ÖEL: Gmunden stops WEV and stays with leader KSV!

There were three games in the Austrian Ice Hockey League on Sunday: In the West Division, SC Hohenems managed to take revenge for the narrow 1-2 defeat on Friday against EHC Kundl in the lunchtime game with a 7:4 win. The Steinbocks have overtaken HC Kufstein in the table and are currently second with a one point lead before the last match day. ATSE Graz celebrated a commanding 4-1 away win in the East Division in its last regular season game at HDK Maribor and can now prepare for the playoffs. Defending champions Sharks Gmunden won 3-0 against WEV at the end of the round, are now level on points with league leaders Kapfenberg, but have played one more game than Mürztal.

After the duel on Friday evening, which gave the Kundlern a place in the playoffs with a narrow 2-1 win, they fought SC Samina Hohenems and the EHC customer on Sunday in the West Division in the “back-to-back” against each other for the fourth and final time in the regular round.

At the unusual start time of 12:00 p.m., the two teams exchanged blows in daylight, with the hosts taking the lead 1-0 in the first majority through Ricards Purins after an ideal pass from Patrick Spannring (4th). Sebastian Schild shot from the right side after a faceoff and HSC goalie Karlo Škec let the disc roll into the goal to make it 1-1 (10th).

The final phase of the first third was turbulent: Once again it was Ricards Purins who put the puck into the net from the left face-off circle to make it 2-1 for Vorarlberg (19th). Kundl responded quickly with the equalizer: Valentin Ploner held out the paddle to make it 2-2 33 seconds before the first siren after a cross pass from Maximilian Mackern (20th).

In the second period, the home team scored again quickly: After a counterattack, Fabian Mandlburger took the shot and made it 3-2 after exactly 62 seconds (22nd). It was Mandlburger, who was outnumbered, who initiated another quick attack via Benjamin Kyllönen himself and followed up with the rebound from close range to make it 4-2 (28th).

The Hohenemsers were now on fire and stepped up. After quickly bridging the neutral zone, Ricards Purins scored 5-2 (29′), which was the Latvian goal-getter’s third direct hit. A short time later, Kundl was back in the game: Michal Kluka completed a quick counterattack from the slot eight seconds before halftime to make it 3:5 (30th).

The ice skating club then patiently waited for its chance with a 5:3 majority: Patrick Spannring hammered the disc after a pass from Christian Haidinger with a one-timer to make it 6:3 into the Kundler box guarded by Johann Bauer (37th).

In the final section the Tyroleans were no longer able to gain any more, Hohenems increased the lead to 7:3 with a rebound from Benjamin Kyllönen (49′). Kundl scored the final point, Valentin Ploner returned the puck over the line with his backhand after an unsuccessful defense by Škec to make it 4:7 (52nd). The Steinbocks overtook HC Kufstein in the table and are currently second with a one point lead before the last match day.

East Division:

Sharks Gmunden catch up to Kapfenberg with a win against WEV

The UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden met on Sunday at the end of the round in the East Division for the fifth and final time in the regular round Vienna Ice Skating Club. It was the third game in three days for the Viennese, who celebrated a 4-0 win in Kapfenberg on Friday and a 4-1 win against ATSE Graz on Saturday.

The defending champion from Traunsee got off to a better start in the muki Arena: defender Simon Reder shot just behind the blue line in the attack zone and made it 1-0 (4th). In a first third that was played intensively by both teams, Dominik Stöttner increased the lead to 2-0 for the Upper Austrians four and a half minutes before the first siren (16th).

In the second section, Lukas Stöttner from the Sharks and Nils Granitz from WEV briefly exchanged pleasantries. Shortly afterwards, the WEV was unable to use its first majority to finally register. The match continued to be an exciting affair, with every change making it clear that the playoffs were just around the corner. Both goalkeepers – Tobias Windhofer for the Haien and Moritz Merkader for the WEV – did not allow a goal in the middle period.

The Sharks took a majority into the final third, but failed to extend their lead like in another power play. It became more hectic and emotional, WEV crack Lukas Kaider and Lukas Stöttner fought a fight eleven minutes before the end. The match was over for both of them after this boxing performance. Four and a half minutes before the end, WEV had the chance to get back into the game when they were in the majority, but were unable to score a goal in this phase.

In the end, head coach Philipp Ullrich pulled goalie Merkader for a sixth field player, Moritz Neurauter took the goal and made everything clear with an Emptynet goal to make it 3-0 just under two minutes before the end (58th). Sharks keeper Tobias Windhofer was able to celebrate a shutout in the end.

The Sharks Gmunden are again level on points with leader Kapfenberg in the table, but have played one more game than the Mürztalers. In the last round there is a direct duel, the Kapfenbergers play against WEV beforehand.

ATSE Graz celebrates away win at HDK Maribor

The HDK Maribor demanded after the narrow 3:4 defeat against Kapfenberg on Sunday in the East Division ATSE Graz in the Styrian derby of the twin cities. The Foxes got off to a better start and were ahead early: Adi Drnda made it 1-0 (6th) after a nice combination and a cross pass from Danilo Tomašević from close range.

The Graz team equalized shortly after their first advantage expired: Florian Murg put the goal into the net with a beautiful shot to make it 1-1 (16th). Although there was nothing at stake for either team in the table, the two teams fought a passionate and intense fight. The Slovenians wanted to give the fans a win in the last home game of the season, the ATSE held against it, keeper Lukas Troppenauer showed good saves.

The match remained a close affair in the second half. After unused advantage opportunities on both sides, the ATSE broke the spell: Cody Wickstrom pulled off another power play and beat HDK goalie Lazar Ilić for a 2-1 lead (33′). Maribor, on the other hand, was unable to convert a total of four numerical superiorities into a goal.

The Graz team, on the other hand, acted much more efficiently: With a majority that carried over into the final period, Filip Matijević defeated Omar Ždralović, who was now playing in the Maribor goal, after just 36 seconds and increased the score to 3-1 (41st). Almost two minutes later, the guests scored their third power play goal in a row: Florian Murg made it 4-1 for ATSE Graz (43′).

The hosts had two more power plays, but ATSE goalie Lukas Troppenauer continued to prevent another goal from being conceded with good saves. It stayed that way until the final siren, ATSE Graz celebrated a confident away win in its last regular season game and can now prepare for the playoffs.

Ö Ice Hockey League – Division West:

Ö Ice Hockey League – Division EAST:

HDK Maribor vs. ATSE Graz 1:4 (1:1.0:1.0:2)
Sun., January 25, 2026, 3:00 p.m., Ledna dvorana Maribor
Goalscorer HDK Maribor: Adi Drnda (05:16 mins)
Goal scorers ATSE Graz: Florian Murg (15:44 mins, 42:59 mins/PP1), Cody Wickstrom (32:40 mins/PP1), Filip Matijević (40:36 mins/PP1)

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. Vienna Ice Skating Club 3:0 (2:0,0:0,1:0)
Sun., January 25, 2026, 6:30 p.m., muki Arena
Goal scorers Sharks Gmunden: Simon Reder (03:26 mins), Dominik Stöttner (15:24 mins), Moritz Neurauter (57:56 mins/EN)

www.eishockey.at, Pic: Lothar Schneider