ÖEL: Consistently narrow victories on yesterday’s matchday!

What a matchday it was in the Austrian Ice Hockey League: League leaders EHC Lustenau won the emotionally charged thriller against HC Kufstein 5:3. SC Hohenems narrowly won against the Wattens Penguins 5:4. On Friday, EHC Kundl took third place in the table with a 4-2 win against the Dornbirn EC Bulldogs. In the East Division, ATSE Graz celebrated a 3-1 win in the all-time classic against the Vienna Ice Skating Club. And the KSV Kangaroos narrowly beat HDK Maribor 3-2 and took the lead in the table.

The HC Kufstein claimed leaders in the West Division in the hit of the round on Saturday EHC Lustenau in front of over 600 fans in the Kufstein ice arena. Despite being outnumbered, the Vorarlbergers took the lead early on. The Lions launched a lightning-fast counterattack from their own defensive zone, which Martin Grabher Meier finished dryly to make it 1-0 – a shorthander from the ice hockey textbook (5th).

The Dragons looked shocked after conceding the goal and were unable to take advantage of their remaining advantage. The West leader, on the other hand, acted superiorly and more calmly; at the end of a power play, Lucas Haberl steered the puck over the line to make it 2-0 (14th).

The hit remained exciting in the second half. Kufstein tried to score the next goal, but was still unable to achieve any tangible success. The Lustenauers were unable to extend their lead. As the middle third progressed, nerves began to come into play on both sides. Towards the end, a few pleasantries were exchanged and emotions ran high.

In the final section, the game suddenly became a thriller: Stefan Reiter scored the goal the Dragons had been longing for after a nice backhand combination to make it 1-2 (45′). The game continued to be emotional and with many penalties, Markus Prock made it 2-2 from close range (49th). Then things boiled over in the ice arena in Kufstein for another reason: Captain Dominique Saringer scored with a shorthander after a solo effort to make it 3-2 just under a minute later (50th).

The match was now in crunch time, in which Jonas Kutzer made it 3-3 in the majority from the blue line (57th). Lustenau followed up: Goalgetter Chris D’Alvise lifted the puck into the net from close range to make it 4:3 (59′). Martin Grabher Meier made it 5:3 with an empty netter 37 seconds before the end (60th). At the end the fists flew again.

SC Hohenems celebrates a narrow win against the Wattens Penguins

The SC Samina Hohenems celebrated its home premiere in the West Division on Saturday in front of over 630 fans in Herrenried against the WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins. The Steinbocks started the game confidently with two wins behind them. However, the Penguins held their own in the first few minutes and took the advantage to take a 1-0 lead: Ricards Purins shot from the left faceoff circle and beat Hohenems keeper Karlo Škec (8th).

Both teams then exchanged blows before Vorarlberg equalized. After an energetic attack, the puck came to Benjamin Kyllönen, who netted from the slot to make it 1-1 (18th).

In the second section, things really got down to business. First, Wattens took the lead again, Christian Csics used the disc that bounced back from the boards to make it 2-1 (23rd). Hohenems responded quickly, just 79 seconds later Fabian Mandlburger made it 2-2 from close range (24th). Four minutes later, Noel Vetter deflected the puck after a faceoff and shot to make it 3-2 for Ems (28th).

Late in the second third, Wattens managed to equalize: Patrick Huber scored from close range to make it 3-3 (39th), the match remained hotly contested. After almost five minutes in the final period, Michael Novak hammered the puck into the net from the blue line to give Hohenems a 4-3 lead (45th). A little later, Benjamin Kyllönen scored from the slot with his second direct goal to make it 5:3 (47th).

The Tyroleans didn’t let up, Patrick Huber returned the puck over the line from close range to make it 4-5 (50′). In the end, the Penguins pulled their keeper Jakob Sprachmann and the equalizer was no longer possible. Hohenems won the third game in a row, Wattens still remains without points despite a strong performance.

EHC Kundl is now third in the West Division after a win against Dornbirner EC

Lustenau’s head coach Dániel Fekete rates the Dragons highly: “Kufstein has a very good team and it’s a matter of time before things break for them. They play a more physical ice hockey style. We have to prepare for that and counter it. With two wins under our belt and a correspondingly high level of self-confidence, we’re heading to Kufstein and are looking forward to an intense game!”

The EHC customer met on Friday in the West Division in the Kundler Eisarena Dornbirner EC Bulldogs. Vorarlberg got off to a dream start: Domenic Grabher came to the goal in the slot and beat Kundl keeper Johann Bauer after 103 seconds to make it 1-0 (2nd). Afterwards, both teams were unable to take advantage of their superiority and fought an open exchange of blows over the course of the first period.

The Tyroleans equalized after a nice combination: Michal Kluka played to Valentin Ploner, who also scored from the slot to make it 1-1 (14th). Two minutes before the end of the period, head coach Jaroslav Betka’s team had turned the game around for the time being: After a faceoff, the puck came to Maximilian Agerer after a shot by Alexander Gruber and extra time by Lukas Haaser, who scored from close range to make it 2-1 (19th).

In the second period, the hosts increased the tempo, goalie Fabian Pozzera made two excellent saves to keep the Bulldogs narrowly behind. However, when Michal Kluka hit the hammer, the DEC keeper had no chance when they were 3:5 outnumbered; Kundl was ahead 3:1 in the second third (34th).

