ICE Hockey League 2020-2021 (Klagenfurt wins championship)

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Games yesterday:

Salzburg vs Bratislava 3-2
Rick Schofield out, Jack Skille in – and he scored two of the three goals for Salzburg. At the end of a tight first period he brought his team ahead 1-0. In the second period Salzburg controlled the puck but didn't do much with it while Bratislava equalized out of the blue. In the third period Salzburg brought the game home with two goals. Bratislava made it close on a powerplay goal, but that was the game. I think @kabidjan18 has seen the game, maybe he can add more. Salzburg doesn't look that convincing right now, but their roster is also not quite what it used to be.

Graz vs Vienna 6-2
Seems like Graz has completed the turnaround under new coach Gustafsson. Defensively they are still shaky, but they attacked restlessly in the first period and overwhelmed a surprised Vienna side. Score after 20 minutes: 4-0 for the home team. Vienna improved when they came back on the ice, but Graz kept playing an aggressive game and both teams traded two goals for a 6-2 score.

Villach vs Dornbirn 2-1
The home team with a short bench and Dornbirn with a great chance to get an important win, but they played a subpar game and looked disorganized defensively. Villach didn't play much better either.

Linz vs Klagenfurt 0-6
The home team is used to losing, but the last games they were at least showing up and trying. This time they weren't up for the game. Klagenfurt dominated the match completely and got an easy win.

Innsbruck vs Fehervar 3-6
Defensive disorganisation against offensive efficience. Innsbruck pushed hard in the first period, got the lead but couldn't keep a clean sheet – score: 1-1. In the second period the visitors turned it up a notch, had a field day with the Innsbruck defence and went from 1-1 to 6-1. Game over.

---

Transfer news from Linz:

 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Is Dragan Umicevic considered to be one of the best in the league?

Yes, he's one of the top playmakers in the league. Last year he led the league in assists by a wide margin. Currently he's #3 while playing on a club that has been run down by its own president and turned from a financially solid club into a problem child within mere months.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Game on Saturday:

Bolzano vs Fehervar 0-1
A tight and intense battle. Neither team scored or conceded at even strength, but Fehervar got one shorthanded goal. They had to fight hard to hang on to the lead, but in the end they grinded out the win.

Games on Sunday:

Bolzano vs Salzburg 2-3
Two defeats in a row for Bolzano? Who would have expected that. Looks like it was a close game that could have gone either way. Salzburg scored the winner less than 1 minute before the end. Of course, Bolzano still have more points per game than anybody else.

Klagenfurt vs Bratislava 6-1
KAC is on a uncharacteristic scoring spree. The first period was close (1-0 Klagenfurt), but afterwards the home team outskated and outplayed Bratislava by a wide margin.

Vienna vs Villach 1-2
An upset win by VSV. Vienna dominated the first period, but wasted chance after chance while Villach got one goal out of maybe two chances. Afterwards the game was a bit more evenly matched and Villach made it 2-0 on a PP goal. Vienna still had an edge and could & should have won, but they just had a hard time scoring that night.

Innsbruck vs Graz 6-3
Who are you, Graz? The first game under the new coach was good, the second they didn't show up, the third was very good again. And now the fourth: a now-show again. After a decent first period that ended 2-2 Graz stopped playing and looked on as Innsbruck scored four unanswered goals. A late third goal couldn't change anything anymore.

Dornbirn vs Linz 1-2
First win for Linz after six defeats. They brought an effort, but the defeat was primarily about Dornbirn falling in a funk right. Little is working for them right now and they have a very hard time to score.

