That was close! In the 59th minute, KAC striker Johannes Bischofberger hit the short corner to make it 4: 3, killing Donetsk. As group winners, the Klagenfurt team made it to the last sixteen of the Champions Hockey League for the first time.
After the first third, the KAC looked like the clear winner: Thanks to the one-hundred-pound double pack (5th, 8th) and Samuel Witting (19th), they led 3-0, the Ukrainians – who followed because of acts of war in their native Donetsk Kiev had to avoid – totally under control. Sometimes the Carinthians walked through the defense of the enemy.
Despite the victory, there is criticism
But from the second section the home side got stronger and came back: Four minutes before the end, Turkin managed to equalize 3: 3 in a power play. But to which the red jackets had an answer: Manuel Geier prevailed behind the goal, put down wonderfully on Johannes Bischofberger – and he hit the near corner. Trainer Petri Matikainen: “It’s great that we are through. But I didn’t like how we gave up the game after the 3-0 win. “
For the first time in the round of 16
With this, the KAC has already won Group G with 13 points after five rounds and is (like Salzburg and Bozen) in the round of 16 of the Champions Hockey League for the first time. The draw will follow on Friday, October 15, when a runner-up in the group will wait for the Klagenfurters.