99ers vs. Bolzano

The Graz fists flew in the ice hockey summit

The game was hard-fought

(Bild: Graz 99ers)

The battle for the lead in the domestic ice hockey league turned into the expected fierce confrontation between the Graz 99ers and HC Bozen. The decision was made ten minutes before the final buzzer.

Helmets flew through the air like the players' fists, sticks skittered across the ice. And some of the words thrown around by the cracks were not meant for children's ears. Pure emotion!

The Bunker, Graz's beloved ice rink, was on fire. 3024 fans celebrated their 99ers. What an atmosphere yesterday in the top duel against Bolzano, which even Sturm champion coach Christian Ilzer ("My first 99ers game in a long time") didn't miss before the big soccer derby.

The captain had to come off the ice
The penalty box (it was the 32nd minute) almost had to be "extended" at this point. Because the brawl described above had consequences: All the players who were on the ice during the "brawl" were subsequently sent to the "cool box" for two minutes.

In the end, the guests from South Tyrol were jubilant

(Bild: Graz 99ers)

Which led to minutes of discussion and heated tempers. To top it all off, captain Holzer was also sent off for good just five minutes later with a length-of-game penalty.

Chance(s) wasted
It was a game that started perfectly from Graz's point of view. After just 78 (!) seconds, Lukas Haudum gave the Murstadt team a 1:0 lead. But instead of extending their lead, the 99ers fell 2-1 behind through Salinitri (9th, after mistakes by Gooch and goalkeeper Gunnarsson) and Digiacinto (13th). Hanisch equalized the score at 2:2 (28') before the "fightback".

Match data

Graz 99ers - HC Bolzano 2:3 (1:2, 1:0, 0:1)
Goal sequence: 1:0 (2./PP) Haudum, 1:1 (9.) Salinitri, 1:2 (13.) Digiacinto, 2:2 (28.) Harnisch, 2:3 (50.) Spornberger.
Shots: 39 - 31
Penalty minutes: 43 - 22

Furthermore: Vienna Capitals - VSV 3:4 n. P., Fehervar - Pustertal 6:1, Linz - Ljubljana 4:2, Vorarlberg - Innsbruck 1:2, Asiago - Salzburg 5:1.

Top of the table: 1. Bolzano - 21, 2. Graz - 19, 3. Ljubljana - 17, 4. Salzburg - 16, 5. Fehervar - 15, 6. KAC - 15.

But Spornberger (50th) closed the bag for Bolzano - 3:2. "Bitter", Michi Schiechl complained. "We played well, our short-handed play was outstanding. But we failed to capitalize on our chances. We also conceded too many penalties. That's exactly what Bolzano wanted, and that's exactly what they exploited."

The curse continues
As a result, the 99ers, who lost for the second time in a row, were once again unable to break down Bolzano and have now been waiting 969 days for a win against the South Tyroleans. They travel to Villach on Sunday (7.30 pm).