Ice hockey: Salzburg and Fehervar first semi-finalists
After the “sweep” (promotion in four games), Salzburg can gather strength to grab their first league title in six years. The winner of the regular season started the game at high speed and took the lead after 77 seconds with a shot deflected by Jan-Mikael Järvinen. The momentum of the title favorites did not falter after that, but the outstanding Znojmo goalkeeper Pavel Kantor could not be defeated.
The Czechs only got into the game well in the final third and fought towards the end of the season, but Salzburg goalkeeper JP Lamoureux was also a safe backup.
Wins for capitals and VSV
The Vienna Capitals and VSV played “match pucks” in front of their own audience. After the third win in a row, the Villachers have three games to reach the semi-finals for the first time in six years. Head coach Rob Daum’s team was 3-0 up in Ljubljana with Scott Kosmachuk (9′), Renars Krastenbergs (17′) and Felix Maxa (23′), but the Slovenians managed to catch up by the 38th minute. Krastenbergs (46th), with two goals and two assists man of the evening, and Rick Schofield (56th) make everything clear.
The Viennese defeated KAC 3-2 in Klagenfurt and are leading 3-1 in the series. With a 5-2 win at Olimpija Ljubljana, VSV also has a 3-1 lead and, like the Caps, can secure promotion on Friday.
KAC must tremble
After the second home defeat against the Vienna Capitals, champions KAC have their backs to the wall. As in the three previous games, the Carinthians took the lead, Paul Postma scored with a double advantage (8th). The guests put the gap, but away again and allegedly thanks to a brace from Charles Dodero (15th) and Brody Sutter (16th).
It got ugly after a while. After Dodero checked Steven Strong, the KAC defender lay unconscious. Strong was taken to the hospital, Dodero received a game suspension. Lukas Haudum uses the following power play to equalize eight seconds before the first break. In the finish, however, the caps struck again. Matt Bradley (51st) shot the Viennese to victory.
ICE Hockey League Quarterfinals
final scores
Znaim – Salzburg 0: 1
(0:1 0:0 0:0)
Goals: Jävinen (2nd)
Final score in the “Best of seven” series: 0:4
Val Pusteria – Fehervar 4:5
(3:0 0:4 1:1)
Goals: Gerlach (8′), Willcox (12′), Stukel (19’/PP), Harju (60’/PP) and Shaw (27′, 38′), Magosi (33′), Hari (34′) ), Bartalis (59.)
Final score in the “Best of seven” series: 0:4
Ljubljana – VSV 2:5
(0:2 2:1 0:2)
Goals: Robar (24′), Koblar (38′) or Kosmachuk (9’/PP), Krastenberg’s (17′), Maxa (23′), Krastenberg’s (46′), Schofield (56′)
Standing in the “Best of seven” series: 1:3
KAC – Vienna 2: 3
(2:2 0:0 0:1)
Goals: Postma (8th/PP), Haudum (20th/PP) or Dodero (15th), Sutter (16th), Bradley (51st)
Standing in the “Best of seven” series: 1:3