Game 2 against Red Bull

7-second shock didn’t stop Black Wings – 3:2!

Nico Feldner gave Linz the lead.(Bild: BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer)

Strong response from the Black Wings to the 0:4 at the start of the play-offs in Salzburg! Ice Hockey Linz defended courageously in the second quarter-final, defeated the champions 3-2 in front of their home crowd and equalized in the best-of-7 series - despite a 7-second shock in between!

A roaring whistle! Suddenly, there was boundless jubilation! Then, just seconds later, a real shock! Before 4500 fans were allowed to cheer again in the Linz AG Eisarena...What a rollercoaster of emotions in the 2nd quarter-final! In which the Black Wings, who took an early lead thanks to Feldner's rebound after Wolf's shot (2nd), heroically stood up to Salzburg's ice bulls and defended stoutly. Before Linz was confronted with another short-handed game after a joke penalty against Gaffal. But the whistles for referees and opponents turned into joy in a flash.

Linz is not a pleasant opponent for Salzburg(Bild: GEPA pictures)

From 2:0 to 2:2 in a flash
St-Amant got the puck behind the goal of the champions, who lost top scorer Schneider early on after a hit, and set up Roe to make it 2:0 in a shorthanded game (39')! But just one minute later the double shock: With one man more on the ice, Raffl reduced the deficit to 1-2 for Salzburg 12 seconds before the second period break, before Linz made it 2-2 seven seconds later before going into the dressing room! "A difficult change of momentum. The way we dealt with it makes me proud," Black Wings coach Phil Lukas was to say at the end, adding: "Salzburg then came out with momentum at the start of the third period, but found a way to get through it!"

Pusnik and Co. overcame Tolvanan three times(Bild: BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer)

"We were aware that we didn't give them much space except for the short time before the second period break," said Feldner, whose team struck at exactly the right time in the power play: Lebler was forgotten by the Ice Bulls and sent the arena into ecstasy - 3:2 (45')! "But it doesn't matter who scores the goal," said the captain later, whose team pulled off the win and tied the series at 1:1! So did the KAC with a 1-0 win in Vorarlberg, while VSV are already 2-0 down after a 2-4 home draw against Bozen. On Thursday, they continue with duel no. 3 - for Linz in Salzburg.