Ice hockey league

Fight by hook or by crook rewarded with victory

Schneider (right) dusted off Thaler's shot to make the important 1:1.

(Bild: Kronen Zeitung)

Eisbullen beat Linz 3:1 in a tough fight in front of a sold-out Eisarena crowd. Goal scorers were Schneider, Thaler and captain Raffl after trailing 0:1.

With performances in the middle third, the Eisbulls rarely put their stamp on a game. This time it was a different story in the sold-out Eisarena against Linz. Which was sorely needed after an opening period with clearly fewer shots on goal, a negative face-off record and fewer minutes on the attack.

 Only commitment and fight were right from the start in the tough game, in which the referees let a few things slide. After just 67 seconds, however, Wolf from Anthering (107 games without a goal) had already given Linz the lead with his first shot.

The home side - Genoway and Stapelfeldt back, Murphy still out with a concussion - were jubilant after the first break: Schneider dusted off a shot from Thaler shortly after the end of a power play. Before the assistant scored himself after a great feed from Lewington - his third goal in the third game since his injury. "It was a good team performance, a tough game and a deserved win," was how the Bulls' number 48 summed it up.

Linz had repeatedly generated a lot of pressure, but the strong Kickert (coach Oliver David: "He was our backbone in the game") kept his box clean together with his front men. In the final period, Raffl stormed towards the empty goal, was fouled and the puck was stopped - resulting in a "technical goal" to make it 3:1.

The Juniors had nothing to play for in the Alps Hockey League, losing 1:7 at Ritten.