Leader of the standings Vienna Capitals has started the new year with a defeat. Two days after their 3-2 home win over the Black Wings, however, the Viennese were beaten 4-5 in Linz on Monday. Because the first chaser KAC was only defeated in overtime 3:4 at home in Zagreb, the Caps are still eleven points ahead of the record champion from Carinthia.
Almost 48 hours after their 3:2 home win, the Caps seemed to be on their way to success in Linz. Fraser (8.), McKiernan (17.) and Holzapfel (30.) provided the guests with a 3:0 lead that was only seemingly comfortable. DaSilva (35th), Broda (36th) and Robert Lukas (37th) provided the equaliser and an exciting final third within exactly two minutes.
Again the Viennese put forward Pollastrone in Powerplay (47th) before D’ Aversa shot the Upper Austrians in the final (59th) into extra time. There Locke gave the Black Wings their first victory over the championship after four defeats en suite.
In Klagenfurt, the KAC took a quick lead through Talbot (7th) but was promptly equalized by Boivin (8th). The Canadian in the service of the Croats was to become the man of the game with three goals: After the new KAC defender Stefan Espeland had shot the hosts into extra time in the finish, it was Boivin who, with the decisive overtime goal (62nd), fixed the second success of the “bears” over the “red jackets” within 48 hours.
One point behind the KAC, Salzburg is in third place. A late Raffl goal (50th) was enough for the “Bullen” to score 1:0 and the second win of the season over Dornbirn, which is only one point ahead of Zagreb in sixth place. Three points ahead of the Vorarlberg team is Innsbruck, who won 3-2 at home against Bolzano on Monday in the penalty shootout. Spurgeon took care of the decisive penalty, but only Bishop (47.) and Lammers (50.) had scored an extra time after a 2-0 deficit.
Already in the regular season the VSV made everything clear in the late men’s duel at the 5:2 against Graz and ended his defeat series after three games. The Styrians, who were able to reduce their lead by Setzinger (31st, 42nd) to 1:2 or 2:3 respectively, had to accept the seventh straight away defeat. For the hosts, Leiler (6th/PP), Schlacher (23rd), Sarauer (35th, 60th) and Petrik (47th) met.