Both the Vienna Capitals and VSV gave away their “match pucks” in the “best of seven” quarter-final series on Friday evening and have the next opportunity on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) – but then away. After taking a 2-0 lead in extra time, Vienna lost 3-2 to KAC, while VSV lost to Olimpija Ljubljana 6-8 (3-4, 1-2, 2-2).
Power play hits by Nicolai Meyer (19′) and James Sheppard (25′) put the Viennese on the winning track at the end of the first and beginning of the second period. But the 2-0 did not last long: Martin Schumnig made it exciting again after a good pass from Nicholas Petersen on the half-hour mark. In the final third, the Carinthians increased the pressure, but mostly failed due to the concentrated defense of the home side. Goalie Bernhard Starkbaum thwarted what was initially the best opportunity provided by Nikolaus Kraus with a strong save (52′). But three minutes later he too was beaten, Schumnig safely sank the rebound.
The Rotjacken took the momentum with them into extra time – after three defeats in a row with their backs to the wall. There Manuel Geier became the winning goal scorer after 5:51 minutes and thus gave the champions an extension in the series. So the Capitals still have to wait to qualify for the semifinals for the fifth time en suite.
In Villach, the VSV got off to a bad start, having to hand over the injured Chris Collins as well as the sick Renars Krastenbergs and Nico Brunner. After eight minutes, Rob Daum’s men were 0:2 behind, but they got back up and just as quickly took a 3:2 lead (17th). But that was not the end of a crazy first third. Olimpija took the lead again just before half-time, 4-3.
The guests kept the pressure on in the second half of the game and seemed to have made the preliminary decision at the latest with the 7:4, in which VSV goalie Tomi Karhunen did not look good. But thanks to Philipp Lindner and Scott Kosmachuk, VSV countered again with numerical superiority and, at 6:7, still had nine minutes to turn the game around. The attempts were unsuccessful, however, Olimpija finally scored the final score into the empty goal.
Source: Nachrichten
