The KAC has ended the triumph of Vienna Capitals in the Erste Bank Ice Hockey League and thus prevented a new record for the Viennese. The Rotjacken celebrated a 7-2 victory in the Klagenfurt Stadthalle on Friday thanks to a brilliant final third with six goals and inflicted their first defeat on the Caps in the 13th game of the season.
The Capitals had gone to Klagenfurt with the aim to improve their start record (12 victories) set in the previous season. But Carinthia is not good ground for a record Caps-game: last year they suffered their first defeat of the season in the 13th match in Villach, this time at the KAC.
The Caps were on the right track. For two thirds the 4,225 fans saw a traditional duel at eye level in which the guests had slight advantages and went into the final third with a 2:1 lead. But in this match the KAC played very well and rolled over the superior leader of the standings.
Thomas Hundertpfund opened the scoring with the equalizing goal (43.). Nik Petersen (46./PP), Johannes Bischofberger (48.), Nik Kraus (52.), Mitch Wahl (53.) and Charles Gartner (54.) made for a cantor victory that the fans celebrated frenetically in the last minutes.
The Graz 99ers celebrated their fifth success in a row with a 4:3 against HC Innsbruck and are still unbeaten at home this season. The Styrians were trailing (11.), turned the game thanks to Peter Weihager (15.), Daniel Oberkofler (33.) and Colton Yellow Horn in powerplay (40./PP2). The defender Oliver Setzinger, the league’s best goal-preparer, was involved in the creation of all three goals and has 17 assists after 13 games. The “Haie” managed to equal the score with Nik Ross (48./PP) and Philipp Lindner (51.), but Ty Loney fixed the victory in the 54th minute.
The Black Wings Linz fought their way out of the valley with a 5-4 home win over Medvescak Zagreb. The Upper Austrians were already 3-0 (23rd) behind, but made their comeback with five goals in a row. Rick Schofield (35.), Troy Rutkowski (40./PP, 43.) Jon D’Aversa (57.) and Dan DaSilva (59.) let the 4,550 spectators cheer. For last season’s semi-finalists, it was the second victory from their six most recent games.