Semi-final ticket secured

Merciless Bulls send Fehervar on vacation

(Bild: Marton Monus - EC Red Bull Salzburg)

The play-off dinosaur is in an ice hockey league semi-final for the 18th time! The David crew won the fourth duel in Hungary 6:3, closing the bag with a 4:0 victory. Now it's time to wait for the next opponent.

The Ice Bulls have led for almost 125 of the 180 minutes in the three quarter-final duels so far. The Hungarians took the lead for the first time in game four: With just 28 seconds played in the middle period, Erdely stole in front of the visitors' goal, guarded by Tolvanen, and scored unchallenged.

This did nothing to dampen Salzburg's attacking ambitions. Huber soon netted in another strong powerplay and just 71 seconds later Rowe fooled Fehervar keeper Reijola from an impossible angle. Brown quickly made it 2:2 against the decimated Bulls defense - Murphy and Genoway had traveled with him but were not on the ice - but then Nissner (fourth goal in the series) and defender Lewington scored in goal-scoring style - the course was set for the semi-finals. Especially as Raffl crowned a super combination via Nissner and Schneider with the 5:2.

Fehervar could think of nothing more, the vacation ticket had long since been signed. The third goal came far too late. Before Thaler scored into an empty net for the final score.

"We knew that the Hungarians would come back really hard at home. The first period was also incredibly intense and tough. I think that's when they ran out of steam a bit and we were able to take control of the game and score goals at the right time," explained Bulls defenseman Phillip Sinn. "Then we were able to play the game down pretty well. In the end, we were the better team."