The Steinbach Black Wings fight for the first tour again in an intensive third of the beginning by Emilio Romig. With a double pack from Graham Knott it continued in the second third, but the Slovaks still won the overtime. The Upper Austrians finally had to give up in the penalty shootout.
After the two youngest victories, the Steinbach Black Wings Linz contested their fifth of a total of six test games on Tuesday evening. The Linzers started their last home game before the championship began with great self -confidence. Head Coach Philipp Lukas again rely on rotation, which is why Logan Roe, Greg Moro and Sean Collins only watched from the ranks. Due to injury, Luka Maver and newcomer Travis Barron, who could not yet play due to registration formalities, was missing.
The first dangerous accents set the guests from Slovakia after less than two minutes. Jayce Hawryluk came to a dangerous way from the left, aimed at the far corner, but Linz goalie Thomas Höneckl was wide awake right from the start. A few minutes later, the home side had the double chance. First Shawn St-Amant appeared dangerously in front of the goal, but slipped out at the end and moved away. Shortly afterwards, Brian Lebler tried it from an acute angle on the right, but also this shot parried Roman Petrik in the box of the guests. In the 6th minute it was time: Emilio Romig put the Black Wings in the lead. After a confusing turmoil in front of the goal, Ryan McKinnon picked up the puck, put it with Graham Knott, who in turn used the goal scorer. Romig finally swept the disc into the short left corner to 1-0 for the Linz. However, the Slovak master was not impressed by this and pushed for the equalization. Lukas Lunter tried a long -range shot from the right, but Höneckl was on the spot again. In the 11th minute, however, the guests managed to equalize: After a precise pass from behind the goal, Andrej Kudrna did not torch for long and sank the disc over the shoulder of the Linz goalkeeper to 1: 1. Shortly afterwards, Rafael Aigner tried to put his team back in the lead, but failed due to Petrik. In the 15th minute, 17-year-old Jonathan Oschgan caused a sensation: after a fine pass, he came to a promising position, but here too the guest gate remained the winner. A minute before the break, the Slovaks finally weakened themselves when Josh Wesley had to go to the penalty bench. With a stand of 1-1, both teams said goodbye to the first third break.
Graham Knott inspires Linzer
It continued for the Linzer. Barely 10 seconds were played in the middle third when Brian Lebler grabbed his pane. Without hesitation, he put on Graham Knott, who exploited the brief uncertainty of Roman Petrik ice cold and promoted the puck to 2-1 between the posts. Just 39 seconds later, Knott reappeared after a breakaway alone in front of the Slovak box, found the right gap for the second time and increased directly to 3: 1 for the Upper Austrians (20th minute). Three minutes later, the home side weakened themselves when Shawn ST-Amant had to go to the penalty bench for two minutes. The guests felt their chance and did everything possible to shorten the gap. In the subsequent power play, they actually managed: Matej Macek hit the far corner (24th minute) precisely. Just two minutes later it got turbulent again. This time in front of Roman Petrik’s goal. After a frenzy in the slot, the goalkeeper went down during a defense campaign. The Stahlstadt residents tried it, but were unsuccessful. At half -time of the game, Patrick Söllinger took heart and pulled off the blue line, but he couldn’t overcome Petrik either. In the following minutes, the game was constantly shifted from one side to the other without one of the two teams being able to play out dangerous actions. It was only in the 36th minute that the Linzers picked up speed. Again it was Rafael Aigner who remained attentive. Since Zvolen’s goalie closed the short corner, he continued to play the disc clever on Ken Ograjensek on the right. Two minutes later, the lead for the Linzer went into the second break of the evening.
Slovaks are fighting overtime
The last phase of the game started turbulent, and Roman Petrik had his hands full with shots by Brian Lebler and Graham Knott – but kept the upper hand every time. Four minutes later, the guests managed to equalize with the home side. Matej Macek put 3: 3 in the 46th minute. Three minutes later, Emilio Romig tried it a second time that evening. With his shot into the far corner, however, he could not overcome Petrik, who kept his box clean again. In the 52nd minute, Andreas Kristler came to the disc and pulled off the distance. This attempt also did not find its way into the goal because the goalie of the guests parried heavily. In this phase, which was clearly dominated by the Linzers, the Slovaks also weakened themselves. Andrej Golian had to go to the penalty bench for two minutes. But despite the power play and good chances, the Stahlstadt residents could not recapture the lead. Zvolen felt the pressure and turned up again in the 56th minute. However, the defensive of the Upper Austrians did not burn anything and consistently put all the paths to the Slovaks.
Shortly afterwards the sheet turned again and Aljaz Predan tried a shot on goal. Petrik sensed the danger and closed the gap in good time. The remaining minutes passed without further dangerous degrees and it went into the three-against-three-overtime.
After a few seconds it was again Graham Knott, who could have decided the game early. Instead of completing himself, he decided to continue playing the puck, but a buyer was missing for the pass. Two minutes later it was the Upper Austrians who appeared dangerously in front of the goal. Henrik Neubauer tried it from the left, but the disc sailed just past the box. Ryan McKinnon was also close to inserting the puck, but he got stuck in the glove of the Slovak goalkeeper. Since there was no decision in the overtime either, the penalty shootout had to determine the output. According to league rules, the Linzer would have won Shawn St-Amant. However, since it was played according to international rules of the IIHF, there were ten goal scorers each and Jayce Hawryluk finally made the Slovak victory.
Next Friday, the Linzer will go to Augsburg for this year’s test game, where they will meet the Augsburg Panthers. The start of the championship will take place on September 12th in Linz AG Eisarena. The Upper Austrians meet the Pioneers from Vorarlberg.tickets in front of a home crowd are available online at tickets.blackwings.at and from the evening box.
Steinbach Black Wings Linz – HKM Zvolen 3: 4 NP (1: 1, 2: 1, 0: 1, 0: 0, 0: 1)
Goals: 1: 0 Emilio Romig (6. Min), 1: 1 Andrej Kudrna (11th min), 2: 1 Graham Knott (20th min), 3: 1 Graham Knott (20th min), 3: 2 MACEK (24th min), 3: 3 Macekk (46. Min), 3: 4 Jayce Hawryluk (decisive penalty)
Spectators: 1.926
blackwings.at, picture: Black Wings Linz/Eisenbauer
