ICE Hockey League

KAC defeats leader Fehervar – Linz moved closer

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The KAC remains in the flow in the ICE Hockey League. The record champions put the league leaders Fehervar in their place with a 7:3 (3:0,2:0,2:3) victory on Friday, thus also winning their third game in December. 

Six of the last eight encounters ended with a win for Klagenfurt, who are still two points ahead of VSV (8-2 against Innsbruck) in sixth place. The Black Wings Linz moved to within four points of Fehervar thanks to a 4-1 win at the Vienna Capitals 

Like the leaders, third-placed Linz have already played 26 games. Between them are HCB Südtirol, who are level on points with the Hungarians but have played one game less. Salzburg held on to fourth place thanks to a 3:2 win after extra time against fifth-placed Graz 99ers. Bottom-placed Pioneers Vorarlberg secured a 3-2 win on penalties at eighth-placed Olimpija Ljubljana.

After a 3-1 win against Asiago and a 2-0 win at the Pioneers, the KAC quickly made everything clear against Fehervar in the Heidi Horten Arena. Mathias From (5th), Daniel Obersteiner (9th) and Aabo Jesper Jensen (15th/PP) made it 3-0 in the first period and the game continued in the same vein, with Obersteiner scoring a brace (27th/SH) and Raphael Herburger (38th/PP) to make it 5-0 before the final period.

Fehervar's away series ends
The Hungarians scored twice there, but a further goal from From (56./PP) and Jan Mursak with the final act (60.) ensured that the situation remained clear. This ended an impressive away record for Fehervar, who had previously won nine times in a row away from home in regular time. Linz rejoiced at the slip-up and profited from it.

In front of 4,430 fans in Vienna, Niklas Bretschneider (26th) and Shawn St-Amant (28th) scored in the middle period before Henrik Neubauer (45th/SH) and Luka Maver (48th) made it all clear. Vienna, who remain ninth in the table, were only able to make up for it with Evan Jasper (59).

Only Maximilian Rebernig scored twice (2nd, 8th) in Villach's resounding win against penultimate-placed Innsbruck. Salzburg kept Graz at bay as Scott Kosmachuk scored the match-winner in extra time (64'). Lukas Haudum had previously scored a brace to reduce a 2-0 deficit for Graz. Kevin Macierzynski scored the decisive penalty for Vorarlberg.

13th/28th round:
EC Salzburg - Graz99ers 3:2 n.V. (2:1,0:1,0:0/1:0)
EC-KAC - Fehervar AV19 7:3 (3:0,2:0,2:3)
Vienna Capitals - Black Wings Linz 1:4 (0:0,0:2,1:2)
Olimpija Ljubljana - Pioneers Vorarlberg 2:3 n.P. (2:2,0:0,0:0/0:0/0:1)
EC VSV - HC Innsbruck 8:2 (4:1,0:0,4:1)