This was not to be expected in this form. The Steinbach Black Wings, who sent the bottom of the ICE Hockey League, Graz 99ers, home with a 6-0 win at the end of October, experienced a nasty surprise in the last match of the 2023 calendar year. The Styrians left the Linz AG ice arena as 4:1 (1:1, 2:0, 1:0) winners.
And that despite the fact that everything had been set up for an early New Year’s Eve party that Saturday evening. The Upper Austrians reported a sold-out house for the first time in almost four years or the play-off quarter-final series once morest the KAC in February 2020.
4,863 fans turned the hall into a “cauldron”, but even that mightn’t get their favorites back to winning ways. The third defeat in a row was the order of the day; the Black Wings, who had previously lost to Innsbruck (1:3) and Vorarlberg (3:7), had recently suffered three matches en suite at the end of September.
That hurts. The uncertainty was noticeable at the EHC, where top scorer Graham Knott made a comeback following his short trip to Canada (for family reasons). Philipp Lukas’s protégés missed too many opportunities, as a look at the goal scoring statistics shows: 37:21 shots – but only one direct hit, which Matt MacKenzie managed to make it 1-1 following 10:37 minutes.
The latecomer from Graz fought courageously, acted disciplined and ice-cold in front of the opponent’s box. Bauer (8th), Matson (23rd/pp) and Krastenbergs (31st) overcame Linz goalie Rasmus Tirronen, who was unable to intervene at 1:4 (57th) – also from Krastenbergs. Lukas had already taken the Finn off the ice and replaced him with another field player. “All in” so to speak. Without success.
Now it’s important to get back on track quickly. The top six, who qualify directly for the play-off quarter-finals, are only protected by six points. The lead is melting.
The Black Wings will continue on Monday with the New Year’s match at Villacher SV (5.30 p.m., live ticker on ). The EHC is still waiting for its first points of the season once morest the “Adler”.
Author
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
Alexander Zambarloukos
