2:1 against Black Wings

Thriller series: 99ers now need nerves of steel

Graz and Linz fight for every millimeter

(Bild: GEPA)

The 99ers want to get the important third win against the Black Wings Linz on Saturday (18:30). From now on, the Cracks will need nerves of steel. Which team from Graz kept their cool in the heated battle?

The quarter-final series between the 99ers and the Black Wings is not for the faint-hearted. The 15-goal battle at the start was followed by two overlong ice hockey thrillers that were unsurpassed in terms of drama. In the first three games, the teams faced each other for three hours, 49 minutes and 16 seconds. And both teams still have a long way to go.

We should be prepared for the fact that a decision may not be made until the seventh game.

Harry Lange, 99ers-Headcoach

"This is a fifty-fifty series. It will probably go on like this," estimates 99ers head coach Harry Lange. "We should be prepared for the fact that a decision may not be made until the seventh game." The fourth clash in a week is scheduled for Saturday. The only remaining tickets for the game in the "Bunker" (6.30 p.m.) are available at the box office.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA/Cristina Kober, Daniela Moser, Hans Oberlaender)

Graz in the stat check
The bare figures from the first three games show who has kept the coolest head in the heated battles so far: Kevin Roy is Graz's top scorer with four assists and a goal (see right), has one more point to his name than the Judenburg evergreen Michi Schiechl and Frank Hora. The US defenseman keeps up the pressure with twelve shots - every eighth puck on Linz's goal has come from his shovel so far.

Goalie Jonas Gunnarsson has caught up. After an inferior start (every fourth puck went into the net in the first game), he stopped 90.9 percent of the shots in the two overtime battles and even pulled a magic save against Kristler out of his bag of tricks on Thursday.

Hora showed just how close joy and sorrow are in the play-offs: The scorer of Tuesday's winning goal (in the 83rd minute) also had to concede the decisive Linz goal (in the 88th minute) on the ice on Thursday.