UHT Dukes Graz win open-air spec­tacle at WEV – Croc­o­diles Kundl defeat Dorn­birn

Wiener Eislauf-VereinWiener Eislauf-Verein played their second consecutive home game in the wonderful open-air arena in front of the Wiener Konzerthaus against UHT Dukes Graz.

Vienna began the game against the Dukes from Graz in daylight and temperatures of three degrees Celsius with 56-year-old (!) goaltender Günther Albrecht. Head coach Mario Kubeczka’s team made use of their very first power play to take the lead. Graz netminder Paul Mocher could only parry a shot by Lukas Kaider forward after a face-off, and Kilian Trommet fired home the 1:0 on the backhand (5 minutes). 

What followed was a fast-paced contest with chances at both ends, as play went back and forth. An individual effort brought the equaliser for the Styrians: David Kessler collected the puck in his own zone, drove down the right-hand side towards the Vienna goal and spectacularly fired the puck home to make it 1:1 (17 minutes). WEV responded quickly. Following a shot by Kilian Trommet, the puck lay loose after a save by Mocher and Cedric Ehrenreich restored the lead at 2:1 with a backhand finish (19 minutes). 

The second period also saw the two teams engage in an evenly matched five-on-five battle on the ice, with both sides defensively sound and the two goaltenders doing the rest. The match remained exciting and took on increasingly more of a playoff character with every passing minute. It was clear that extremely important points were at stake in this head-to-head encounter.

This time, the visitors capitalised on a power play: Sebastian Höffernig scored the 2:2 equaliser (27) for the University Hockey Team from Graz. WEV took the lead for the third time that afternoon. And once again, it came on the power play: Xaver Emslander converted a pass from Philippe Lakos to make it 3:2 (36).

Conditions changed in the final period, with the setting in front of the Wiener Konzerthaus now illuminated by floodlights.

The opening minutes were a real ice hockey spectacle. Both teams initially had a gilt-edged chance apiece. The Dukes then equalised for the third time: Tobias Tatzer finished off a quick counter-attack to make it 3:3 (42nd minute). Just moments after the equaliser, Marco Bayer danced through the Graz defence and, just 27 seconds later, scored to make it 4:3 for the Viennese side (42nd minute). 

The game now became more hectic and emotional. There were repeated brief skirmishes. WEV took three penalties in succession, and Graz used one power play to equalise: Sebastian Höffernig made it 4:4 with his second power-play goal (48nd minute). After that, it was crunch time: both teams wanted the win after 60 minutes, with play going rapidly from end to end. 

51 seconds before the end, Moritz Stradner set up Clemens Lennkh perfectly in front of goal. The forward gave WEV goaltender Albrecht no chance from close range and scored the 5:4 winner for Graz, who are now fully involved in the battle to reach the playoffs.

Division West:

EHC Crocodiles Kundl win at Dornbirner EC

To round off the matchday, Dornbirner EC faced EHC Crocodiles Kundl. The Tyroleans travelled to Vorarlberg with new head coach Jaroslav Betka, who led Wattens Penguins to the Ö Eishockey Liga title in the 2021/2022 season and had spent a total of four seasons with the Crocodiles as a player.

A lively game developed from the outset. Stefan Leitner had the lead for the young Bulldogs on his stick, but his powerful shot struck the post. The sound of metal jolted the Crocodiles into action, and they then took control.

On the power play, Maximilian Agerer fired from the left face-off spot to make it 1:0 for Kundl (12nd minute). 78 seconds later, the Tyroleans led 2:0: Fabio Müller beat Dornbirn goaltender David Bernhard from the slot (12nd minute). Just under three minutes before the end of the period, the Crocodiles added another: Daniel Frischmann made it 3:0 with a precise shot from the right face-off circle (18th minute).

The game remained fast-paced in the second period, with few stoppages. The visitors were no longer playing with the same intensity as in the first period, but still ended up with a high number of shots on goal. Dornbirn fought fiercely to score, but were unable to convert two power plays. 

