Ice Hockey League

Big wins for KAC, Red Bull Salzburg & South Tyrol

Always one step faster - the KAC players against the Pioneers Vorarlberg!(Bild: f. pessentheiner)

The KAC, Red Bull Salzburg and HCB Südtirol celebrated big home victories in the third quarter-final round of the ICE Hockey League on Thursday! The Klagenfurt team blew the Pioneers Vorarlberg off the ice 7:0 and took a 2:1 lead in the best-of-seven series, as did Salzburg, who gave the Black Wings from Linz no chance with a 5:1 win. Bolzano has one foot in the semi-finals after a 6:1 win over VSV. Pustertal reduced the deficit against Fehervar by 4:3 after overtime. 

After the contested first two duels between the KAC and the Vorarlberg team, Game 3 was already decided after 26 minutes and a 5:0 lead for the Carinthians. Thomas Hundertpfund and Manuel Ganahl each scored twice in the game against the overtaxed visitors. Jan Mursak, Daniel Obersteiner and Jesper Jensen Aabo scored the remaining goals for the basic round winners, who fully lived up to their role as favorites this time.

The "Bulls" had to do without their injured top striker Peter Schneider against Linz, who had only returned in the play-off after a five-week injury lay-off. Despite this bad news, the champions were not threatened this time. Troy Bourke and Mario Huber opened up a 2:0 lead in the first period, after Julian Pusnik's follow-up goal Thomas Raffl scored a brace and Chay Genoway sealed the deal for Salzburg.

The lights go out for VSV
Meanwhile, the lights are slowly going out for VSV this season. After losing 2:5 and 2:4 in their first two games against South Tyrol, they suffered a heavy 1:6 defeat in Bolzano. Dustin Gazley and Michael Halmo, each with a goal and two assists, led the Italians to a 3-0 lead in the quarter-final series; Bolzano can send Villach on vacation on Saturday.

Meanwhile in the Puster Valley, the "Wolves" showed signs of life. After two 2:3 defeats in Hungary, they managed a 4:3 home win, which was secured by a goal from David Morley in extra time. The Pustertaler thus reduced the deficit to 1:2. Game 4 takes place in Bruneck on Friday, with the next games of the other three duels taking place on Saturday.