Sharks Gmunden take a 5:0 lead into the title decider against SC Hohenems!

Final – second leg: SC Samina Hohenems vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden 

Sat, 15 March 2025, 18:00, Eisstadion Hohenems

The SC Samina Hohenems will head into Saturday’s decisive second leg of the final at Eisstadion Hohenems – also known as Herrenriedstadion – carrying a 0:5 deficit against UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden at Eisstadion Hohenems – also known as Herrenriedstadion – on Saturday facing a __OEHV_NUM_G_A__ deficit. The Upper Austrians have hit top form in the play-offs and secured an excellent starting position in last Saturday's final home game. 

Head Coach Gregor Baumgartner's team can afford any defeat by a four-goal margin and still bring the Ö Eishockey Liga title to Lake Traun for the first time. The Sharks experienced first-hand in the quarter-finals, to their advantage, that while a substantial lead is welcome in the Champions Hockey League format, it is by no means a guarantee. HC Kufstein won 4:0 in Gmunden, but the Sharks turned the quarter-final tie around with an emphatic 6:1 away victory in Tyrol and ultimately secured their place in the semi-finals.

The Vorarlberg side could find no way through the Sharks' defence, led by strong netminder Luka Gračnar, in the away game in Gmunden, despite Hohenems leading 28:20 in the shots statistics at the end of the game. Head Coach Thomas Sticha's team failed to score on three power plays – the final penalty against the Sharks was merely of statistical significance. 

Gmunden, for their part, were far more efficient, with veteran Marc-André Dorion scoring on their only power play to make it 5:0. The club are in the Ö Eishockey Liga final for the third consecutive time and must produce a special performance over 60 minutes at home on Saturday to have another say in the title race. 

Goalie Karlo Škec had to pick the puck out of his net five times on Saturday. In the previous four play-off games, against Kapfenberger SV in the quarter-finals and WEV in the semi-finals, the Croatian conceded only three goals in total while recording three shutouts.

Thomas Sticha, Head Coach of SC Hohenems, promises a fierce battle and is hoping for a cauldron-like atmosphere at Herrenried: "We were punished for the mistakes we made in the first final game in Gmunden, and our opponents ruthlessly took advantage of them. Conversely, we were unable to get the puck over the goal line. But we will learn from our mistakes and will not make them again on Saturday. We will leave everything on the ice in this final game of the season and fight for every centimetre for the full 60 minutes. The reckoning will come after 60 minutes or more. The lads are certainly fired up for this game and we are hoping for a cauldron-like atmosphere in Hohenems!"

Gregor Baumgartner, Head Coach of Sharks Gmunden, reflects on the home win ahead of the major showdown in Vorarlberg and the possible final step towards the title: "Last Saturday, we impressed with a superb team performance. Nevertheless, the game was much closer than the result suggests. Hohenems have a superb team and at times we were under considerable pressure. As a team, we know that only a committed performance will enable us to hold our own in Hohenems, but we will give everything to make our dream come true!"

Ö Eishockey Liga – Play-offs – Final

Final second leg:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden 

Sat, 15 March 2025, 18:00, Eisstadion Hohenems

Final first leg:

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. SC Samina Hohenems 5:0 (2:0,2:0,1:0)
Sat, 08 March 2025, 18:30, Muki Eisarena Gmunden
Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Alwin Schuster (15:39), Mathias Haiböck (16:45), Markus Krotsch (26:19), Mario Pichler (31:31), Marc-André Dorion (51:50/PP1)

All standings, statistics and fixtures for the Ö Eishockey Liga in the Game Centre

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