With a 3-0 defeat at Olimpija Ljubljana, the Capitals lost their last, theoretical chance of advancing. This marks the end of the league’s longest play-off series. The Caps were last not promoted in the 2003/04 season and were always involved in the decisive championship phase in the following 19 years.
The season is over for the Caps as well as for the bottom team Moser Medical Graz 99ers and Migross Asiago with the end of the regular season on February 23rd. The Pioneers Vorarlberg, on the other hand, achieved promotion for the first time in their second season, although they lost 2:5 to Black Wing Linz.
At the top, the KAC won the duel with Fehervar after being behind twice. The match winner for Klagenfurt in the sold-out hall was Jan Mursak, who turned the game around with a double strike within 75 seconds (32nd, 34th/PP) and set up Nik Petersen’s 4-2 (45th/PP). The KAC qualified for the CHL for the fifth time.
Pustertal suffers setbacks in the derby
In the tight race for the top six and direct promotion to the quarter-finals, Pustertal was the only loser of the day. The Wolves lost a 4-0 lead at home in the derby against Bozen Südtirol Alperia and were defeated 4-5 after extra time. The TIWAG Innsbruck Haie easily won 4-1 against Graz thanks to an early brace from Senna Peeters (7th/PP, 9th). The EC iDM VSV made up for a 1-2 deficit in the final third in Asiago and won 4 :2.
Before the remaining four games of the regular season, South Tyrol is in fourth place with 73 points, closely followed by Linz (72), VSV and Innsbruck (71 each). Pustertal, which only has three games left, holds 69 points.
Win2day ICE Hockey League
Tuesday:
KAC – Fehervar 5:2
(0:1 3:1 2:0)
Tore: Ganahl (21st), Mursak (32nd, 34th PP), Petersen (45th/PP), Gomboc (57th) bzw. Mihaly (3.), Kings (26.)
Penalty minutes: 8 and 6 respectively
Linz – Vorarlberg 5:2
(1:2 1:0 3:0)
Goals: Kristler (15th), Collins (26th), Lebler (44th/PP), Bretschneider (48th), Stajnoch (49th) or Pastujov (14th), Woger (16th)
Penalty minutes: 6 or 10
Innsbruck – Graz 4:1
(2:0 0:0 2:1)
Tore: Peeters (7./PP, 9.), Mackin (42.)
Penalty minutes: 8 and 6 respectively
Ljubljana – Vienna 2:0
(0:0 0:0 2:0)
Tore: Pance (53./PP), Sodja (54.)
Penalty minutes: 9 + 20 Stojan and 9 + 20 Eriksson
Asiago – VSV 2:4
(1:0 1:1 0:3)
Goals: Marchetti (3rd, 32nd) or Hancock (29th), Desjardins (48th), Hughes (54th), Golod (60th)
Penalty minutes: 6 or 6
Pustertal – Bolzano 4:4 aet
(3:0 1:1 0:3 / 0:0)
Tore: Mantinger (5th), Akeson (14th/PP), Hannoun (15th), Morley (52nd) bzw. McClure (37.), Fridge (44.), Ford (51.), Shelter (52.), Teves (65.)
Penalty minutes: 4 and 8 respectively