After the halfway point of the game, Kundl raised the tempo again and added further goals: Daniel Frischmann deflected a shot by Christian Baierl to make it 4:0 (34 min.). Simon Brandner scored the 5:0 on the power play from close range after a cross-ice pass by Tobias Haid (37 min.). Barely a minute later, it was 6:0 to the Lower Inn Valley side, with Sebastian Schild giving DEC goaltender Bernhard no chance from the slot (38 min.). 

There was little change in the flow of the game in the final period, with the Crocodiles continuing to dominate. Despite the deficit, Dornbirn did not give up, but could not beat US player Kyle Plantz, who celebrated his first shutout in the Ö Eishockey Liga. The Crocodiles ultimately won 6:0 and consolidated third place in the table.

Ö Eishockey Liga - East Division:

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. UHT Dukes Graz 4:5 (2:1,1:1,1:3)
Sun., 26 November 2023, 15:00, WEV Arena - Lothringerstraße 22
Goalscorers Wiener Eislauf-Verein: Kilian Trommet (04:06 min./PP1), Cedric Ehrenreich (18:06 min.), Xaver Emslander (35:07 min./PP1), Marco Bayer (41:43 min.)
Goalscorers UHT Dukes Graz: David Kessler (16:31 min.), Sebastian Höffernig (26:13 min./PP1, 47:44 min./PP1), Tobias Tatzer (41:16 min.), Clemens Lennkh (59:09 min.)

EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions vs. Kapfenberger SV 4:8 (2:2,1:4,1:2)

Sat., 25 November 2023, 19:00, Aichfeldhalle

Goalscorers EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions: Luka Petelin (03:46 min., 29:40 min.), Marco Herzl (16:47 min., 58:34 min.)

Goalscorers Kapfenberger SV: Christoph Draschkowitz (07:52 min., 29:58 min.), Adrian Stühlinger (08:29 min.), Pierre Graf (31:18 min./PP1, 51:05 min.), Florian Hoppl (33:10 min., 46:07 min./PP1), Kristof Reinthaler (36:32 min.)

ATSE Graz vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden 3:1 (1:0,0:0,2:1)

Sat., 25 November 2023, 19:30, Merkur Eisstadion - Hall B

Goalscorers ATSE Graz: Mario Petrovitz (13:32 min.), Stefan Trost (46:48 min./PP1), Marco Scheriau (53:52 min.)

Goalscorer Sharks Gmunden: Alessandro Mühllechner (59:14 min./PP1)

Ö Eishockey Liga - West Division:

Dornbirner EC vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl 0:6 (0:3,0:3,0:0)
Sun, 26 November 2023, 17:30, Messestadion
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Maximilian Agerer (at 11:35/PP1), Fabio Müller (at 12:53), Daniel Frischmann (at 17:02, 33:16), Simon Brandner (at 36:09/PP1), Sebastian Schild (at 37:24)

HC Kufstein vs. VEU Feldkirch 6:5 (5:0,0:3,1:2)

Sat, 25 November 2023, 17:30, Eisarena Kufstein

HC Kufstein scorers: Dominique Saringer (at 03:02), Martin Kosnar (at 07:43/PP1, 10:23), Maximilian Camondo (at 11:04), David Hrazdira (at 18:10), Philipp Sappl (at 44:45)

VEU Feldkirch scorers: Yannick Wiedner (at 23:22), Lukas Göggel (at 37:34/PP2, 38:41/PP2), Dominik Hron (at 45:37), Markus Zeitler (at 59:48)

VEU Feldkirch vs. SC Samina Hohenems 1:4 (0:2,1:1,0:1)

Fri, 24 November 2023, 19:30, Vorarlberghalle

VEU Feldkirch scorer: Rupert Fichtinger (at 32:26)

SC Samina Hohenems scorers: David Slivnik (at 08:48), Thomas Auer (at 13:43), Lukas Fritz (at 35:09/PS), Panu Hyyppä (at 53:23/PP2)

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

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