WEV winning streak continues in Maribor – Sharks Gmunden win block­buster against Kapfen­berg

League leaders UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden faced champions Kapfenberger SV and took an early lead: Following a shot, the puck came off the boards to Mathias Haiböck, who caught KSV netminder Oliver Zirngast off guard from a tight angle to make it 1:0 (3rd minute). Kapfenberg quickly equalised, with Florian Hoppl setting up Kris Reinthaler perfectly from behind the net, and the KSV player-coach gave Gmunden goalie Luka Gračnar no chance to make it 1:1 (5th minute). 

The game then developed into an intense contest in the first period, with a hint of playoff atmosphere in the top-of-the-table clash. The defending champions had the lead on their sticks, but Lukas Draschkowitz sent the puck past the grounded Luka Gračnar and onto the post.

The Kangaroos carried the remaining time on a power play into the second period but were unable to make use of their numerical advantage. Little changed in the nature of the game, as both goaltenders were solid after the rapid goals conceded in the first period, keeping it a low-scoring affair for a long time. 

After successfully killing off a penalty, the Sharks struck twice within 21 seconds to suddenly take a 3:1 lead at Lake Traun. Laurens Ober first made it 2:1 with a shot under the crossbar (37nd minute). Shortly after the face-off, the Upper Austrians won the puck following a turnover and Elias Koller extended the league leaders’ advantage to 3:1 (37th minute). 

In the final period, the Mürztal side tried to fight their way back into the game. Gmunden were solid defensively and, together with netminder Gračnar, protected their two-goal lead. But the Sharks also continued to create danger offensively, repeatedly landing blows of their own. On the power play, Marc-André Dorion fired the puck into the net with a precise wrist shot just moments after a face-off to make it 4:1 (51nd minute).

There was then a brief scuffle, with Patrick Gaffal and Manuel Trost providing a little Christmas entertainment. The Kangaroos threw everything at it in the closing stages, but Sharks Gmunden also won their third head-to-head meeting with the defending champions and remain comfortable league leaders.

Sixth consecutive win – WEV prevail away to HDK Maribor

The HDK Maribor hosted Wiener Eislauf-Vereinfor the second time in the Ledena dvorana Maribor, and it was the third meeting between the two teams this season overall. Both teams came out flying, with scoring chances at both ends right from the start. Following a scramble in front of the WEV net, the puck suddenly crossed the line as Danilo Tomašević scored to make it 1:0 for the Füchse after 83 seconds (2).

The Viennese side responded quickly: just 45 seconds later, Jan Billa made it 1:1 with a precise shot (3rd minute). In a hard-fought first period, the capital side had the better of the closing minutes: the WEV's 2:1 was almost a carbon copy of the equaliser. Jan Billa fired home to give his side the lead for the first time, exactly three minutes before the end of the period (18th minute). 79 seconds later, Head Coach Philipp Ullrich's team added another: following a save by Maribor goaltender Lazar Ilić, Nils Granitz made it 3:1 with a backhander (19th minute).

The Slovenians pulled one back with their first attack of the second period: Danilo Tomašević deflected the puck in for 2:3, making the game exciting again exactly 18 seconds into the middle period (21). Just as in the Sharks Gmunden versus Kapfenberg clash, there was a playoff atmosphere in the Slovenian city on the Drava.

Both teams battled for every inch of ice and brought great intensity to the game. Towards the end of the second period, WEV came through a tricky spell with a 3:5 disadvantage. Maribor pushed for the equaliser, but netminder Moritz Merkader preserved the slender one-goal lead. Early in the final period, WEV were two goals ahead again: after a series of chances, Oscar Marchhart eventually turned the puck over the line to make it 4:2 (43rd minute).

The Viennese side stepped it up and produced a perfect tic-tac-toe play on the power play, which Daniel Aschauer finished from the slot to make it 5:2 (47nd minute). The game was decided after that, with several more penalties and stoppages to follow. WEV, who secured their sixth consecutive victory with the 5:2 win, will spend Christmas in second place in the standings. The Füchse must travel to Graz as early as Sunday afternoon for the potentially decisive game for the final playoff spot in the East Division.

