ICE Hockey League

Pioneers finish off KAC, Salzburg and HCB advance

Great jubilation for the Pioneers Vorarlberg

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Basic round winners KAC were unable to capitalize on their first "match puck" in the ICE quarter-finals, conceding a 1:6 home defeat against the Pioneers Vorarlberg. Red Bull Salzburg made it through to the semi-finals. The defending champions beat Black Wings Linz 5:1 in the fifth game of the best-of-seven series and secured their fourth win to advance. HCB Südtirol also won the series against VSV 4:1 after going down 2:1. 

The KAC trailed early on after Oskar Maier (9.) conceded a goal. However, the home side's neck was only broken during a weak phase in the middle third. Luka Maver (32nd), Joonas Oden (33rd), ICE top scorer Steven Owre (37th) and Michael Pastujov (38th) scored in the space of just over six and a half minutes. The majority of the 4,393 fans in the Klagenfurt Stadthalle were shocked. A good omen for the KAC, however, is that they have never let a 3:1 series lead slip away in their play-off history. The Carinthians' lead in the duels is now only 3:2.

Fehervar also took exactly the same lead with a 5:3 win at home against the Pustertal Wölfe. Once again, the home team came out on top in the fifth game. The next games will follow on Wednesday. If no decision has been made by then, games seven will start on Friday. The semi-final series will start on March 19.

Salzburg keeps "clean slate"
Troy Bourke (5th) and Nicolai Meyer (12th) laid the foundation for Salzburg's victory early on in front of 3,003 spectators in the Eisarena. In the second period, Benjamin Nissner (27) and Mario Huber (37./PP) increased the lead. After Shawn St-Amant's consolation goal (45./PP), it was up to Huber to put the finishing touches on the game with his second goal (46.). Salzburg thus kept a clean sheet and also won the fourth play-off series duel with Linz. This means that Salzburg have always reached the last four since 2013.

Thomas Raffl spoke to "Puls24" of a "big step in the right direction" with regard to the season's goal of defending the title. It had been a tough series. "One or two games could have gone the other way," said Salzburg's captain. There was no room for exuberant joy. "You can be happy about the win, but one eye is already on the next series," emphasized Raffl. Linz striker Andreas Kristler, on the other hand, was crestfallen and "very disappointed to go down like this".

Thomas Raffl

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Villach had recently shown signs of life with a 6:1 home win, but were unable to add to their tally away from home. In Bolzano, Felix Maxa's equalizer (29') was the only result. A short time later, Christian Thomas (32) became the match-winner for South Tyrol.