Game today:

Dornbirn vs Graz
18:45 CET = 12:45 EST
Livestream (€6,90): ICE Hockey League TV
 

jaco

Registered User
Oct 21, 2011
583
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Bolzano vs Fehervar 0-1
A tight and intense battle. Neither team scored or conceded at even strength, but Fehervar got one shorthanded goal. They had to fight hard to hang on to the lead, but in the end they grinded out the win.
Our Hungarian friends will be a tough opponent for whomever will have to face them in the PO's. That's good for the league, I think
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Our Hungarian friends will be a tough opponent for whomever will have to face them in the PO's. That's good for the league, I think

True on both accounts. You wouldn't necessarily expect them to be that good when you look at the roster, though. Their offensively potent, but on paper you would expect them to concede more goals and I'm still not entirely convinced their style of play can be sustainable throughout the entire season. But it really seems like their coach is doing great work.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Game on Monday:

Dornbirn vs Graz 6-2
Bounce-back game for Dornbirn. After an even first period, they got the upper hand in the second but continued to miss chances. Score after 40 minutes: 2-2. In the last period, Dornbirn finally clicked. Graz showed improvement over their last game, but their defensive lapses cost them dearly in the last period as Dornbirn scored four unanswered goals.

Game on Tuesday:

Klagenfurt vs Bolzano 2-3
Bolzano started strong. KAC didn't play bad either, but was caught napping in the 8th minute – lethal against the efficient visitors who scored two quick goals. Afterwards the two teams traded goals for a 1-3 score after the first period. In the second, Bolzano took things too lightly. Klagenfurt attacked hard and made it 2-3. In the third, Bolzano tightened up their game again and blocked everything that came their way while also creating chances offensively. No score though. Not an undeserved victory, but the game could have gone either way.

Salzburg vs Vienna 1-4
The home team outplayed Vienna in the first period, but only scored one goal on the PP while giving up one themselves due to a catastrophic mistake by David McIntyre. Vienna had a bad period and was bailed out by their goaltender. The rest of the game was more evenly played, but Salzburg kept failing to score while Vienna made it 2-1 on a lucky bounce. In the third period Salzburg, chasing the game, had to open up and that enabled Vienna to make it 3-1 on a quick counterattack. The last game was an empty net goal. The home team could and should have won this game.

Bratislava vs Linz 3-2
Another home game by Bratislava played on the road. After a low-event first period by both teams, Bratislava put on the pressure in the second and made it 1-0. More action in the last period: Bratislava went ahead 2-0 and Linz tried to fight back. They made it 2-1, then conceded another goal, then scored another one.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Games last Friday:

Graz vs Bratislava 1-4
Next blow for Graz. Young goaltender Felix Nussbacher gifted Bratislava two quick goals for a 2-0 lead and was pulled early, which meant that Olivier Rodrigue got another game for Graz before returning to North America. His team kept playing weak though and Bratislava made it 3-0 in the second period. Graz finally got a goal late in the third period, but Bratislava added an empty-net goal.

Klagenfurt vs Salzburg 6-3
Third time in four games that KAC scores six goals. They are really on a run and their scoring spree is substantially associated with the signing of defenceman Paul Postma who has 15 points in 11 games now. Salzburg was actually the better team through the first two periods, but their finishing wasn't good and so the score was tied 2-2 after two periods. They didn't play well in the third period and Klagenfurt took over. One assist for Austin Ortega in his first game for Salzburg.

Villach vs Bolzano 2-3 SO
Eh, Bolzano? Only two points against a Villach team that had to play with a short bench due to several injuries? Well, Villach battled hard and showed great spirit in this one. Their tying goal (2-2) in the second period was a lucky bounce though. Bolzano had the chances to put this one home earlier, but didn't make good use of them and had to go to the SO.

Fehervar vs Dornbirn 0-3
Not a bad game by Fehervar, but Dornbirn worked harder. After a scoreless first period, theyscored twice in the second period and added a third goal in the last period. The visitors played solid defensively and got good goaltending from Oskar Östlund. For once, Fehervar was the less effective team.​

Games on Saturday:

Bratislava vs Dornbirn 1-5
Third good game by Dornbirn in a row. They were solid defensively again and efficient offensively. After 30 minutes the score was 3-0 and the game was basically over as Bratislava didn't show anything all night. In the last period, Dornbirn made it 4-0 before Bratislava finally got on the scoresheet. The last goal was an empty-netter.

