KAC win in Vorarlberg

6:1! VSV keeps itself alive with a skeleton crew

John Hughes (left) netted a brace against Bolzano in game four.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Two wins for the two Carinthian clubs in the fourth play-off game. VSV came out at home against Bolzano looking like a changed team. The much-rejuvenated Adler whirled around on the ice and reduced the deficit to 1:3 in the series with a 6:1 win. The KAC struggled for a long time against Vorarlberg, but then earned the match pucks for Monday's home game with a 3:1 win.

With plenty of pace and energy, the slimmed-down, but all the younger and more troublesome VSV squad (Tyler Steenbergen also had to watch on because Alex Wall was preferred as the eighth legionnaire!) Bolzano in serious trouble. The first lead through Hughes' hammer into the left corner (10th) only lasted 14 seconds - but after Hancock made it 2:1 while short-handed (after a magnificent Mac-Pherson pass/16th), Villach set the tone until the end.

Cheers for Blaz Tomazevic (center). The Slovenian is back on the scoresheet with the goal for 4:1.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

In a scramble in front of Bolzano keeper Harvey, Hughes struck, scoring his 18th goal of the season to make it 3:1 (29'). Even Blaz Tomazevic returned with his first goal in 24 (!) games. He deflected a Rauchenwald shot unstoppably in the 34th minute to make it 4:1. He then capped it off with the 5:1 into the empty net and the 6:1.

"That was a real team performance! We'll play with the same intensity and passion on Monday - then we'll look like a real play-off team," emphasized captain Alex Rauchenwald.

KAC takes the match pucks
The Red Jackets cheered for the first time in the seventh minute! Hundertpfund went solo on the Vorarlberg goal while short-handed, caught goalie Madlener off guard and slotted in with a backhand. But the Ländle-Cracks also replied while short-handed through Oden. Then the KAC scored in the powerplay: Hundertpfund found Fraser in the center, who deflected the disc in to make it 2:1 (18').

The KAC defense around goalie Dahm (right) withstood every onslaught.(Bild: Copy by Holger Adam)

In the second period, the home side applied total pressure from the 30th minute onwards, with Klagenfurt almost exclusively in defense mode. But they kept things tight at the back and hardly allowed Vorarlberg any big shots. At the start of the final period, Bischofberger then sealed the deal with a 3:1 - in the end, the KAC celebrated a 3:1 win and thus also the 3:1 in the series. On Monday they have the first match puck at home in Klagenfurt.