Sapa Fehérvár: Hetényi - Alén, Tokaji, Palkovics, Martz, Mihály, Ackeström, Jobb, Vas J., Fekete, Kovács, Bornhammar, Horváth, Sofron, Vas M., Ladányi, Peterdi, Vaszjunyin, Benk, Nagy, Kóger. Head coach: Jarmo Tolvanen.

Graz: Charpentier - Cullen, Klimbacher, Paré, Day, Healey, Lindgren, Kuiper, Peintner, Norris, Harand, Grahut, Oraze, Schwab, Lange, Herzog, Stefan, Dinhopel, Moderer, Burneger, Woger. Head coach: Bill Gilligan.

In the first minute while Sapa Fehérvár AV19 is in powerplay, Tokaji takes a shot from the corner of the offensive zone, Palkovics puts his stick into the shot but Charpentier makes the save. Shortly afterwards Palkovics steps away with the puck, tries to shoot the puck into the net between Charpentier’s legs, but the goalie makes the save, and despite repeating the attempt with the rebound, Palkovics cannot score in this promising situation.

In the middle of the third minute when Graz finally returns to full strength, Sapa Fehérvár AV19 keeps on passing the puck around. After two good diagonal passes, the puck reaches Jankó Vas in front of the empty net and he easily takes the lead for the home team.

Seconds later Ladányi misses a huge scoring chance. Charpentier is already helpless on the ice but the winger shoots the puck exactly into the goalie’s glove. Then Healey threatens from a counterattack but he shoots the puck above the net.

In the seventh minute Graz builds another scoring chance from a counterattack, this time Oraze takes the distant shot but Hetényi makes a confident save. Two minutes later Graz makes a mistakes while changing lines, Martz can step away with the puck but by the time he tries to take the shot, his attempt is blocked. Then following the face-off Kovács takes the shot, Jankó Vas arrives on the rebound, tries to take the shot while turning but the puck is bouncing and his shot isn’t good.

In the 12th minute during a delayed penalty call the home team creates several huge scoring chances, Palkovics, Mihály and Fekete miss chances to increase the home team’s lead to two goals.

Then half a minute into Sapa Fehérvár AV19’s powerplay, the 99ers manage to score a short-handed goal. Harand steps away with the puck on the wing, takes it all the way to Hetényi’s net and scores, equalizing at 1-1.

Sapa Fehérvár AV19 plays well in the powerplay, Graz has to work hard for a minute and a half but Charpentier’s fantastic saves keep the home team from scoring.

In the 16th minute during a powerplay for the 99ers, the most threatening attempt comes after a shot by Cullen but Hetényi makes a big save, and Ackeström clears the defensive zone when the rebound lands in front of him, and the first period ends with the score of 1-1.

 

The second period starts with two quick powerplay opportunities for the visiting team but Sapa Fehérvár AV19 works very well defensively. In the closing second of the first powerplay Oraze takes a big shot from the blue line but Hetényi catches the puck nicely.

In the fourth minute the 99ers are in powerplay again, first Cullen threatens from the blue line, then Klimbacher also takes a strong distant shot but neither are able to score.

In the seventh minute Benk passes from the corner of the offensive zone to Kóger but the young winger’s one-timer is pushed out by Charpentier’s shoulder. Shortly afterwards Palkovics steps away with the puck after a long pass but the 99ers’ defensive line works well and he cannot take the shot.

One minute later Palkovics and Martz build an attack two on one, finally Martz takes the shot after receiving a diagonal pass but the puck flies by the net.

Sapa Fehérvár AV19 dominates the middle of the second period, the puck bounces around in the offensive zone and finally lands in front of Horváth who takes the one-timer facing an empty net but the puck flies above Charpentier’s net.

In the 12th minute Nagy cannot take the puck out of the home team’s defensive zone, Healey takes possession and shoots immediately but Hetényi is able to make the save.

Three minutes later Ackeström makes a great pass from behind the net to Fekete on the blue line, and the young centerman takes a huge shot from the wing but Charpentier makes another confident save.

In the 18th minute the 99ers play a smart passing game, there is much confusion in front of Hetényi’s net and finally Paré takes a good shot from the wing. Hetényi is helpless on the ice and the puck flies into the net above the young goalie, giving Graz a 2-1 lead.

In the same minute Kóger tricks himself all the way to Charpentier’s net but he cannot finish the attack with a shot and the period ends with Graz in a single-goal lead.

 

The third period starts with a strong one-timer from Tokaji and the puck just barely misses the net.

In the fourth minute Sapa Fehérvár AV19 builds a quick counterattack, Mihály takes it into the offensive zone, Martz is arriving in the middle but Mihály takes the shot instead and his low shot finds its way into the short side of Charpentier’s net, equalizing at 2-2.

In the 7th minute Benk steals the puck on the offensive blue line, then Nagy receives the puck and takes the shot, Charpentier makes another big save. One minute later Woger threatens the home team’s net but Hetényi also makes a huge save.

In the 9th minute Sapa Fehérvár AV19 is in another powerplay, the puck is passed around nicely, Palkovics shoots from the wing but Mihály doesn’t arrive in time for the rebound. One minute later Jankó Vas threatens with a big shot but Charpentier makes the save.

In the 12th minute Harand takes the puck all the way behind Hetényi’s net, then passes back to the arriving Norris, Hetényi can only make the save with huge bravura. In the next minute Mihály breaks on the wing into Graz’s defensive zone but his shooting attempt is blocked.

In the 14th minute Palkovics builds a promising scoring chance, passes to the arriving Fekete who takes a backhand shot but Charpentier kicks the puck out.

In the 19th minute Cullen takes a huge shot from the blue line, and the shooting attempt with the rebound is blocked by Ackeström. Later in the minute Herzog takes the lead for the 99ers. He tricks Martz behind Hetényi’s net, then turns to face the net and with some luck shoots the puck into the net by the young goalie.

The home team pulls off goalie Hetényi with over a minute left in the game but despite working hard Sapa Fehérvár AV19 cannot create any significant scoring chances. With five seconds left in the game there is much confusion in front of Charpentier’s net, Jankó Vas has a scoring opportunity but fails to place the puck behind the 99ers’goalie, and Graz takes both points home from Székesfehérvár.
 

 

Bill Gilligan, Moser Medical Graz 99ers head coach: Today Sapa Fehérvár AV19 was the better team, they had a lot of chances but with our great goaltending performance, good penalty-killing and a bit of luck, we managed to collect both points.

Jarmo Tolvanen, Sapa Fehérvár AV19 head coach: Our team effort was better than Graz’s. They scored some half-lucky goals, it’s quite frustrating but I think that our team work was a very positive sign for the future.