ÖEHV youth leagues: U15 clinch fourth championship title for EC KAC in 2026!
Fourth title for EC KAC’s youth teams this season. Following the U11, U13 and U20 sides, EC KAC’s U15 team has now also secured the 2026 championship title. The young Red Jackets won 3:0 against the Okanagan Hockey Academy/Lower Austria Stars joint team in the decisive fifth final at the Heidi-Horten-Arena, thereby claiming the Best-of-Five series 3:2 and becoming Austrian champions in the ÖEHV U15 Championship.
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The exciting Best-of-Five series between EC KAC’s U15 side and the Okanagan Hockey Academy/Lower Austria Stars joint team reached its climax in the decisive fifth game at the Heidi-Horten-Arena in Klagenfurt on Wednesday. The Lower Austrian side had won the opening contest 3:2 in the Carinthian capital, before the young Red Jackets levelled the series at 1:1 with a 2:1 overtime victory.
After their 5:3 win in the first meeting in St. Pölten, KAC had the first match point, but the joint team responded with a narrow 4:3 victory on Sunday to force a decider. KAC took a 1:0 lead through a goal from Max Pontsch-Müller just over ten minutes in (11 min.). Emil Jahn extended the hosts’ advantage to 2:0 in the second period (27 min.).
With Klagenfurt holding a two-goal lead, a thrilling final period was guaranteed. The Lower Austrian side had a power play straight away, but the visitors were unable to score the goal that would have pulled them back into the game during that spell of numerical advantage. KAC then had two consecutive power plays, but failed to secure the result early. Marvin Kralj sealed the victory with the 3:0 on another power play, 64 seconds from the end (59 min.).
In the end, KAC netminder Valentin Fradler recorded a shutout as EC KAC’s U15 team won 3:0, claiming the Best-of-Five series 3:2 and becoming Austrian champions of the ÖEHV U15 Championship 2025/2026. Third place went to EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV, who prevailed over HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie by an aggregate score of 13:9 (5:3 and 8:6) in Champions Hockey League format.
ÖEHV U15 Championship - 5th final:
EC KAC vs. SPG Okanagan Hockey Academy/Lower Austria Stars 3:0 (1:0,1:0,1:0)
Wed., 25 March 2026, 17:15, Heidi Horten Arena Klagenfurt
EC KAC goalscorers: Max Pontasch-Müller (11 min.), Emil Jahn (27 min.), Marvin Kralj (59 min./PP1)
The EC KAC won the Best-of-Five series 3:2 and are Austrian champions of the ÖEHV U15 Championship 2025/2026.
Third-place games:
EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV vs. HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie 5:3 (1:3,2:0,2:0)
EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV vs. HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie 8:6 (4:1,3:2,1:3)
Final aggregate score in Champions Hockey League format: 13:9 for EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV - the U15 of EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV finish in third place.
