The Vienna Capitals and Red Bull Salzburg started into the semi-finals of the Erste Bank Ice Hockey League on Sunday with home victories. The defending champion from Vienna celebrated a 4-0 victory over HCB South Tyrol, the Salzburg team beat Black Wings Linz 3-2. The second games of the “best of seven” series will take place on Tuesday in Bolzano and Linz.
Last year, the Caps had eliminated Bolzano in the semi-finals on their way to the championship title without any problems and started successfully again this time. The Viennese started cautiously against the defensive KAC conqueror. 5,550 fans experienced a third of a scan with strong defensive work of both teams, but without much offensive action.
But 17 seconds before the first siren Andreas Nödl struck. The captain reacted fastest against Chris Carlisle and pushed the puck into his sixth play-off goal. At the beginning of the middle third the team of Serge Aubin used the first powerplay for the preliminary decision, when Jerry Pollastrone used a rebound (24.). Peter Schneider scored 3-0 in the second attempt (36th), Mario Fischer set the final score (51st).
In Salzburg, on the other hand, there was excitement and many goal scenes in the duel between this season’s two most attacking teams. The Red Bulls made up for twice the deficit.
Salzburg gained an overweight in the starting phase, but the guests were the first to strike. Dan DaSilva used a reckless disc loss of Layne Viveiros at his own Blue Line (15th). In the third powerplay, the second due to game delay, Ryan Duncan managed to equal the score (23rd). Just a minute later, Thomas Raffl missed the big chance to take the lead, failing with a penalty to Linz goalkeeper Mike Ouzas.
After a counterattack, which Patrick Spannring finished after a wonderful Kristler pass (26th), the Linzers were in front again. Martin Stajnoch with a worth seeing wrist shot into the Kreuzeck (34th) again managed the tie for the Red Bulls, who started the final third with a lot of energy. 67 seconds after the restart Brant Harris brought the local team into the lead for the first time. Raffl only hit the inside bar in the same minute, but it was enough to take the 1-0 lead in the series.