The Vienna Capitals start the “best of three” pre-playoff series against Hydro Fehérvár AV19 with a 5-1 home win.
Marc-Olivier Duquette puts the Viennese in the lead with his debut goal (13th). Jérémy Grégoire (21st/PP1) and Felix Koschek (23rd) followed up with a double strike at the beginning of the middle third. Mitch Hults makes the score 4-0 after the middle third (38th). Anze Kuralt scores the consolation goal for the guests in the 41st minute. Caps captain Linden Vey scored the final point in the 53rd minute. The Capitals can secure promotion to the quarterfinals with a win on Friday. Game two of the pre-playoff series starts at 7:15 p.m. at the MET Aréna Székesfehérvár.
The Capitals coaching team had to do without the injured Erik Kirchschläger, Nelson Nogier, Senna Peeters and Marco Richter as well as the injured Scott Kosmachuk and the ill Sebastian Wraneschitz in the first pre-playoff game. Maximilian Theirich and Lukas Zach-Kiesling were not part of the match squad. The new additions Kevin Macierzynski and Ramón Schnetzer celebrated their Caps debuts. As was the case last Sunday in the away win in Klagenfurt, Evan Cowley started in goal. In the first minute, Jérémy Grégoire hit the post, during which Fehérvár goalie Rasmus Reijola postponed his goal. Ole Andersen fired a long-range shot in the third minute but found his match in Cowley. Schnetzer served Caps top scorer Carter Souch with a long pass. Zane Franklin was denied by Reijola in the fourth minute after a pass from his Canadian compatriot.
Christof Kromp shot from the high slot in the fifth minute, but it was parried. Souch tried it from the left side in the seventh minute. However, Reijola was there. Cowley had something to do again a minute later when Istvan Terbocs finished. Shortly afterwards, Dominic Hackl tried a one-timer after an assist from Randy Gazzola, but the goalscorer of the last duel was unable to beat the Finn in the visitors’ goal this time. In the twelfth minute, a shot from Schnetzer was dangerously deflected, but the disc did not find its way into the opponent’s goal. A minute later the Caps took the lead. Marc-Olivier Duquette fired the puck into the net from the left side (13th). Felix Koschek blocked Reijola’s view in an exemplary manner. A few seconds after the game resumed, the first penalty was pronounced. Mitch Hults had to go into the cooler for two minutes because of holding. The Capitals defended exemplary when they were outnumbered and didn’t allow any shots on goal.
Darren Archibald shot at the Caps goal in the 17th minute, but Cowley easily caught the shot. The next penalty was imposed against the Viennese in the 18th minute, this time for an alleged stick strike by Linden Vey. The Hungarians in the majority were once again harmlessness personified. Again the Caps kept a clean sheet. Effectively with the half-time siren, Tim Campbell reached out to Franklin with a crosscheck near the boards. The Fehérvár defender was sent to the penalty box for two minutes. Both teams continued to exchange pleasantries after the half-time siren.
The Caps started the middle third with a two-minute power play. It only took 20 seconds for the Viennese to raise. Grégoire used a Vey pass without any effort. On the other hand, Joel Messner hit the aluminum from distance in the 22nd minute. A minute later the puck was back in the visitors’ box. Like last week, Koschek hit the far corner against Reijola (23′). A minute later the guests were out with six field players. Max Gerlach served the sentence due. The Caps found several good opportunities in the majority through Simon Bourque, Hults, Souch and Gazzola, but Reijola didn’t have to reach behind him this time. Anze Kuralt had to leave the ice in the 28th minute for holding on to Bourque. In the 30th minute, Souch moved directly in front of Reijola after a pass from Vey, the Finn had to stretch to secure the goal. The Viennese were unable to score in this power play. Trevor Cheek tried from the left in the 34th minute but was denied by Cowley. Messner tried it a minute later, and the Caps goalie grabbed it safely again. Nate Kallen tried from a tight angle in the 37th minute, but Reijola was there. A minute later, the Caps countered the home team ice cold. Hults pushed the puck into the net under Reijola after a Koschek pass.
The Hungarians scored 56 seconds after the start of the final third. Kuralt sank the puck after a rebound from close range (41′). Bence Stipsicz shot from the left in the 44th minute and Cowley grabbed the ball. Shortly afterwards, Rasmus Kulmala tried it, and the Caps goalie was there again. Hults finished ahead of Reijola in the 48th minute, but this time he couldn’t overcome the Finn. A minute later there was the next penalty for having too many players against the guests. Gerlach served this again. In this power play, the Caps missed some playful highlights. Only shots from Leon Wallner and Benjamin Lanzinger were remotely dangerous. The Hungarians thus held themselves harmless. In the 51st minute, the guests were able to regain the advantage.
Armin Preiser was given a two-minute penalty for hitting him with a stick. Once again the Hungarians in the majority failed to do anything worth counting, the Viennese kept themselves harmless. After Preiser’s return, Vey restored his old lead. The Caps captain intercepted a failed Cheek back pass and outwitted Reijola, who saw no threat to his goal, with his backhand (53′). Macierzynski got to the target in front of the Fehérvár goalie in the 56th minute, but was unable to beat him. Terbocs fell to Schnetzer in the 57th minute. The Caps newcomer had to leave the ice because he tripped. Once again, the Viennese defended consistently when they were outnumbered and thus held themselves harmless. The Caps had 22 shots on goal during the game, the guests had 28. Cowley finished the game with a catch rate of 96.43 percent.
Statement Kevin Constantine, head coach of the Vienna Capitals
It’s great that we were able to win this game. Especially in a short series, you don’t have much time to grow with the task. The first ten minutes were very evenly matched, perhaps the teams felt each other out a little. Mitch Hults made a great pass in front of Marc-Olivier Duquette’s goal. The goal gave us a boost. We were able to build on that. Mitch’s line was then involved in two more goals. Our power play was effective and our shorthanded game was also solid. The special teams made an important contribution to the victory. Overall it was a nice team performance.
vienna-capitals.at , Image: Manfred Szieber
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