Vienna vs Innsbruck 6-5 SO
The home team looked a bit sleepy while the visitors skated and worked hard. They got a 2-0 lead, but their defense remains a sieve and so Vienna was able to level the score with two quick goals in the second period. Late in the game, Vienna went ahead and their 5-3 lead seemed enough to seal the deal, but Innsbruck scored twice in the last minute of regular play to tie the score again. Vienna won on SO.​

Games on Sunday:

Salzburg vs Villach 2-3 OT
The home team had a strong second period and went ahead 2-0. But afterwards, Villach showed much improvement and played two very solid periods while Salzburg stopped playing. VSV tied the game in the second period, had more chances and could have won in regulation time. They deserved the win in OT.

Klagenfurt vs Bolzano 1-0 OT
Another playoff-like and intense game for Bolzano. Both teams played well and had their chances, but good goaltending by Leland Irving and Sebastian Dahm prevented any good before Thomas Koch finally scored in OT. Again, not a bad game by Bolzano by any stretch of imagination, but 4 points out of 5 games is not what they're in for.

Fehervar vs Innsbruck 3-2 OT
Deja-vu for both teams: Innsbruck worked harder (as in their last game against Vienna), Fehervar was outworked again (as in their last game against Dornbirn). The visitors outchanced the home team, yet Fehervar were ahead 2-1 before Innsbruck, again, tied the game seconds before the 60 minutes mark. Fehervar went on to win in OT.

Linz vs Graz 1-2 OT
Ben Bowns back in the net for Graz after being sidelined for months due to an injury. Linz got the better start though and went ahead 1-0 early. Neither team managed to score during the following 45 minutes. Graz coach Gustafsson thought his team played decent, but they ought to do much better against a club like Linz. The home team gave a solid effort, but ran out of steam in the last period. Graz tied the score late in the third and went on to score another in OT.​

Games on Tuesday:

Graz vs Vienna 4-1
After an even and scoreless first period, Graz finally managed to play real good hockey again in the second period. They overwhelmed Vienna and scored three unanswered goals. Vienna bounced back in the third period, but Graz made it 4-0 before the visitors finally scored one. Poor defensive peformance Vienna over the last games.

Salzburg vs Bolzano 2-3 OT
Another close game for Bolzano against a motivated opponent, what else is new? The series of road trips seems to take a toll on them. Salzburg had a good first period again, afterwards Bolzano found their feet. 0-0 after the first period, 1-1 after the second, 2-2 after 60 minutes. Bolzano won in OT.​
 

PanniniClaus

Registered User
Oct 12, 2006
8,369
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Both Kostitsyn's finding new clubs.. Do they still toil for the National team or did they give that up?
 

jaco

Registered User
Oct 21, 2011
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Someone else apart from me saw the Bolzano-Graz 4-0 game on Friday and is surprised that 99er Grafenthin didn't get a suspension for the spearing on Halmo at roughly 57'19''?
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Someone else apart from me saw the Bolzano-Graz 4-0 game on Friday and is surprised that 99er Grafenthin didn't get a suspension for the spearing on Halmo at roughly 57'19''?

I didn't see it, unfortunately.

Two other suspensions now (and neither isn't a surprise):





Plus a recent signing:

 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Game last Wednesday:

Salzburg vs Dornbirn 2-0
A very bitter defeat for the visitors. After a weak first period in which they conceded a goal while having the man advantage, Dornbirn was the better team through the remaining two periods and had plenty of chances, but failed to score time and time again, not the least due to Salzburg goaltender Jean-Philipp Lamoureux. A lucky win for Salzburg and a galling one for Dornbirn that might cost them their chance to finish 5th (=direct qualification for the playoffs). Last game for Deven Brosseau and Yanni Kaldis for Dornbirn.​

Games on Friday:

Bratislava vs Salzburg 1-0
After not conceding anything against Dornbirn, Salzburg allowed a PP against right away in this one. And that was the game. Bratislava showed some improved defensive organization, but still, for Salzburg to go scoreless against them is alarming. They're not heading to where they want to be.

