ICE Hockey League

Salzburg cannot play its trump card

Parade line worked: Schneider, Raffl and Nissner (from left).(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Eisbullen will have to do without Peter Schneider in the Ice Hockey League quarter-final series against Linz until further notice.No more sleeping through the first period.

We shot ourselves in the foot! There's a field hockey saying that a championship contender can't beat itself, and unfortunately we did," sighed Bulls coach Oliver David after the 3-2 loss and the 1-1 series draw in Linz.

The US-American will also be breathing a sigh of relief when it comes to Peter Schneider. After Salzburg's top scorer had already given up in the first period in the steel city, further examinations were scheduled yesterday. The 32-year-old will not be on the ice today (19:15) in the third duel of the Ice Hockey League quarter-final series and could even be out for longer. As a result, the defending champions - who can otherwise play from full strength - will be without their trump card: the parade line around the national player, captain Raffl and Nissner. It worked immediately after Schneider's return and was promptly the most important weapon at the start of the postseason. Three of the six goals in the play-offs so far have been scored by the trio, and at least one of them had a hand in two others.

We have to get off to a good start, we've missed the first period in both games so far

Benjamin Nissner

"We're positive and have a strong team, someone will step up," says Nissner, not too worried. What's more important for the Viennese: "We have to get off to a good start, we've missed the first period in both games so far."

Sleeping through the final minutes
The team from Zell, on the other hand, overslept the final minutes in the opening game of the Alps play-offs, losing 4:5 after overtime in Sterzing after leading 4:2. Today (19:30), they aim to equalize in their first home game. "We'll fight back, it was only one game," says EKZ veteran Philip Putnik. The Juniors, on the other hand, can make it 2-0 on their first trip to South Tyrol at Unterland.