitz scored with a superb shot to make it 4:2 (48th). Maribor refused to be shaken off and, with ten minutes remaining, Danilo Tomašević won the puck in the left corner, drove towards goal and scored on the backhand to make it 3:4 (51st). 

Florian Hoppl scored from close range on another power play to make it 5:3 (54th). Daniel Oberkofler sealed the result, scoring into the empty net to make it 6:3 with 21 seconds remaining before the final buzzer (60th).

Ö Ice Hockey League - West Division:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl 6:1 (1:0,2:0,3:1)

Sat, 11 January 2025, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

SC Hohenems scorers: Panu Hyyppä (18:43), Leon Schmeiser (25:15), Johannes Hehle (34:31), Patrick Spannring (42:58), Niklas Gehringer (49:52), Marcel Wolf (51:12)

EHC Kundl scorer: Simon Brandner (42:00)

HC Kufstein vs. EHC Lustenau 6:3 (2:0,1:2,3:1)

Sat, 11 January 2025, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein

HC Kufstein scorers: Luca Reiter (08:41), Ethan Browne (19:14, 21:15), Valentin Hammerle (44:15), Manuel Eder (50:12), Clemens Paulweber (57:53/SH1)

EHC Lustenau scorers: David Slivnik (29:15/PP1), Ricardo Bell (34:08), Chris D’Alvise (52:42)

Dornbirner EC vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 5:4 after overtime (2:1,2:0,0:3,1:0)
Sun, 12 January 2025, 17:30, Messestadion Dornbirn
Dornbirner EC scorers: Manuel Merk (02:11), Mathias Hofer (03:00), Tobias Metzler-Wagner (20:32, 38:25/PP1, 60:36)
Wattens Penguins scorers: Lorenz Klingler (10:53, 53:23), Ricards Purins (49:30), Luca Muigg (56:30)

Ö Ice Hockey League - East Division:

ATSE Graz vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden 2:3 (0:0,1:2,1:1)

Sat, 11 January 2025, 18:30, Merkur Eisstadion

ATSE Graz scorers: Rupert Strohmeier (37:39), Luca Rodiga (45:15)

Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Bastian Szieber (21:01), Alwin Schuster (21:07, 54:59)

KSV Kängurus vs. HDK Maribor 6:3 (2:1,1:1,3:1)

Sat., 11 January 2025, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

KSV Kängurus goalscorers: Florian Hoppl (01:05, 53:54/PP1), Manuel Trost (12:48/PP1), Adrian Stühlinger (31:32), Lukas Draschkowitz (47:06), Daniel Oberkofler (59:39/EN)

HDK Maribor goalscorers: Aljaž Ogrizek (19:55), Žan Kuzman (21:02), Danilo Tomašević (50:08)

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

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