One goal made the difference: HC Bozen's season is over

In the “Do or Die” match in the No Worries Ice Arena, both coaches are relying on exactly the same formations that were already on the ice in Bolzano on Tuesday. The encounter began with a real bang: after just 78 seconds, Insam fired a rocket that hit exactly at the angle. The approximately 200 Bolzano fans who traveled along had reason to celebrate for the first time.

Furious initial phase The joy was short-lived, however, because less than a minute later a similar opportunity arose on the opposite side, which Andrew Kozek didn't miss. However, the rousing opening phase had even more in store: In the fourth minute, Linz goalie Michael Ouzas let a shot from Derek Nesbitt ricochet and Justin Keller, sliding up, inadvertently maneuvered the puck into the goal with his knee. The referees watched the scene again in the replay, but then credited Bozen for this strange goal. Afterwards, Ouzas, who had already been slightly injured during the warm-up, had to leave the ice and left his position in the Linz goal to backup Thomas Dechel. Afterwards, Bolzano's goalkeeper Jaroslav Hübl was the focus of attention several times. With his saves, some of which were worth seeing, he saved his team's lead into the break. Before the siren, his teammates even had the opportunity to increase the score in the only power play so far, but they never really managed to build up pressure.

Linz turns the tables

The middle period started very badly for HC Bozen, because in the third minute the advanced defender Franklin MacDonald scored from the slot to make it 2-2. But things were to get even worse: seven minutes after the equalizer, Rob Hisey shot from a very tight angle and hit the short corner of the cross. Hübl didn't look good in this scene. As a result, the champions tried to get back into the game, but lacked the necessary liveliness and penetration.

Even after the last break, the HCB searched in vain for the thread in the game. Linz had little trouble controlling the action and disrupting the opponent's build-up of the game with continuous counterattacks.

Keller scores the equalizer

During one of these counterattacks, Patrick Spannring took center stage and slammed the target onto the crossbar. This was obviously a wake-up call for the South Tyroleans. Just two minutes later, Phil DeSimone fed Keller, who held out the stick and pushed the puck over the line.

Nine minutes before the end it was the Upper Austrians' turn again. Kozek poked the puck over the line in a confusing situation, but was in the goal area. The referees watched the scene for several minutes, then decided no goal. Two minutes later, the HCB goal was about to ring: As Schofield was stewing in the “refrigerator”, Mike Oulette took advantage of the space to shoot from close range. Bolzano's Bryan Rodney directed the shot into the goal with his shin. This was the preliminary decision, because Bozen subsequently threw everything forward again, but no longer managed to endanger Linz's victory. The Black Wings saved their narrow lead over time and thus ended HC Bozen's mission to defend their title.

EHC Black Wings Linz - HCB Südtirol 3:2 (1:2, 2:0

EHC Black Wings Linz: Ouzas (from 3.45 dechel); Murphy-MacDonald, Dorion-Piche, Mitterdorfer-R.Lukas, Fechtig-Mayrhauser; Lebler-Moran-Ulmer, Kozek-Hisey-Oulette, Spannring-P.Lukas-Iberer, Gaffal-Oberkofler-Pirmann. Coach: Rob Daum

HCB South Tyrol: Hübl (Morandell); Galvins-Rodney, Egger-McMonagle, Lee-Oberdörfer, Crowley-Hofer; Pance-Cullen-Insam, Nesbitt-Schofield-Keller, Gander-Bernard-DeSimone, Frank-Zisser-Deanesi. Coach: Don MacAdam

Tore : 0:1 Marco Insam (1.18), 1:1 Andrew Kozek (2.06), 1:2 Justin Keller (3.45), 2:2 Franklin MacDonald (22.53), 3:2 Rob Hisey (29.17), 3:3 Justin Keller (48.04), 4:3 Mike Oulette (52.53)

Final standings in the best-of-seven series: 4:3 (7:3, 4:6, 2:1, 2:3, 5:4, 1:2, 4:3)

The other quarter-final duels: Orli Znojmo - Klagenfurter AC 1:4 Red Bull Salzburg - Villacher SV 4:1 Sapa Fehervar - Vienna Capitals 2:4

The pairings in the EBEL semi-finals:

Red Bull Salzburg - Klagenfurter AC Vienna Capitals - EHC Black Wings Linz

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One goal made the difference: HC Bozen's season is over

The HCB lost a playoff series in the Erste Bank Eishockeyliga for the first time in its history. The reigning title holders lost 3:4 to the Black Wings Linz in the all-important seventh game and thus missed out on a place in the semi-finals.

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