After 29 games with five assists and no goals scored, Maxim Lamarche says goodbye to the Steinbach Black Wings, who no longer have a chance of a hockey play-off ticket. The 29-year-old Canadian defender, with whom Linz is not planning for the future, has the opportunity to end the season with a club abroad. It’s a win-win situation for both sides: Lamarche accepts a new sporting challenge, the Black Wings save the fee.
It will not be the last early departure at the bottom, and other players like Colin Smith, who has played very well in 15 games for the EHC with five goals and eight assists, are also on other clubs’ wish lists.
Even if the staffing is thinning, the Black Wings will try to finish the championship seriously. Today (7.45 p.m., live ticker on nachrichten.at) Linz will be guesting with the Pustertal Wolves, who have advanced to tenth place with a 3-2 home win over Innsbruck, which entitles them to participate in the play-off round of 16.
“We know that we can keep up with every team in the league,” said Wings goalie Thomas Höneckl: “If we take our chances, we won’t leave the Puster Valley empty-handed.” Whether striker Emilio Romig is operational will only be decided today.
Source: Nachrichten
