Kundl edge Althofen in goal fest

Image credit: EHC Crocodiles Kundl against 1st EHC Althofen - Photo ©: Gerhard Weiß / GW Photography / EHCFotograf

What an opening to the Ö Eishockey Liga playoffs. The three quarter-final matches played produced a total of 28 goals and entertaining ice hockey.

Heavy favourites SC Hohenems initially found life difficult in their away match against the Sharks Gmunden. The Sharks put up a spirited fight. Nevertheless, the team from Vorarlberg took a fitting lead through Marcel Wolf, making it 1:0 (at 11). The Upper Austrians battled tenaciously in defence. A serious error by goalkeeper Rudi Hummel dealt a blow to Gmunden's efforts. Stefan Spannring fired a speculative shot from the neutral zone and Hummel allowed the puck through for 0:2 (at 17). With 64 seconds remaining in the period, there were huge celebrations at the Shark Tank: Felix Mayer fired home from the left face-off spot to make it 1:2 (at 19).

In the second period, Stefan Spannring made it 3:1 for coach Bernd Schmidle's team (at 26). Exactly three and a half minutes later, Christopher Urstöger scored on the power play to pull one back for the battling Sharks (at 29). The Steinböcke were not unsettled by the goal against them and continued to play their usual strong attacking hockey. Thomas Auer restored the two-goal lead shortly afterwards (at 32).

In the final period, Daniel Fekete put the game firmly on course for an Hohenems victory early on, making it 5:2 after 1:11 minutes of play (at 42). With two and a half minutes remaining, Stefan Spannring completed his hat-trick to seal the 6:2 final score (at 58) and give his side a comfortable advantage for next Saturday's return leg at Eisstadion Herrenried.

Quarter-final 2: Crocodiles Kundl win goal fest against 1st EHC Althofen

With AC/DC's Hells Bells, the arena DJ at Eisarena Kundl ushered in the playoffs. 1st EHC Althofen began the match against EHC Crocodiles Kundl confidently. Inspired by the heavy-metal bells, Martin Goritschnig fired from the blue line and it rang in every sense of the word: the puck went in off the post to make it 1:0 for the Rhinos, past Michael Sparr in goal (at 3). The Carinthians, coached by Gerald Ressmann, extended their lead to 2:0 through Marc Ettinger, who converted Kevin Schettina's cross-ice pass from close range (at 10). A fast-paced game then developed, with the Crocodiles growing increasingly into the match. They eventually pulled one back as well. Adrian Schuster beat Althofen goalkeeper Sebastian Selinger with a fine move to make it 1:2 (at 16). Just under a minute and a half before the end of the first period, Fabio Schramm equalised for Kundl from close range to the delight of the home crowd (at 19).

47 seconds after the restart, Stefan Schumnig restored Althofen's lead at 3:2 (at 21). Christoph Echtler levelled the score at 3:3 with a deflected shot (at 28). Althofen continued to stick to head coach Gerald Ressmann's game plan. Florian Kurath fired from the face-off circle to put the visitors back in front at 4:3 (at 34). But the Crocodiles did not let up and, with 25 seconds remaining in the period, converted a power play through Maximilian Agerer to equalise at 4:4 (at 40).

One minute and 43 seconds had been played in the final period when the Tyroleans took the lead for the first time that evening: Julian Jagersbacher made it 5:4 for the Crocodiles (at 42). The Rhinos now had to respond, and they did: Christoph Kronlechner equalised at 5:5 (at 45). Four and a half minutes later, the hosts scored the winning goal. Julian Jagersbacher netted to make it 6:5 for EHC Crocodiles Kundl (at 49). The Tyroleans will therefore travel to Althofen for next Saturday's return leg with a narrow one-goal advantage.