Remaining Ö Eishockey Liga schedule in 2024

The Ö Eishockey Liga resumes immediately after Christmas. Division West in particular remains busy until shortly before the turn of the year, and it could also be called the "Vorarlberg-Tirol Series": six inter-provincial clashes are scheduled from 26 December to 29 December. 

SC Hohenems face HC Kufstein on 26 December before rounding off the year away to the Wattens Penguins on 29 December, who will first host league leaders EHC Lustenau on 27 December. EHC Crocodiles Kundl play Dornbirner EC on Boxing Day, followed by EHC Lustenau on 29 December. HC Kufstein conclude their ice hockey year at home to Dornbirner EC on 28 December.

In the Eastern Division, Wiener Eislauf-Verein travel to defending champions Kapfenberg on Boxing Day, before the Viennese host UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden on 28 December.

Ö Eishockey Liga - EAST Division:

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. KSV Kängurus 4:1 (1:1,2:0,1:0)

Sat., 21 December 2024, 18:30, Muki Eisarena Gmunden 

Sharks Gmunden scorers: Mathias Haiböck (02:01), Laurens Ober (36:04), Elias Koller (36:25), Marc-André Dorion (50:48/PP1)

KSV Kängurus scorer: Kristof Reinthaler (04:41)

HDK Maribor vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein 2:5 (1:3,1:0,0:2)

Sat., 21 December 2024, 18:30, Ledena dvorana Maribor

HDK Maribor scorers: Danilo Tomašević (01:23, 20:18)

Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorers: Jan Billa (02:08, 17:00), Nils Granitz (18:19), Oscar Marchhart (42:17), Daniel Aschauer (46:22/PP1)

ATSE Graz vs. KSV Kängurus 3:5 (0:0,1:2,2:3)
Thu., 19 December 2024, 20:00, Merkur Eisstadion
ATSE Graz scorers: Clemens Lennkh (29:09, 50:25), Nikolaus Zierer (46:01)
KSV Kängurus scorers: Manuel Trost (35:45), Lukas Winkler (39:03), Lukas Draschkowitz (40:30), Florian Hoppl (57:48), Stefan Trost (58:08)

ATSE Graz vs. HDK Maribor

Sun., 22 December 2024, 15:30, Merkur Eisstadion

Remaining Eastern Division schedule until the turn of the year:

KSV Kängurus vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein

Thu, 26 December 2024, 18:00, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden

Sat, 28 December 2024, 18:30, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. SC Samina Hohenems 1:3 (0:2,1:1,0:0)
Fri, 20 December 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Crocodiles Kundl scorer: Jakob Wetzelsberger (at 30:44)
SC Hohenems scorers: Benjamin Kyllönen (at 03:56), Johannes Hehle (at 15:39), Fabian Mandlburger (at 36:15)

HC Kufstein vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 5:2 (1:0,4:1,0:1)
Fri, 20 December 2024, 19:45, Eisarena Kufstein
HC Kufstein scorers: Ethan Browne (at 00:57, 29:10, 30:53/PP1), Valentin Hammerle (at 22:34, 26:30)
Wattens Penguins scorers: Mario Schöser (at 21:30/PP1), Noah Polig (at 57:57)

Dornbirner EC vs. EHC Lustenau

Sun, 22 December 2024, 17:30, Messestadion Dornbirn

Remaining Division West fixtures until the turn of the year:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. HC Kufstein

Thu, 26 December 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. Dornbirner EC

Thu, 26 December 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. EHC Lustenau

Fri, 27 December 2024, 19:30, Eislaufplatz Wattens

HC Kufstein vs. Dornbirner EC

Sat, 28 December 2024, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. SC Samina Hohenems

Sun, 29 December 2024, 19:30, Eislaufplatz Wattens

EHC Lustenau vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl

Sun, 29 December 2024, 17:30, Rheinhalle

Further article:

Hohenems gain revenge against Crocodiles Kundl – Kufstein beat Wattens Penguins

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

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