Dornbirn vs Vienna 4-4 / Vienna on SO
An eventful game: Dornbirn with another weak first period and Vienna got a 1-0 lead before adding a second goal in the next period. But Dornbirn got better and better, made it 2-1 and in the last period they scored two quick goals for a 3-2 lead. Scoring spree late in the game: the 4-2 for Dornbirn less than three minute before the 60 minutes marked looked like the decisive goal, but Vienna battled hard with six skaters and managed to tie the score with two very late goals. They won in the shootout. First goal for new Dornbirn player Saku Salmela.

Linz vs Villach 4-3
After an even first period (1-1) Villach took over, they outplayed and outshot Linz in the second and got a 3-1 lead. In the last period Linz fought hard while Villach didn't. The home team worked themselves to four unanswered goals to turn the game around.

Innsbruck vs Klagenfurt 0-3
Good game the by visitors. Innsbruck was outclassed from beginning to end, but solid goaltending by Tom McCollum prevented a higher score for Klagenfurt.

Bolzano vs Graz 4-0
Nice passing and efficient scoring by Bolzano. Their PP looks improved and whatever Graz threw forward was stopped by Leland Irving. Great result for the home team, but how much of it is due to the subpar opponent?​

Game on Saturday:

Innsbruck vs Vienna 4-4 / Innsbruck in OT
A chippy game with mediocre performances by both sides. Innsbruck was better in the first period, scored two goals and then made it 3-0 early in the second period. Vienna got better as the game went on and the Innsbruck defence crumbled as usual: after the second period, the game was tied 3-3. Vienna kept having the better of the game in the third period, but each team scored once and then Innsbruck went on to win it in overtime.
Games on Sunday:

Dornbirn vs Villach 3-5
A real bad game by Dornbirn. In the first period they didn't show up at all – the visitors did and got themselves an easy 3-0 lead. Second period: both teams with one goal. Only in the last period did Dornbirn finally attack with some urgency, but it was too little and too late: the 4-1 turned into a 4-3, but Villach sealed the deal with an empty net goal.

Klagenfurt vs Linz 3-2
Just like against Innsbruck, Klagenfurt was dominant, outskated and outpassed the opponent and scored one goal each period. 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, it was no contest. But this time the opponent showed morale and when everything already seemed to be over, they attacked. Within the last three minutes of the game, they scored twice. A warning shot for an otherwise very good Klagenfurt side.

Bolzano vs Bratislava 6-0
More of the same for Bolzano. Bratislava was over its head against the home team and got exposed defensively. Another impressive result that will serve the leader will, but again the question: will it translate to more decisive performances against the stronger clubs?​
 

Theokritos

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Recent transfers:







Meanwhile Graz has terminated their contract with Hunter Fejes. The player is leaving for Allsvenskan.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
12,538
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GAMES LAST WEEK

Tuesday, January 26:​

Linz vs Salzburg 0-6
The home team played a good game for 30 minutes, then broke down defensively and conceded two quick goals. At the beginning of the last period, a bad play by goaltender Kickert led to the third Salzburg goal. That was the decision and Salzburg just ran up the score against a Linz team whose morale was already destroyed.

Friday, January 29:​

Salzburg vs Klagenfurt 1-3
The KAC express keeps rolling: after a strong start into the game by the home team, Klagenfurt took over more and more. They went ahead 1-0 and controlled much of the game. In the second period, Salzburg tied the score but Klagenfurt went ahead again before the break. No score in the third period until Salzburg, trailing by one goal, took out the goaltender and the visitors scored an empty-net goal. Another good game by KAC, they just didn't quite capitalize on their chances as much as they should have.

Vienna vs Graz 3-2 OT
Graz played a strong first period and went ahead 2-0. Afterwards Vienna took over. After the second period, the score was tied 2-2. Neither team scored in the third period, so the game went to OT where Vienna clinched it.

