Ice hockey play-offs

Historic! But the 99ers are missing the last step

The 99ers (pictured: Sam Antonitsch) slipped up in Liebenau.(Bild: GEPA)

This series doesn't want to end! The ice hockey cracks of the Graz99ers also missed the second match puck in the quarter-finals against Linz in a packed Liebenau ice rink, the Black Wings won 4:3, after overtime of course! Sunday will be the decider in this European record series!

On Friday, packed streetcars in the direction of Liebenau were the first harbingers of the spectacle in the Graz ice rink. It was bursting at the seams with 4126 ice hockey fans. Some disappointed fans had to leave, as there were no tickets left for the sixth quarter-final game against the Black Wings from Linz.

The fans of both clubs in the stands got into the mood for the cracker as the cracks warmed up on the ice. There was a bit of a wait for the famous schnitzel sandwich and stadium beer

The spark in the stands spread to the cracks on the ice. Linz goalie Tirronen had to play fireman several times at the beginning in the greatest of emergencies. Magic goal was not enoughBut out of nowhere, Linz had their hands up to celebrate: Scheid scored in stoppage time to take the lead. "We know they can be dangerous," said Lukas Haudum after the first period. His teammates kept things tight at the back. And up front, Harper first knocked on the bar. Before Vela scored with a powerful shot to make it 1:1.

The battle with Linz will not end until Sunday.(Bild: GEPA)

In the final period, magic happened: Sam Antonitsch got the puck and, falling, he fired it into the far corner of the net to give the 99ers the lead! But Roe equalized just 27 seconds later. After 52 minutes, the roof almost blew off in the "Bunker" - Vela gave them the lead again with his brace. There was no one left in their seats. However, the new equalizer by St-Amant also stood up to video evidence. The game went into extra time for the fifth time in a row. That's never happened before in Europe!

In overtime, 99ers goalie Gunnarsson let a shot slip through - and the 4:3 win for Linz was sealed. "You have to play home two leads in the final third," said 99ers' Sam Antonitsch. So it's all to play for in Linz on Sunday!