VEU Feld­kirch reach the play-offs after victory over Wattens – Setzinger stars in Murtal Lions win

The situation for ÖEL newcomers VEU Feldkirch ahead of their home game at the Vorarlberghalle against defending champions WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins was clear: a win after 60 minutes or in overtime would definitively secure a play-off berth.

The Montfort city side therefore began the game highly motivated and took a 1:0 lead with their first attack, as Luca Erne fired home after 34 seconds.

Feldkirch pressed on, with Alessandro Togni catching Wattens netminder René Huber off guard with a precise shot to make it 2:0. Two minutes later, Tobias Fender breathed new life into the defending champions on the power play. 32 seconds before the end of the period, Yannick Wiedner extended VEU's lead to 3:1.

Valentin Hammerle pulled one back after 32 minutes of the second period, but Lukas Göggel restored the two-goal lead two minutes later. In the final period, Göggel again struck to extend the Vorarlberg side's lead to 5:2. With 54 minutes played, the game appeared decided following a power-play goal from Luca Erne.

The Penguins rallied once more, with Tobias Fender scoring to make it 3:6 just 22 seconds later. When Benjamin Kyllönen made it 7:3 for VEU with five minutes remaining, the game was finally decided and their play-off berth was secured. Christian Pittl added a consolation goal 58 seconds before the siren, but the previous season's champions were confirmed as eliminated after the preliminary round.

Five Setzinger goals in Lions' overtime win over ATSE

Third place in the North-East Group remains fiercely contested. ATSE Graz hosted EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions, looking to collect important points in their long-distance battle with WEV.

However, the Eggenberg side had not reckoned with Oliver Setzinger, who delivered a stellar performance for Murtal Lions. Following a fine pass from Peter Mateicka, Setzinger went through one-on-one with ATSE Graz netminder Florian Zeugswetter after nine minutes and gave him no chance to make it 1:0.

Graz fought back and player-coach Rupert Strohmeier equalised two minutes later. After 17 minutes, ATSE had turned the game around as Cody Wickstrom scored a power-play goal to make it 2:1.

Just 20 seconds had been played in the second period when Oliver Setzinger struck again to make it 2:2. The game now had a play-off feel, with both teams playing for the win. Moritz Ausperger gave Graz something to celebrate after 36 minutes, and ATSE took their narrow one-goal lead into the final period.

There, Oliver Setzinger soon levelled the score at 3:3, before Rupert Strohmeier put his team ahead 4:3 at the ideal time with five minutes remaining. Two and a half minutes before the end, Oliver Setzinger converted a penalty for Zeltweg to take his side into overtime. It took just 29 seconds there for Oliver Setzinger to seal the result with his fifth goal.

ATSE Graz moved into third place in the standings with the point they earned, while the race for the final play-off spot remains exciting.

Kapfenberger SV sweep aside Sharks Gmunden

The winners of the North-East Group Kapfenberger SV booked their place in the playoffs in the home game against the UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden. The visitors from Upper Austria took a 1:0 lead after just over ten minutes, but had fired their bolt early.

The Kangaroos, who according to player-coach Kris Reinthaler still have plenty of room for improvement, equalised through Philipp Ullrich for 1:1 one minute before the end of the first period. Two minutes after the halfway point, Kapfenberg took the lead for the first time, with Stefan Trost scoring 2:1 for the Mürztal side. In the 39th minute, Pierre Graf made it 3:1 for the home side.

When Thomas Koller made it 4:1 for Kapfenberg in the 47th minute, the game was decided. Stefan Trost, Adrian Stühlinger and Pierre Graf extended the score to 7:1 for the Kangaroos, who head into the inter-regional playoffs as favourites after 14 wins from 14 games so far.  

Open house in Steindorf vs. Eisbären Huben

League leaders ESC SoccerZone Steindorf faced UECR Eisbären Huben at the Ossiacher See Halle.

After just 39 seconds, Ruslan Gelfanov opened an outstanding goal festival with 1:0 for the hosts. Robert Trojer equalised for the Eisbären two minutes later to make it 1:1, but Steindorf then played with abandon: goals from Benjamin Petrik on the power play, Lukas Friedrich and Franz Wilfan took Head Coach Robert Moser's team to 4:1 by the ninth minute.

But Steindorf were not finished in the first period. Markus Pöck scored 5:1 in the twelfth minute, before Franz Wilfan added 6:1 half a minute before the first siren.

The goal-fest continued apace, with Markus Pöck scoring 7:1 just 32 seconds after the start of the second period. The Eisbären suddenly found their appetite for goals, however, as the East Tyroleans followed up with three goals from Martin Unterlercher, Raphael Bstieler and Alexander Payr to close to 4:7 by the 32th minute.

Five minutes from the end, Ruslan Gelfanov made the final decision for Steindorf with 8:4. Franz Wilfan completed his hat-trick with 9:4 two minutes before the final siren, before Martin Unterlercher set the final score a few seconds later. Steindorf face Velden on the final matchday of the preliminary round and can secure the group win under their own steam.

1. EHC Althofen defeat USC Pirates Velden

The 1. EHC Althofen kept the race for first place in the South Group with Steindorf open with an away match against USC Pirates Velden.

In an exciting game, the Rhinos took a 1:0 lead through Philipp Waldner in the ninth minute. Both teams have exceptionally strong goaltenders in Thomas Stroj for Velden and Fabian Horn for Althofen. Consequently, both offences found it difficult to create chances.

