Black Wings need to qualify for the playoffs

It’s been official since 9:24 p.m.: The Steinbach Black Wings can no longer move into the top six of the ICE Hockey League in the last round of the regular season on Sunday (5:30 p.m.) in the home game against Fehervar and therefore no direct play-off quarter-final ticket solve. The six starting places go to Bozen, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Villach, KAC, who made everything clear with a 5-0 win over Vorarlberg, and the Vienna Capitals, who did not play yesterday.

Linz should have won in Hungary, due to the bitter 2:3 (0:0, 0:1, 2:1/0:1) defeat after extra time, the path now leads to the so-called pre-play-offs, the already start next Tuesday in best-of-3 mode. The EHC definitely has home rights and, in the case of seventh place, which is currently being occupied, also the right to choose opponents. In the raffle is a duo from the trio Asiago, Graz, Pustertal.

In Szekesfehervar Linz could certainly hope for an end to the result crisis, but the late 2-1 lead that Logan Roe shot out in the 54th minute lasted just 98 seconds. In the end, the “Red Devils” were more callous and inflicted the sixth defeat in a row on the Upper Austrians.

“It’s bitter, but we have to get up and fight back,” said captain Brian Lebler, who was responsible for the 1-1 draw (46th). But the Hungarians had the last word. Gleason Fournier scored after exactly 62:20 minutes to make it 3:2 and let the Viennese cheer for the live tickers.

The Black Wings are three points behind the Capitals, who are uncatchable because they won three of the four direct duels with the EHC.