Zeltweg Murtal Lions secure playoff spot with win over Gmunden – Hohenems win derby against Dornbirn
High drama in the Ö Eishockey Liga on Wednesday: EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions celebrated a 6:3 win over the Sharks Gmunden after a fiercely contested game for long stretches. This makes the Styrians the second team, after Kapfenberg, to secure a playoff spot. In the West Division, league leaders SC Hohenems had already convincingly won Tuesday's derby against Dornbirner EC 13:2.
4 min read
The situation ahead of the clash between EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions and UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden in the East Division was clear: a win after 60 minutes would see the Styrians become the second team after Kapfenberg to secure a playoff spot.
However, the Sharks from the Traunsee also urgently needed points in the battle to reach the playoffs. Accordingly, the opening period at the Aichfeldhalle was an exciting affair. The visitors took a 1:0 lead through Alwin Schuster (14.). The equaliser came late on: Michael Grüneis sent the fans into celebration with a power-play goal for 1:1, 31 seconds before the first siren (20.).
In the second period, the Lions again made use of a power play, with Robin Weihager scoring to give the hosts the lead for the first time (25.). Just 81 seconds later, Zeltweg were 3:1 ahead, as Daniel Forcher beat Sharks netminder Daniel Mörixbauer (26.). Head coach Gregor Baumgartner's team quickly found the right response: Alwin Schuster completed his brace to cut the deficit to 2:3 before the halfway mark of the game (28.).
The match remained fiercely contested in the final period, with crunch time beginning early. The Sharks patiently waited for their chance and struck on the power play: Felix Mayer levelled the score at 3:3 (48.). But the Murtal Lions responded quickly to regain the lead: just 75 seconds later, Mario Sulzer converted a power play for 4:3 (49.).
The atmosphere in the Aichfeldhalle was now crackling. With two minutes remaining, the Upper Austrians pulled goaltender Daniel Mörixbauer, and Michael Grüneis sealed the win with an empty-net goal for 5:3, 56 seconds before the final siren (60.). Gmunden continued to take risks, and Daniel Forcher scored into the empty net exactly one second before the end to make the final score 6:3 (60.). With this win, Zeltweg Murtal Lions booked their playoff ticket and secured second place in the standings.
Hohenems comfortably win derby against Dornbirn
As early as Tuesday, the West Division leaders – SC Samina Hohenems – celebrated a convincing __OEHV_NUM_Q_A__ win in the fifth and final seasonal derby against Dornbirner EC a clear 13:2 victory.
The young Bulldogs were only able to keep pace with the experienced Hohenems side for just over six minutes, before the goals began to flow: Marcel Wolf, Benjamin Kyllönen on the power play and Felix Vonbun gave the favourites a 3:0 lead by the eleventh minute. When Matthias Fussenegger made it 4:0 early in the second period, the game appeared to be decided.
As they have often done this season, Dornbirn showed character and reduced the deficit to 2:4 through goals from Sebastian Koberger and Jannik Fitz within two minutes. However, SC Hohenems then took control again and unleashed a real goal spree. Johannes Hehle (28.), Panu Hyyppä (29.), Niklas Gehringer (30.) and Janic Heisig (30.) put the game beyond doubt at the Messestadion with four goals in around two minutes, making it 8:2 after the middle period.
In the final period, the visitors had still not satisfied their appetite for goals and scored another five. Benjamin Kyllönen (46.) and Thomas Auer (49.) took the Steinböcke into double figures, before Christian Haidinger (51.), Marcel Wolf (52.) and David Slivnik (54.) also made their mark on the game to secure the emphatic 13:2 victory.
Head coach Thomas Sticha's team will finish the West Division at the top of the table. With three games remaining, Hohenems hold an eleven-point lead over HC Kufstein, who still have four games to play. This includes their head-to-head meeting on Saturday at the Eisstadion Hohenems.
Ö Eishockey Liga – East Division:
EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden 6:3 (1:1,2:1,3:1)
Wed, 17 January 2024, 18:30, Aichfeldhalle
Goalscorers for EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions: Michael Grüneis (19:29/PP1, 59:04/EN), Robin Weihager (24:28/PP1), Daniel Forcher (25:49, 59:59), Mario Sulzer (48:52/PP1)
Goalscorers for Sharks Gmunden: Alwin Schuster (13:33, 27:01), Felix Mayer (47:37/PP1)
Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. Kapfenberger SV
Sat., 20 January 2024, 18:00, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22
UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden vs. UHT Dukes Graz
Sat., 20 January 2024, 18:15, Gmunden Eishalle
EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions vs. ATSE Graz
Sat., 20 January 2024, 19:00, Aichfeldhalle
Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:
Dornbirner EC vs. SC Samina Hohenems 2:13 (0:3,2:5,0:5)
Tue., 16 January 2024, 19:30, Messestadion
Goalscorers for Dornbirner EC: Sebastian Koberger (24:22), Jannik Fitz (26:19)
Goalscorers for SC Samina Hohenems: Marcel Wolf (06:32, 51:13), Benjamin Kyllönen (10:27/PP1, 45:59), Felix Vonbun (10:56), Matthias Fussenegger (22:31), Johannes Hehle (27:48), Panu Hyyppä (28:26), Niklas Gehringer (29:08), Janic Heisig (29:50), Thomas Auer (48:44), Christian Haidinger (50:30), David Slivnik (53:40)
EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. VEU Feldkirch
Fri., 19 January 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl
SC Samina Hohenems vs. HC Kufstein
Sat., 20 January 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems
VEU Feldkirch vs. Dornbirner EC 3:2 (1:0,2:0,0:2)
Sun., 14 January 2024, 18:00, Vorarlberghalle
Goalscorers for VEU Feldkirch:Fabio Pfeiffer (02:47), Yannick Wiedner (22:27), Markus Zeitler (37:48)
Dornbirner EC scorers:Ricardo Bell (42:14), Leon Schmeiser (43:00)
All Ö Eishockey Liga tables, statistics and schedules in the Gamecenter