Villach vs Bratislava 1-5
The game was a lot closer than the score indicates. Bratislava had more of the game in the first period, Villach in the second. Score after 40 minutes: 1-1. The third period was still pretty evenly played, but Bratislava capitalized on their chances thanks to a few lucky bounces. Outcome: 4-0 for Bratislava in that period even though Villach was pretty much on par with them. But this was a more consistent performance by Bratislava than in most other games so far.

Linz vs Innsbruck 1-4
Another slap in the face for Linz. In a chippy game between two ill-disciplined teams, they managed to concede two (!) shorthanded goals in one powerplay early in the first period. They never recovered from that. Late in the period, they made it 1-2, but in the second period Innsbruck went ahead by two again through a PP goal. Trailing 1-3, Linz pulled the goaltender late in the game and conceded an empty-net goal.

Fehervar vs Bolzano 7-4
A high-scoring game against Bolzano? Fehervar's achievements this season are incredible. The first period was dominated by Bolzano, the visitors went ahead 2-0 and actually should have scored three or four. Then Fehervar bounced back with an astonishing second period in which they turned the game around: they scored six (!) goals against the best defensive team of the league while only conceding one. Score: 6-3. The last period Bolzano was pressuring again, but Fehervar stayed cool.

Saturday, January 30:​

Bratislava vs Innsbruck 3-2
Big points for Bratislava in the head-to-head race with Innsbruck. It was a close game in which defensive breakdowns by Innsbruck cost them as usual. A perfect weekend for Bratislava Capitals: they got 6 points out of two games against direct competitors within two days.

Sunday, January 31:​

Graz vs Bolzano 3-2
Not a bad game by the visitors, but the home team is improving and played a good game. It was a rather close match in which Graz went ahead 1-0 in the first period. No goals were scored in the second. In the third, Graz scored two more. Trailing 0-3, Bolzano kept working and managed to make it close in the end. Still, no matter how you look at it: 14 points out of the last 12 games is not up to the expectations for Bolzano.

Vienna vs Salzburg 2-4
The home team with a B squad due to injuries. Decent game by both sides. Salzburg went ahead 2-0, but Vienna fought back to tie the game in the last period. Towards the end, Salzburg made it 3-2 and in the end they added an empty-net goal. Not a bad performance by Vienna's young team.

Fehervar vs Villach 5-2
A little paradoxical: Villach worked more and had more of the game through the entire 60 minutes, but they didn't capitalize on their chances, a recoccuring problem for them. Fehervar looked flat, but did what they always do: make good use of their scoring opportunities. They run up a 4-0 lead despite spending good stretches of the first two periods in their own half. In the last period, Villach finally scored two, but it was too little. Fehervar even added a fifth goal.

Klagenfurt vs Dornbirn 4-3
Dornbirn gave KAC a hard time, but Klagenfurt still went ahead 2-0 before conceding the first goal against. In the second period, KAC made it 3-1, but Dornbirn kept playing them hard, scored the 3-2 goal and then almost tied the game: their tying goal came fractions of a second after the buzzer. In the last period, both teams traded goals against. A close affair all around and not an easy win for KAC.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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GAMES THIS WEEK SO FAR:

Tuesday, February 2:​

Bolzano vs Klagenfurt 4-3
Important win for Bolzano in a tight game. They were the better team, but Klagenfurt went ahead 1-0. Goalscoring spree in the second period: within five minutes, KAC scored the 2-1, then Bolzano the 2-1, then KAC the 3-1, then Bolzano the 3-2. In the last period, Klagenfurt's defense couldn't stop Bolzano and the home team turned the 2-3 into a 4-3 win.

Dornbirn vs Fehervar 4-3 OT
Dornbirn with another tight game against one of the top teams. In a pretty even first period, Fehervar went ahead 1-0. In the second period, Dornbirn took over, but Fehervar still made it 2-0. When Dornbirn got their first goal, Fehervar answered with their third one right away. Dornbirn kept pushing though and two goals late in the period finally tied the score. No score in the third period. The overtime was won by Dornbirn.

