"If we hang our heads, it will be over in two weeks"

The Steinbach Black Wings show morale, but they have the result crisis and after the 2:4 (0:3, 0:0, 2:1) home defeat against ice hockey record champions KAC they only have minimal chances of a direct quarterfinal ticket. Linz, who lost five matches en suite, are two rounds before the end of the regular season, four points behind sixth place, which is currently occupied by the Vienna Capitals (3:5 against Bozen).

It’s jinxed at the moment. In calendar year 2023, EHC, who will now face Fehervar twice (Tuesday away, Sunday at home), only won four out of 16 games. Now there is a risk of going into the so-called pre-play-offs, in which the remaining two quarter-final places will be played out in a best-of-3 format. Depending on the choice and outcome, the Wings would have home rights against Asiago, Pustertal or Graz.

But it’s not that far yet. “Of course we’ll try everything, at the moment the disc doesn’t bounce for us either,” said defender Martin Schumnig: “Unfortunately, we got off to a start against KAC that we hadn’t hoped for.” Indeed.

In front of 3,508 fans in the Linz AG Eisarena, the Klagenfurt team was already 3:0 up after just 11:22 minutes. But the Upper Austrians should rear up, Andreas Kristler (48th) and Marco Brucker (54th) blew to catch up. Ultimately without success. The KAC had the last word with an empty net goal four seconds before the end.

“It’s very disappointing,” emphasized striker Emilio Romig. “We missed the beginning. We gave up four, five breakaways in the first ten minutes. That was very painful. The team showed character, we didn’t give up. It’s going to be very, very difficult to get into the top six now. If we hang our heads and mope, it’ll be over in two weeks,” said the Viennese.

And: “We’ve been in a hole since Christmas, probably a little longer. Now we don’t get the wins anymore either. It does not help. We have to keep going.”