Salzburg – After the great game against the VSV on Sunday, the Wolves have a difficult task to master: in Salzburg against the Red Bulls, the points are high. For the first time, coach Helminen can fall back on Glira and thus has the full squad available. Due to the lockdown in Austria, the game will take place in front of empty spectators.

The home side, who are also almost complete (only LoVerde is missing), set the tone in the ice arena from the start and get more out of the game. The HCP, on the other hand, tries again and again to get in front of Tolvanen’s goal with quick counterattacks. The greatest opportunities are found by Baltram (who fails freestanding from a half-right position) and Wukovits, who storms all alone on Sholl, but cannot defeat Sholl. The wolves do it better: after 17 minutes of play, Ikonen wins a face-off and lays back on Kristensen, the Dane can pull away and his hammer lands in the Kreuzeck behind Tolvanen – 0: 1! And it gets even better. 30 before the first third siren, Caruso checks with a shot from the blue line Tolvanen, this can only ricochet, and Harju uses the rebound ice cold to 0: 2.

The committed wolves begin in the second section, but the home side soon takes over again. And this time they are also successful. After an unnecessary loss of targets in his own third, Brennan grabs the puck, dances through the black and yellow defense and shoots in the backhand to make it 1: 2 (26th min.). Believe it or not, it is the 5th goal of the season that the exceptional defender has scored in three games against the Wolves. After that, the handicap masterfully survives a shortfall situation (2 minutes Carey), but can subsequently not capitalize on a power play in favor. And although the Red Bulls hardly get any compelling opportunities, they manage to equalize one minute before the end of the third: Nissner comes to the break from half-left, the puck bounces off Sholl on Mario Huber who is running along, who successfully utilizes the rebound. 2: 2 after 40 minutes.

Little spectacular happens in the final third. Defend the wolves skillfully and leave little, and when the going gets tough, Sholl is there. Five minutes before the end, Mantinger fights for the puck on the gang, plays to Budish, who serves ideal icons from behind the gate, and the Finn uses an on-timer to make it 2: 3 for the wolves! Unfortunately, only seconds later, Harju has to go to the penalty box. In the power play, the Red Bulls are not joking and come with Nissner to 3: 3 equalization (57th minute).

And so, after the 3: 3 on October 1 and the 1: 1 on October 29, the third clash with championship favorite Salzburg will take place in extra time! In this one, Mantinger has a huge chance of scoring the winner, but on the other side, too, Sholl has to prove all his skills twice.

A penalty shootout must therefore decide. Nissner and Harju fail as well as Brennan and Hanna. Then Sholl holds against Schneider, and the HCP sniper Carey shoots a 4-3 winner.

EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC Pustertal Wölfe 3: 4 (0: 2, 2: 0, 1: 1) SO

After this great victory, two interesting home games will continue: tomorrow at 5 p.m., the Vienna Capitals will host an absolutely top team in the Intercable Arena. On Tuesday the Black Wings Linz will come to Bruneck; Despite the yellow zone, there are still 1,860 spectators at this game, but for the first time the Super Green Pass (2G) is a prerequisite for visiting the stadium.

From: ka