Bratislava vs Graz 2-1
Third win in a row for Bratislava despite of a underwhelming performance. They were decent in the first period, went ahead 1-0 and then spent the remaining 40 minutes defending. Graz took over, but couldn't capitalize while Bratislava made it 2-0 almost out of nothing. Seconds before the break Graz finally got on the scoresheet. In the last period, the visitors dominated but wasted chance after chance. A bitter and unnecessary defeat against a direct competitor: both teams are tied in points now.

Salzburg vs Linz 2-4
Bad game by Salzburg. While creating more offensively, they looked flat and unmotivated once again. Their goaltender Lamoureux didn't have his best day either. Linz was the team that worked harder and never looked back after getting a 1-0 lead early on. Second period: Linz made it 2-0 before Salzburg got a late PP goal. Third period: Linz made it 3-1 early. Late in the third period, Salzburg pulled the goaltender and conceded a fourth goal. Their 4-2 goal one second before the end did nothing to sugarcoat the performance.

Villach vs Vienna 4-5
Vienna with a B squad again. In an entertaining game Villach went ahead 1-0, but Vienna answered with two goals to win the first period 2-1. Second period: VSV scored first too, but Vienna answered with two goals again. In the third period, Villach fought themselves back into the game and turned the 2-4 into a 4-4 tie. It was in vain: one minute later, Vienna scored once more. Not a terrible game by Villach, but again: not enough.

Wednesday, February 3:​

Salzburg vs Innsbruck 2-4
The home team competed with a B team, plenty of regulars were sidelined or rested. After an evenly played first period, the Salzburg youngsters put on the pressure in the second period. They went ahead 2-0 and in fact should have scored more. Credit to Innsbruck for not quitting, but they were lucky: in the third period, Salzburg was too careless and gifted them several breakaways. Result: 3 unanswered goals for Innsbruck plus an empty-netter. Not a bad performance by Salzburg, individual mistakes did them in.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Games on Friday:

Vienna vs Klagenfurt 2-3
The home team still with a weakened squad, yet they competed hard and gave Klagenfurt a run for their money.

Bratislava vs Salzburg 2-3
Close game between a Salzburg side that is still playing with a lot of youngsters and a subpar Bratislava team.

Graz vs Dornbirn 1-7
A step backwards for Graz after two good games. Dornbirn took advantage of defensive breakdowns on part of the home team. Weak goaltending by Ben Bowns didn't help Graz.

Bolzano vs Villach 5-0
Complete no-show by Villach. Bolzano dominated the first two periods and got an easy 4-0 lead. In the first they didn't do much anymore, but still added another goal.

Innsbruck vs Linz 2-4
Another chippy game between these two teams. This time Innsbruck had a pretty bad game. Linz worked and skated more and deserved the win.

Games on Sunday:

Klagenfurt vs Fehervar 2-1 OT
Another close game between two of the top teams. KAC dominated early on but conceded a goal in the first period, then Fehervar became more dangerous but it was Klagenfurt that scored. The home team finally took the win in OT.

Salzburg vs Linz 4-3 OT
Finally Salzburg has Schofield, Skille and Hughes back. Graz got an early goal, then didn't do much in the first two periods. Salzburg had the better of the game and turned the 0-1 into a 3-1 lead. In the last period, Graz finally rallied, took control and scored two goals to tie the game. Still, Salzburg deserved to the win in OT.

Linz vs Bolzano 3-2
With their 1st place secured, Bolzano took it a bit easy. Linz on the other hand worked pretty hard, hence the result.

Dornbirn vs Bratislava 6-5 OT
With their 6th place already set in stone, Dornbirn didn't gave their best effort but nevertheless could and should have won 3 points against a still very limited and error-prone Bratislava site. Weak goaltending by Oskar Östlund cost Dornbirn, not for the first time this season.

