After fourth place in the basic round of the previous season and almost reaching the final, they are EHC Black Wings Linz dropped significantly this year. Instead of a top ranking, they only ended up in 9th place – a bitter fall.
Offensive with jamming & more goals conceded
Although the top scorers Graham Knott (49), Travis Barron (42) and Brian Lebler (41) were convincing, overall the team lacked penetration. The top scorer for Linz this year went to Knott, who was able to score the same number of goals as Linz legend Lebler – namely 21 – but needed three fewer games. “Only” four players scored more than nine goals. For comparison: the league’s strongest offensive team, Olimpija Ljubljana, had no fewer than nine. The bare numbers speak for themselves and underline the offensive decline of the Upper Austrians:
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141 goals scored (league rank 8)
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Only 7 goals in the last 6 games
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Recently, several home defeats with only one goal scored
- 27 more goals conceded than in the 2024/25 season
The special teams (power play: 21.32%, 8th place / Penalty Killing: 80.25%, 8th place) also remained in the middle of the field. The goalies also performed poorly with a catch rate of 88.59% (12th place).
Fans remain loyal
Despite the sporting crisis, the supporters are behind the team: with an average of 4,188 spectators, the Linzers are in second place in the league.
president Peter Nader told the “Crown newspaper“: “I thought I was the president of an ice hockey club, but I feel like I’m in football.”
The pre-playoff series between the Black Wings and EC iDM Heat Pumps VSV starts today. Villach has home advantage – the only home game in the pre-playoff will take place next Friday.
Image: Black Wings Linz/Eisenbauer
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