SUMMARY: Also in the away game in Dornbirn, the Rittner Buam have to do without many key players. The blue-reds are missing Frei, Lutz, Fink and Sailio, already absent in Thursday's game against the Salzburg team. Between the posts is lined up from the beginning, as also in the last game, Jake Smith. The goalie of the Renon team suffers a goal at the 5th minute, when he is beaten by Lehtonen. The number 28 of the home team is lurking on the far post and from there he can finalize a pass from Lipsbergs. After the conceded goal, Heiskanen's team becomes more active, but each time they crash into the alert Beck. So, even after a quarter of an hour, first Uusivirta made an attempt from a defiladed position and then on the rebound Jakob Prast could not get the puck into the Vorarlberg team's goal.
The Rittner Buam start the central period with great commitment and then find some chances. Osburn stands out, but in the 24th minute he wastes his best chance when, all alone, he sends the puck against Tschofen's skate. Towards the middle of the second period. The house masters, who after having taken the lead, concentrated on the defensive work, came back to be active in attack. Lipsbergs and Lehtonen (31st), however, were stopped by Smith. Afterwards, the blue-reds take four penalties. In some phases they play down two players, but Smith keeps his teammates in the game and even luck assists the Rittner Buam, when Lipsbergs takes a post (38th).
Only 77 seconds of the final period have passed, when the 2:0 comes. A pass of Julian Metzler is unfortunately deflected by a defenseman of the Renon team and Zwerger sends the puck under the crossbar with a skillful wrist shot. The Rittner Buam reacted and made numerous shots, but Beck continued to represent an insuperable obstacle. When, eight minutes before the end, Fässler scores the third goal for the home team, the outcome is decided. This goal was also a great one: the number 71 of the Vorarlberg team in backhand placed the puck in the corner. The game ends 3:0 for EC Bregenzerwald, who will start the Qualification Round next week. The Rittner Buam, instead, will be engaged in the Master Round with Jesenice, Asiago, Lustenau, Cortina and Fassa.
EC Bregenzerwald - Rittner Buam 3:0 (1:0, 0:0, 2:0)
Goals: 1:0 Lehtonen (4'33"), 2:0 Zwerger (41'17"), 3:0 Fässler (51'58")
Photo: Max Pattis