Sharks Gmunden to face SC Hohenems in the final after sensa­tional win in Lustenau!

Semi-final 1 – second leg: Sharks Gmunden reach final with away win at EHC Lustenau

The EHC Lustenau hosted UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden in the decisive second leg of the semi-final at the Rheinhalle on Saturday, in front of almost 1.100 fans. Following the 2:2 draw in the first leg, both teams began the match for a place in the final on the front foot, setting a good pace from the outset while also remaining alert defensively. 

There were no clear-cut chances in the opening minutes, with goaltenders Felix Beck for Lustenau and Luka Gračnar for the Sharks initially looking calm and assured when called into action. As the strong home Lions raised the tempo, the Upper Austrians took their first penalty. Lustenau then had too many players on the ice, but neither side could score during their respective spells on the power play. 

Late in the first period, the hosts came within centimetres of taking the lead: when Lustenau defenceman David Slivnik fired from the blue line, the Rheinhalle erupted, but the puck rebounded off the left post.

Both teams continued to produce quick attacks at the start of the second period, with Lustenau becoming more dominant with every shift and creating more scoring chances. The Traunsee Sharks, together with netminder Gračnar, put up fierce resistance just as they had in the first leg. The match became increasingly tense, making the players more nervous as well. While shorthanded, the home side again had the lead within their grasp, but goalscorer Chris D’Alvise hit the right post. 

Following a Sharks counter-attack, Johannes Mackner fired from the left face-off circle to make it 1:0 in the 32nd minute. Lustenau were now forced to play even more offensively, and they did so. Head Coach Dániel Fekete’s team once again struggled against Gmunden’s superbly organised defence. The stage was set for a tense final period. 

Lustenau pressed for an equaliser. Head Coach Gregor Baumgartner’s team continued to stand firm, patiently waiting for their chance – and it came: Mathias Haiböck received the puck at the near post and made it 2:0 for the Sharks from close range (51nd minute). Soon afterwards, the Vorarlberg side had two power plays, but missed the chance to pull one back. 

With just under four and a half minutes remaining, Lustenau pulled netminder Beck during their second power play. Once Gmunden were back at full strength, Elias Koller scored into the empty net from the neutral zone to make it 3:0 (57). The Lions kept battling and, with an extra man on the ice, Martin Grabher Meier converted a rebound to make it 1:3 57 seconds before the final siren (60). 

Sharks defenceman Niklas Mayrhauser lifted the puck out of his own defensive zone towards the empty net and scored to make it 4:1 with eight seconds remaining (60nd minute). The Sharks celebrated a sensational away win over the title favourites and progressed to the final of the Ö Eishockey Liga season 2024/2025 with an aggregate score of 6:3.

First leg: 2:2 – UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden reach the final with an aggregate score of 6:3.

Semi-final 2 – second leg: SC Hohenems beat Wiener Eislauf-Verein to reach the final

The Wiener Eislauf-Verein faced off on Saturday in another open-air clash in front of more than 550 fans at the WEV Arena outside the Konzerthaus against SC Samina Hohenems and had to take a 0:3 deficit from the first leg into the home tie. Neither team needed time to feel their way into the game, immediately setting a high tempo. The Viennese looked to make a forceful start, while Hohenems initially kept their defence under control. 

A typical play-off game quickly developed, with the two goaltenders – Moritz Merkader for WEV and Karlo Škec for the Steinböcke – allowing no goals. Despite the tension and significance of the game, both teams remained disciplined in the opening period and took no penalties. Shortly before the end of the period, Niklas Gehringer had the lead on his stick following a counter-attack down the right, but WEV netminder Moritz Merkader made a fine save.

Just seconds into the second period, the hosts faced their first penalty kill, but successfully saw out the numerical disadvantage. The team coached by Head Coach Philipp Ullrich then enjoyed its best spell, pinning the visitors in their defensive zone. The opening goal was in the air, but the side from the federal capital could not find it. Hohenems' defence, together with HSC goaltender Škec, also kept a clean sheet during Vienna's first power-play opportunity at the halfway point of the game. 

The Schlittschuhclub were also unable to make use of a power play towards the end of the second period, with the score 0:0 after 40 minutes. The team from the Grafenstadt, superbly prepared by Head Coach Thomas Sticha, continued their compact game in the final period and remained dangerous on the counter-attack. WEV pressed for the opening goal, but goaltender Škec kept his team on course for the final. 

Just under eight minutes from the end, WEV coach Ullrich went "all in" and pulled goaltender Merkader for a sixth skater. Hohenems then took a penalty, and the hosts threw everything forward in search of the opening goal. Once the penalty had expired and Merkader had again left his net, Leon Schmeiser scored into the empty net to make it 1:0 for SC Hohenems (at 56). Goaltender Karlo Škec did not concede a WEV goal in 120 minutes, as the Vorarlberg side won 4:0 on aggregate and reached the final for the third consecutive time.

First leg: 3:0 for SC Samina Hohenems - SC Samina Hohenems with an aggregate score of 4:0 in the final.

Ö Eishockey Liga – Play-offs – Semi-final second legs

EHC Lustenau vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden 1:4 (0:0,0:1,1:3)

Sat., 01 March 2025, 17:30, Rheinhalle

EHC Lustenau goalscorer: Martin Grabher Meier (at 59:03)

Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Johannes Mackner (at 31:47), Mathias Haiböck (at 50:14), Elias Koller (at 56:44/EN), Niklas Mayrhauser (at 59:52/EN)

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden with an aggregate score of 6:3 in the final.

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. SC Samina Hohenems 0:1 (0:0,0:0,0:1)

Sat., 01 March 2025, 18:30, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

SC Hohenems goalscorer: Leon Schmeiser (55:59/EN)

SC Samina Hohenems advance to the final with an aggregate score of 4:0.

Ö Eishockey Liga – Play-off – Final

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. SC Samina Hohenems

Sat, 08 March 2025

SC Samina Hohenems vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden 

Sat, 15 March 2025

Ö Eishockey Liga – Play-off – Semi-final first legs

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. EHC Lustenau 2:2 (0:0,2:0,0:2)
Sat, 22 February 2025, 18:30, Muki Eisarena Gmunden
Sharks Gmunden goalscorers: Marc-André Dorion (25:42/PP1), Elias Koller (28:49/SH1)
EHC Lustenau goalscorers: Dominic Haberl (49:20/PP1), Martin Grabher Meier (58:42)

SC Samina Hohenems vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein 3:0 (1:0,1:0,1:0)
Sat, 22 February 2025, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems
SC Samina Hohenems goalscorers: Julian Grafschafter (08:04, 37:39), Benjamin Kyllönen (41:03/PP1)

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