Patrick Matschigg brought the Pirates back into the game with the equaliser in the 35th minute. Althofen patiently waited for their opportunities, with Martin Zeloth converting one of them into a 2:1 lead just under eight minutes from the end.

In the end, Velden head coach Herwig Gressel pulled netminder Stroj, but the gamble did not pay off: Sandro Seifried sealed the 3:1 result with an empty-net goal. With this narrow victory, the Kurstadt side keep the race for first place in the South Group open; they face VSV on the final matchday.

EC iDM VSV comfortably defeat EC LiWoDruck Spittal

The young Eagles of EC iDM VSV hosted EC LiWoDruck Spittal in a “home match” at Spittal’s Eis-Sport-Arena – Villach had to relocate to Goldeck due to Steindorf’s home match.

The blue-and-whites from Villach led 1:0 after the first period, with Gert Gradnitzer scoring the opener in the eighth minute. In the second period, the team coached by Günther Lanzinger set the course for victory early on. Lanzinger’s son Florian made it 2:0 after barely a minute. Flavio Wibmer extended VSV’s lead to 3:0 in the 26th minute.

In the final period, Johannes Tschurnig made it 4:0 and Patrick Brucker added the 5:0 to settle matters within two minutes. VSV eventually won 5:0 to celebrate their fifth victory of the season overall.

West Group matchday

VEU Feldkirch vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 7:4 (3:1,1:1,3:2)
Sat., 28 January 2023, 19:30, Vorarlberghalle
VEU Feldkirch scorers: Luca Erne (00:34, 53:17), Alessandro Togni (05:06), Yannick Wiedner (19:28), Lukas Göggel (35:54/ 42:08), Dominik Hron (54:56)
WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins scorers: Tobias Fender (07:07, 53:39), Valentin Hammerle (31:49), Christoph Hörtnagl  (53:39), Christian Pittl (59:02/SH1)

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. SC Samina Hohenems 1974 7:3 (2:0,1:2,4:1)
Fri., 27 January 2023, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorers: Sebastian Schild (02:41), Kayson Arthur Gallant (07:40, 40:56), Samuel Schönthaler (27:35), Daniel Mitterdorfer (44:51/PP1), Adrian Schuster (45:45), Maximilian Agerer (54:27)
SC Samina Hohenems 1974 scorers: Marcel Wolf (30:14), Fabian Mandlburger (30:58), Lukas Fritz (54:48)

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie II vs. HC Kufstein 3:2 (0:0,1:2,2:0)
Thu., 26 January 2023, 19:00, TIWAG Arena
Scorers HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie II: Marcus Massimo (at 38:49), Matko Pavetic (at 48:40), Nicholas Schintler (at 57:29)
Scorers HC Kufstein: Patrick Hager (at 22:20), Robert Schopf (at 38:09/PP1)

Matchday North-East Group

Kapfenberger SV vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden 7:1 (1:1,2:0,4:0)
Sat., 28 January 2023, 19:00, Stadthalle Kapfenberg
Scorers Kapfenberger SV: Philipp Ullrich (at 18:54), Stefan Trost (at 32:01, at 50:28), Pierre Graf (at 38:08, at 58:35), Thomas Koller (at 46:08), Adrian Stühlinger (at 57:54)
Scorer Sharks Gmunden: Alwin Schuster (at 10:26)

ATSE Graz vs. EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions 4:5 n.V. (2:1,1:1,1:2,0:1)
Sat., 28 January 2023, 19:30, Merkur Eisstadion, Halle B
Scorers ATSE Graz: Rupert Strohmeier (at 10:30, at 55:11), Cody Wickstrom (at 16:13/PP1), Moritz Ausperger (at 35:44)
Scorers EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions: Oliver Setzinger (at 08:33, at 20:20, at 43:58, at 57:25/PS, at 60:29)

Matchday South Group

EC iDM VSV vs. EC LiWoDruck Spittal 5:0 (1:0,2:0,2:0)
Sat., 28 January 2023, 18:15, Eis-Sport-Arena Spittal
Scorers EC iDM VSV: Gert Gradnitzer (at 07:14), Florian Lanzinger (at 21:09), Flavio Wibmer (at 25:35), Johannes Tschurnif (at 48:29), Patrick Bruckner (at 50:34)

USC Pirates Velden vs. 1. EHC Althofen 1:3 (0:1,1:0,0:2)
Sat., 28 January 2023, 18:30, Eishalle Velden
USC Pirates Velden scorers: Patrick Matschigg (34:47)
Scorers 1. EHC Althofen: Philipp Waldner (08:57), Martin Zeleoth (52:16), Sandro Seifried (59:59, EN)

ESC SoccerZone Steindorf vs. UECR Eisbären Huben 9:5 (6:1,3:1,2:1)
Sat, 28 January 2023, 19:30, Ossiacher See Halle Steindorf
ESC SoccerZone Steindorf scorers: Rusland Gelfanov (00:39, 54:55), Benjamin Petrik (04:02, PP1), Lukas Friedrich (07:37), Franz Wilfan (08:29, 19:30, 58:06), Markus Pöck (11:09, 20:32)
UECR Eisbären Huben scorers: Robert Trojer (02:30), Martin Unterlercher (23:14, 58:24), Raphael Bstieler (27:51), Alexander Payr (31:12)

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