Villach vs Innsbruck 3-6
VSV took the first period off and gifted Innsbruck four goals (to nothing). In the second period, Villach looked like a different team: they skated, attacked and scored two goals. In fact, they should have had more, but Innsbruck took the wind out of their sail with a PP goal to make it 5-2. Final result: 6-3 Innsbruck.
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
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Result of the regular season:

1. Bolzano
2. Klagenfurt
3. Fehervar
4. Vienna
5. Salzburg
6. Dornbirn
7. Bratislava
8. Graz
9. Innsbruck
10. Villach
11. Linz

The season is now entering stage 2 with two separate groups.
  • Teams 1-5 are qualified for the playoffs, they form one group. They will play the "pick-round" among each other. The team that finished first gets to pick its QF opponent.
  • Teams 6-8 play the "qualification round" among each other. The top 3 will advance to the playoffs.
Pick-round:

1. Bolzano – starting with 4 bonus points from the regular season
The best roster in the league. The "Foxes" often looked like a well-oiled machine, but the results in January weren't exactly up to the expectations. Klagenfurt, Fehervar, Vienna and Salzburg all managed to give Bolzano a hard time. HCB will have to up their scoring if they want to stay on top.

2. Klagenfurt – 2 bonus points
Best record in the league after Christmas, the number one challenger. Has improved much offensively since December, but chances still don't always translate to goals. If the "Red Jackets" can become more clinical, then Bolzano is in trouble.

3. Fehervar – 1 bonus point
The "Devils" concede more goals than the other top teams, but have shown the ability to tighten up in important games. Very dangerous offensively. Their roster remains a question mark though: it's incredible what their coach has gotten out of them this season, but how long can they keep going?

4. Vienna
Impressive season so far with a weakened roster and plenty of icetime for young and unheralded players. A hard-working and chippy squad that makes for an unpleasant opponent, Vienna could still overtake some of the higher-ranked clubs if they get healthy and ride their best players harder.

5. Salzburg
After a strong start, Salzburg has looked rather pedestrian too often. Roster depth isn't what it used to be, but at least the youngsters have provided some passion and compete the rest of the team has been lacking. At the moment nothing suggest this teams is bound to more than a QF exit.

Qualification round:

6. Dornbirn – starting with 8 bonus points from the regular season
Based on performance, clearly the best out of the bunch. Consistency has been an issue, but they're bound to make the playoffs and will provide a tough opponent for anyone who gets them. Certainly not a team anyone will pick for the QFs.

7. Bratislava – 6 bonus points
Not entirely sure how they got into this position. Performance-wise they have been underwhelming from start to finish of the regular season. Lately they had some stretches with more structure, but without any consistency. Could still fall out of the playoff ranks and if they don't, a winless QF exit looks like a certain outcome.

8. Graz – 4 bonus points
An extremely disappointing season for the 99ers. Based on the roster, they should be better, despite of an inbalance between offense and defense. The quality to gain ground and give a QF opponent an actual run is there, but will their coach ever manage to squeeze it out of them with any consistency?

9. Innsbruck – 1 bonus point
Respectable season by the cash-strapped team, but their defensive shortcomings keep coming back to haunt them. A good run that takes them into the playoff ranks is not out of question, but a sweep there would be the expected outcome. Still, reaching the playoffs would make their season a full success.

10. Villach
The most disappointing team in the league. There is no justification for some of their woeful showings considering the roster they have. Their new coach has been in charge since two months now, if he couldn't move the needle enough until now, why should it be different in the qualification round?

11. Linz
A disastrous year for Linz, the once respectable club has descended into a mess due to front office issues and civil wars. However, the one-ice performance has been decent lately, the team has shown spirit and work ethic. A surprise appearance in the playoffs is not entirely out of question. It wouldn't solve the off-ice problems though.
 
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Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,538
4,911
Games last Friday:

Bratislava vs Villach 3-5
The home team used a weak start by VSV to go ahead 2-0 with two very quick goals. Then Villach settled into the game more and more. They got the upper hand and carved out a deserved win. Bratislava still doesn't look like a team capable of making more than a few players per game.

