Salzburg showed the Black Wings the champions

“There are no easy ways through the play-offs. We have to be disciplined and act as a team,” said Philipp Lukas, the coach of the Steinbach Black Wings, before the first of a maximum of seven ice hockey quarter-final duels with Salzburg. What sounds simple in theory often looks different in practice. This was also the case in the Volksgarten, where the “Bulls” showed Linz the champions, won 4-0 (0-0, 2-0, 2-0) and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Game two takes place on Tuesday (7:15 p.m., live ticker on nachrichten.at) at the Untere Donaulände.

The Upper Austrians, who came out of the locker room strong – cheered on by around 700 battlegoers – and found two good chances through Graham Knott (2nd, 14th), will have to improve and focus on their strengths. Probably not with the best cast.

Because the Black Wings not only lost the match, but also two players. Striker Shawn St-Amant, the EHC’s second-best scorer with 50 points, took a dirty stick stab into Tyler Lewington’s abdomen after 16:48 minutes and was sent to the locker room after video evidence. That was kind of the breaking point. A ban is imminent.

“This penalty helped us, but it’s only 1-0 and it’s difficult,” admitted Salzburg’s Thomas Raffl in the Puls 24 interview. This derby was not short on emotions, toughness was the key, there were a number of arguments – and a violent check on Linz defender Niklas Würschl, who went down (49th) and staggered off the ice. That didn’t look good at all.

At this point the game was decided because Salzburg’s team striker Peter Schneider, who had been missing since January 20th due to injury, was in top form and was involved in the first three goals.

Lebler: “We weren’t good enough”

Ultimately, the penalties and thus the so-called “special teams” were the deciding factor. The Black Wings conceded Schneider’s 0:1 (25th) in the power play and the last two goals within 56 seconds when they were outnumbered (48th, 49th). Much to the annoyance of captain Brian Lebler: “We weren’t good enough. But it was only one game, Salzburg has to get through us three more times, that won’t happen,” the veteran announced a hot series to the opponent at Puls 24.

As is well known, play-offs are not stingy with surprises. The first came from the Pioneers Vorarlberg, who won 2-0 against the sovereign first-round winners KAC. Fehervar (3:2 after extra time against Pustertal) and Bozen (5:2 against Villach) capitalized on the home advantage.

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