2:4 – Villach as a party check at the Black Wings’ home game opener

Home premiere with light and shadow for the Steinbach Black Wings: The number of spectators (3036) put a smile on the face of the Linz ice hockey club boss Peter Nader, the condition of the playing surface and the result were less to his liking. The Upper Austrians lost to Villacher SV in the “steam bath” (the high temperatures literally made the ice sweat) 2:4 (1:0, 0:2, 1:2). Despite an appealing performance over long stretches, the EHC cut its teeth on star goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, who defused numerous top-class opportunities.

“We were perhaps too undisciplined and stuck our heads in the sand a bit after being 3-1 down (46th minute). We should have made better use of the energy that came from the audience,” said Linz striker Stefan Gaffal self-critically. In fact, more would have been possible.
The Black Wings got off to a dream start and took the lead 1-0 after exactly eleven minutes through Shawn St-Amant. “Ultimately it’s bitter, we have to reduce the losses of targets and counter-attacks,” said the Canadian. With 2:48 minutes left, Linz coach Philipp Lukas put everything on one card and took keeper Rasmus Tirronen off. Graham Knott reduced the score to 2:3 (58′), but then Marco Richter nipped hope in the bud with an empty-net goal 15 seconds before the siren.