Historic 9:6

99ers win in the highest-scoring playoff match ever

After a historic win, you can also be happy ...(Bild: GEPA)

The quarter-finals of the ICE Hockey League have begun with a record-breaking spectacle! The Black Wings Linz and Graz 99ers played out an open exchange of blows on Sunday, which the visitors from Graz won 9:6. According to Puls24 statistics, the 15 goals mean the highest-scoring playoff game in the 25-year history of the league ...

Red Bull Salzburg (3:2 against Fehervar) and KAC (4:0 against Pustertal) started with home victories, VSV lost 1:4 in South Tyrol.

In Linz, there was no feeling out at all - the scoreboard read 4:4 after the first 20 minutes, after a back-and-forth with braces on both sides had characterized the opening period. Graz were 2:0 ahead early on through Paul Huber (2nd) and Frank Hora (3rd), but the Black Wings were by no means shocked.

Eleven seconds later Logan Roe scored the equalizer, after a goal by Shawn St-Amant (6.) the game was tied again. The same spectacle was repeated after ten minutes: the 99ers pulled two goals ahead through Rok Ticar (10th) and Casey Bailey (11th), while Linz replied through Brodi Stuart (14th) and Graham Knott (17th).

The goal spectacle continued after the break, albeit not to the same extent. The next two quick goals in succession from Kevin Roy (31) and Michael Schiechl (32) gave Graz the lead after two periods, which they never relinquished. Linz managed to score twice more, but in the end it was the visitors who celebrated.

Champions and runners-up won
Champions Salzburg and runners-up KAC were the favorites to win. The Red Bulls, who had won all four games against Fehervar this season and the previous three play-off duels, took a 2-0 lead thanks to Benjamin Nissner (5th, 21st/PP), but conceded the equalizer just 21 seconds later. A power-play goal from Peter Schneider (54./PP) secured the win in the final period.

The second games of the "Best Of Seven" series will take place on Tuesday with home ice swapped.