In the final section, the Vorarlbergers were initially unable to take advantage of an early majority, a little later Alessandro Togni surprised Kundl goalie Bauer with a nice wrist shot after a quick attack and scored the 2-3 goal (46th). Suddenly the match was extremely exciting again and played extremely intensively by both teams.

In contrast to Dornbirn, the Kundlers used another power play and extended the lead to two goals again: Christian Baierl completed a dream attack after a one-two with Lukas Thaler to make it 4-2 (56th). Head coach Jörg Kopeinig’s team couldn’t find a way to turn the match around in the last few minutes, Kundl celebrated their second home win and is now third in the table in the West.

Ö Ice Hockey League – Division East:

ATSE Graz prevails against the Vienna Ice Skating Club

The ATSE Graz met on Saturday in the East Division in the eternally young classic in the Merkur Ice Stadium Vienna Ice Skating Club. The Viennese were ahead 1-0 after the Graz defense lost a target. Lucas Burzin was quickest to sugar-coat the situation and scored from the left faceoff circle (13th). The hosts equalized shortly after their first majority: Mathias Werkl moved in front of the WEV goal and made it 1-1 (17th).

The match also showed in the second half that the teams in the East Division have moved closer together. Both teams fought a balanced and intense fight, the two defensive lines were good, the two goalkeepers did the rest – Florianzeugswetter at ATSE and Moritz Merkader at WEV.

In the final third the duel became even more intense. Emotions also played more and more of a role. After an attack on the right side, the disc came to Jonas Nemas, who scored from the right faceoff circle to make it 2-1 for ATSE Graz (50th). WEV tried everything and took goalie Moritz Merkader off the ice. This benefited Maximilian Schwarz, who scored 18 seconds before the siren from the halfway line into the empty goal to make it 3-1 (60th). The Graz team celebrated their second victory in the third game.

KSV Kangaroos beat HDK Maribor

The KSV Kangaroos expected on Saturday in the East Division HDK Maribor in the Kapfenberg town hall for the second home game of the season. The two teams had a brisk back and forth from the start, with Kapfenberg missing good opportunities. After a nice attack, the guests from Slovenia were suddenly 1-0 ahead, Ian Fingušt turned the puck over the line in the 12th minute.

For their part, the Kangaroos also needed a power play opportunity to equalize. The Mürztal team patiently played down a numerical superiority and combined in front of the Maribor goal, player-coach Kris Reinthaler made it 1-1 (16th).

The duel remained an exciting affair in the second third. Once again it was a power play that Kapfenberg used to take the lead: Christoph Draschkowitz put the puck into the net with a wonderful slap shot from the left faceoff circle to make it 2-1 (27th). Both teams were unable to convert further numerical superiority opportunities into goals. The Kangaroos went into the final period with a narrow one-goal lead against the Foxes.

There, Jan Čerič made it 2-2 in another power play (43′). The Kapfenbergers pushed for the lead, which they managed to do after the Slovenians lost a target. Christoph Draschkowitz made it 3-2 in the second attempt (48th). In the end, Maribor head coach Jure Verlič took a risk and took goalie Jaka Gajšek off the ice, the Kapfenberg team narrowly won 3-2 and took the lead in the table.

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden free of play.

Ö Ice Hockey League – Division West:

HC Kufstein vs. EHC Lustenau 3:5 (0:2.0:0.3:3)
Sat., October 18, 2025, 7:00 p.m., Eisarena Kufstein
Goal scorers HC Kufstein: Stefan Reiter (44:21 min.), Markus Prock (48:22 min.), Dominique Saringer (49:33 min./SH1)
Goal scorers EHC Lustenau: Martin Grabher Meier (04:37 min./SH1, 59:23 min./EN), Lucas Haberl (13:08 min.), Jonas Kutzer (56:20 min./PP1), Christopher D’Alvise (58:46 min.)

EHC Kundl vs. Dornbirner EC Bulldogs 4:2 (2:1,1:0,1:1)
Fri., October 17, 2025, 7:30 p.m., Eisarena Kundl
Goal scorers EHC Kundl: Valentin Ploner (13:05 mins), Maximilian Agerer (18:02 mins), Michal Kluka (33:39 mins/PP2), Christian Baierl (55:05 mins/PP1)
Goal scorers Dornbirner EC: Domenic Grabher (01:43 mins). Alessandro Togni (45:10 mins)

Ö Ice Hockey League – Division EAST:

ATSE Graz vs. Vienna Ice Skating Club 3:1 (1:1.0:0.2:0)
Sat., October 18, 2025, 6:30 p.m., Graz Merkur Ice Stadium (Hall A)
Goal scorers ATSE Graz: Mathias Werkl (16:14 mins), Jonas Nemas (49:33 mins), Maximilian Schwarz (59:42 mins/EN)
Goalscorer Vienna Ice Skating Club: Lucas Burzin (12:47 mins)

KSV Kangaroos vs. HDK Maribor 3:2 (1:1,1:0,1:1)
Sat., October 18, 2025, 7:30 p.m., Kapfenberg town hall
Goal scorers KSV Kangaroos: Kristof Reinthaler (15:57 mins/PP1), Christoph Draschkowitz (26:45 mins/PP1, 47:13 mins)
Goal scorers HDK Maribor: Ian Fingušt (11:05 mins/PP1), Jan Čerič (42:36 mins/PP1)

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden free of play.

www.eishockey.at, Image: EHC Lustenau