Dornbirn vs Linz 1-4
Disappointing performance by Dornbirn. After an early lead, they conceded the tying goal right away and then didn't do much all game. Linz keeps working and in this game they worked themselves to 3 very valuable points.

Graz vs Innsbruck 3-2
Underwhelming performance by both teams. Innsbruck got a powerplay goal in the first period, then crumbled in the second as Graz managed to string together a good period with three unanswered goals. In the last period, Innsbruck did a bit more but not enoug to get more than one goal. Neither team looks like they want to qualify for the playoffs.

Games last Sunday:

Klagenfurt vs Vienna 1-2 OT
Close and entertaining game between two pretty good teams. Klagenfurt had a bit more of the game, but Vienna gave them something to handle. In the first period the visitors were the better team, but they didn't score. In the second period KAC improved but Vienna scored to go ahead. It took Klagenfurt until three minutes before the end to equalize. In the overtime, Vienna scored the winner with their first attack.

Bolzano vs Salzburg 4-2
Pretty even game. Bolzano scored two PP goals on 5 opportunities while Salzburg needed a 5-v-3 to score with the man advantage.

Linz vs Graz 2-1
Another big win for Linz. A tight game in which Graz had more chances but failed to capitalize on all but one. Linz didn't do much offensively, but score twice and that was enough. Graz should have won this one.

Villach vs Dornbirn 3-4
Dornbirn tried to make up for their letdown against Linz and succeeded. They got to a 2-0 lead in the first period. In the second, Villach bounced back and scored two goals to tie it. In the third, Dornbirn scored a crucial third goal. The score remained at 2-3 until Villach took out their goaltender two minutes before the end and Dornbirn score an empty net goal to seal the win. A very late goal by Villach didn't change the outcome anymore.

Innsbruck vs Bratislava 0-3
A no-show by Innsbruck. They played without any intensity all game and handed Bratislava an easy 3-0 win. A decent performance by Bratislava's standards, but their opponent didn't give them anything to handle. Innsbruck looks dead in the water.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,538
4,911
Tuesday, February 16:

Vienna vs Bolzano 3-4 OT
Fehervar vs Klagenfurt 5-3

Friday, February 19:

Fehervar vs Vienna 3-11
Salzburg vs Klagenfurt 2-5
Bratislava vs Graz 4-2
Dornbirn vs Innsbruck 4-5 OT
Villach vs Linz 4-2

Sunday, February 21:

Klagenfurt vs Bolzano 4-2
Graz vs Dornbirn 2-1
Linz vs Bratislava 4-0
Innsbruck vs Villach 1-3

Placement round:
1. Bolzano 9
2. Klagenfurt 9
3. Vienna 6
4. Fehervar 4
5. Salzburg 3

Qualification round:
1. Dornbirn 12
2. Bratislava 12
3. Graz 10
4. Villach 10
5. Linz 9
6. Innsbruck 4

Everyone but Innsbruck still with realistic playoff prospects with each team having played 4 games out of 10. Dornbirn has been very underwhelming with 3 points so far. They have the quality to cut it though. At the risk of sounding like I want to pick on Bratislava, I don't see it with them. They've been collecting some points though, so they might prove me wrong. Graz keeps being inconsistent, anything is possible for them. Villach is trending upward. The upcoming encounters between Villach and Graz could be crucial. Linz is on the upswing and they have two games against a demoralized Innsbruck side ahead before they meet Bratislava again on Sunday. I think at the end of this week Linz will be in a playoff spot.

Games later today:

Vienna vs Salzburg
19:15 CET/13:15 EST
No stream, game is on Sky (Pay TV)

Innsbruck vs Linz
19:15 CET/13:15 EST
Stream (€6,90): ICE Hockey League TV

Villach vs Graz
19:15 CET/13:15 EST
Stream (€6,90): ICE Hockey League TV

Bolzano vs Fehervar
20:15 CET/14:15 EST
Stream (€6,90): ICE Hockey League TV
 

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