ÖEL: WEV beat EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions! Dukes Graz cele­brate opening win against Sharks Gmunden

Clemens Lennkh and Luca Rodiga each scored twice as the University Hockey Team from Graz claimed a clear 4:0 victory over UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden.

The Graz Dukes, coached by Head Coach Jurica Bednjanec, showed in their first appearance in the Ö Eishockey Liga at Merkur Eisstadion against last season's Upper Austrian playoff participants that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the North-East Group.

Goalie Gernot Fally celebrated a shutout in his debut in Austria's third-highest league. With their clear opening victory, the Dukes sit top of the table after the first matchday.

Runners-up Kapfenberg beat ATSE Graz

In the highlight of the first round, runners-up Kapfenberg recorded a 7:4 victory over ATSE Graz. Graz led 2:0 thanks to two power-play goals from player-coach Rupert Strohmeier.

The Kangaroos got on the scoreboard through Florian Hoppl just 34 seconds after Graz had made it 2:0 (34 min). Stefan Trost equalised shortly before the end of the second period. Lukas Draschkowitz gave the Mürztal side, led by player-coach Kris Reinthaler, the lead for the first time early in the final period.

Florian Hoppl, who recorded six points in total (three goals, three assists), set the Kangaroos on course for victory with two goals in 18 seconds. ATSE refused to give up and fought their way back into the match through goals from Nino Jus and Moritz Ausperger, closing the gap to 4:5.

Rupert Fichtinger and Patrick Huppmann wrapped things up for the hosts. The Kangaroos won their first match back at Stadthalle Kapfenberg.

WEV defeat EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions away after overtime

Fans in Zeltweg witnessed an extremely exciting and, at times, hard-fought match. EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions took the lead five times against WEV, and the Viennese side equalised five times.

In three-on-three overtime, the visitors took the lead for the first time through Cedric Ehrenreich 29 seconds before the end, with his goal also proving to be the winner. Marco Herzl scored the first goal of the still young new Ö Eishockey Liga season to make it 1:0 after exactly 04:16 minutes.

WEV hit back immediately through Stefan Nador just 33 seconds later. An entertaining game then developed at Murtal Lions Arena, with Vienna forward Patrick Böhm in particular leaving his mark with three goals. When Michael Grüneis made it 5:4 for the home side in the third period, Lions fans were hoping for a successful start to the anniversary season – in 2023, Murtal Lions celebrate 70 years of ice hockey in Zeltweg.

However, the WEV players coached by player-coach Mario Kubeczka proved to be persistent opponents that evening. Oscar Marchhart sent the yellow-and-blacks into overtime, where Cedric Ehrenreich's goal secured a narrow away win and the additional point.

Ö Eishockey Liga – 1st matchday, North-East Group

EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein 5:6 after overtime (2:1,2:2,1:2,0:1)
Sat, 08 October 2022, Murtal Lions Arena/Sportzentrum Aichfeldhalle
EV Zeltweg - Murtal Lions scorers: Marco Herzl (04:16 min), Dominik Walchshofer (05:53 min, 30:11 min), Robin Weihager (37:14 min), Michael Grüneis (47:00 min)
Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorers: Stefan Nador (04:49 min), Patrick Böhm (21:42 min, 33:58 min, 40:07 min/PP2), Oscar Marchhart (54:56 min), Cedric Ehrenreich (64:31 min)

Kapfenberger SV vs. ATSE Graz 7:4 (0:1,2:1,5:2)
Sat, 08 October 2022, Stadthalle Kapfenberg
Kapfenberger SV scorers: Florian Hoppl (33:39, 44:45/PP1, 45:03), Stefan Trost (39:05), Lukas Draschkowitz (42:32), Rupert Fichtinger (54:02), Patrick Huppmann (56:47)
ATSE Graz scorers: Rupert Strohmeier (12:30/PP1, 33:05/PP1), Nino Jus (47:49), Moritz Ausperger (49:33)

UHT Dukes Graz vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden 4:0 (2:0,2:0,0:0)
Sat., 08 October 2022, Merkur Eisstadion
UHT Dukes Graz scorers: Clemens Lennkh (10:37/PP1, 11:13), Luca Rodiga (30:33, 39:08/PP1)

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