It took exactly 15 seconds at Ossiacher See Halle for the Kapfenberg Kangaroos to take a 1:0 lead against ESC SoccerZone Steindorf through goalscorer Pierre Graf. He beat Steindorf goalkeeper Anja Adamitsch from the slot after a pass from Lukas Draschkowitz (at 1). Steindorf, coached by Mike Mayer, recovered relatively quickly from the shock of falling behind early, and an entertaining playoff contest developed in the first period. Franz Wilfan equalised for Steindorf following a swift attack (at 10). Kapfenberg were not fazed and regained the lead on the power play: after Manuel Laritz fed the puck from the corner, Stefan Trost was completely unmarked in front of goal and scored to make it 2:1 for the Kangaroos (at 13). The Styrians then played with abandon. Lukas Draschkowitz made it 3:1 for KSV (at 15), before Dominik Wassermann made it 4:1 for player-coach Kris Reinthaler's side just 27 seconds later (at 15).

The Kangaroos also started the second period better: after 19 seconds, Pierre Graf fired from just behind the blue line and scored to make it 5:1 (at 21). Benjamin Petrik gave Steindorf a glimmer of hope with a power-play goal to make it 2:5 (at 23). Kapfenberg held on to their lead and gave nothing away in the remaining minutes of the middle period. When Manuel Laritz extended the visitors' lead to 6:2 on the power play in the final period (at 46), the first leg was decided. With nine minutes remaining, Florian Hoppl made it 7:2 to put the first leg beyond doubt (at 51). The Kangaroos have therefore secured an excellent starting position for next Saturday's return leg in Leoben.

The first leg between WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins and ATSE Graz was cancelled as a medical precaution. The side progressing from this tie will be determined in the return leg.

From the quarter-finals onwards, the ties will be decided in a home-and-away format, in accordance with the Champions Hockey League (CHL) format. The team leading on aggregate after the home and away legs will advance to the semi-finals. Should the aggregate score be level at the final buzzer after 120 minutes, the outcome will be decided in a ten-minute three-on-three overtime and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out. This means there is no overtime in the first leg. Each first leg ends after 60 minutes, either level or with a win in regulation time. 

Quarter-final 1 – first leg:
UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden vs. SC Hohenems 2:6 (1:2,1:2,0:2)
Sat, 12 February 2022, 18:15
Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Felix Mayer (18:56), Christopher Urstöger (28:35)
SC Hohenems goalscorers: Marcel Wolf (10:19), Stefan Spannring (16:44), Stefan Spannring (25:05), Thomas Auer (31:23), Daniel Fekete (41:11), Stefan Spannring (57:34)

Quarter-final 2 – first leg:
EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. 1. EHC Althofen 6:5 (2:2,2:2,2:1)
Sat, 12 February 2022, 17:30
EHC Crocodiles Kundl goalscorers: Adrian Schuster (15:47), Fabio Schramm (18:22), Christoph Echtler (27:26), Maximilian Agerer (39:35), Julian Jagersbacher (41:43), Julian Jagersbacher (48:28)
1. EHC Althofen goalscorers: Martin Goritschnig (02:39), Marc Ettinger (09:18), Stefan Schumnig (20:47), Florian Kurath (33:56), Christoph Kronlechner (44:04)

Quarter-final 3 – first leg:
ESC SoccerZone Steindorf vs. Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub 2:7 (1:4,1:1,0:2)
Sat, 12 February 2022, 18:00
ESC SoccerZone Steindorf goalscorers: Franz Wilfan (09:40), Benjamin Petrik (22:03)
Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub goalscorers: Pierre Graf (00:15), Stefan Trost (12:53), Lukas Draschkowitz (14:15), Dominik Wassermann (14:42), Pierre Graf (20:19), Manuel Laritz (45:27), Florian Hoppl (50:53)

Quarter-final 4 – first leg:
WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. ATSE Graz
The first leg was cancelled as a medical precaution. The team progressing from this tie will be decided in the second leg.

Quarter-final 1 – second leg:
SC Hohenems vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden
Sat., 19 February 2022, 17:30

Quarter-final 2 – second leg:
1. EHC Althofen vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl
Sat., 19 February 2022

Quarter-final 3 – second leg:
Kapfenberger SV Eishockeyclub vs. ESC SoccerZone Steindorf
Sat., 19 February 2022, 19:30

Quarter-final 4 – second leg:
ATSE Graz vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins
Sat., 19 February 2022, 19:30