What a game, what a victory: The Steinbach Black Wings are on the verge of reigniting enthusiasm in the (former) ice hockey stronghold of Linz. The Upper Austrians stormed with passion, playfulness and the necessary efficiency to the 5:3 (2:1, 1:1, 2:1) victory over KAC and were even able to celebrate a few minutes after being in the lead.
Because HC Bozen Südtirol should also defeat the “Wolves” from the Pustertal valley 5:3 shortly afterwards, they are second in the table for the time being. That is remarkable and in the spirit of club boss Peter Nader, who formulated his goal for the season as follows: “If we fill up the hall again, then it will be a good season.”
Gaffal was once again the match winner
Well, the Black Wings are on the right track. 2696 fans had found their way to the Linz AG Eisarena and had no regrets. The match left nothing to be desired. It was intense, passionate and garnished with a happy ending. Stefan Gaffal is increasingly becoming a “difference maker”.
The 25-year-old, who scored in the last minute in the 2-1 win against Pustertal on Friday, also scored the so-called “game-winning goal” against KAC, who had traveled to the Untere Donaulände with four victories en suite. Gaffal, who, like captain Brian Lebler, went to the home builders, scored on the power play to make it 4:3 (54th). Graham Knott’s 5:3 25 seconds before the final siren into the orphaned Klagenfurt goal was just an encore.
“We fought incredibly and left everything we had on the ice. That was a super team effort,” said Gaffal, happy about the fifth win in a row. It may continue in this tone.
On Friday the Black Wings are free of games, on Sunday they will make a guest appearance at the Vienna Capitals. Then probably also with Jakob Mitsch, who grabbed his chance with both hands. The 23-year-old, who joined the Steel Wings from Styria in 2019, scored his first goal in his 71st league match. It was 2-1 in the 18th minute, so none of the unimportant kinds.
Open exchange of blows
Linz had taken a 1-0 lead through Emilio Romig (10′), but KAC fought back. Paul Postma scored to make it 1-1 (17th), Mitsch only 40 seconds later to make it 2-1. But even Knott’s 3:1 107 seconds after the start of the second period (22nd) didn’t throw the Carinthians off course, they came to the 3rd in this open exchange of blows through Thomas Hundertpfund (29th) and Steven Strong (42nd): 3-compensation.
Anyone who believed that the Black Wings would break away was wrong. They didn’t feel like working overtime and made everything clear in regular time. The salary? Three points and a very broad chest.
The people of Linz know that they can also win if the “Torfabrik” Lebler goes empty-handed.
Source: Nachrichten
