Fifth defeat in a row! Capitals can't find their way out of the crisis

Three even periods

The second period virtually began with Vienna taking the lead again. Captain Linden Vey got control of the rebound after Scott Kosmachuk's shot and pushed it over the line (22.).

Bolzano equalized again in the 31st minute. Jérémy Grégoire had to watch from the penalty box as the South Tyroleans set up Teemu Kivihalme, and the Finn buried the puck with a one-timer – it was 2-2.

Bolzano's first lead came from captain Luca Frigo, who surprised Caps goalie Adam Reideborn at the near post from a sharp angle (55.). The Capitals threw everything they had against the defeat and equalized through a tap-in goal from Konstantin Komarek 38 seconds before the end.

No goals were scored in overtime despite plenty of spectacular chances, and in the shootout, Bozen forward Daniel Mantenuto was the only shooter to score, securing the win for his South Tyrolean team.

With 39 points, HC Bozen remains top of the table, while the Capitals are in tenth place with 21 points after their fifth consecutive defeat.

Pustertal extends the Sharks' losing streak

The Tyrolean derby between Innsbruck and Bruneck goes to the south. The Innsbruck Sharks lose 1-2 against HC Pustertal.

Innsbruck put in a decent performance, but simply couldn't get the puck in the net. While Pustertal repeatedly found themselves shorthanded due to a multitude of penalties, the game remained scoreless for a long time.

The deadlock was finally broken a minute and a half before the end of the second period: Kevin Macierzynski drove the counter-attack down the right side, and because his passing lane to Nikita Scherbak was blocked by the last South Tyrolean defender, he took the shot himself.

The puck hit the net, and the Innsbruck Sharks led 1-0 (38.).

Pustertal initiates turnaround shorthanded

In the final period, Pustertal continued to accumulate many penalties. Matthias Mantinger had to sit in the penalty box for two plus two minutes for a high stick to the face of Innsbruck defenseman Elias Stöffler.

While Mantinger watched, Cole Bardreau won the puck deep in Innsbruck's zone and set up JC Lipon. Lipon blasted the puck into the net, and Pustertal equalized shorthanded (48./SH).

Immediately after a penalty against Scherbak expired, the decisive goal came: Bardreau, this time as the scorer himself after a setup from Alan Lobis, put HC Pustertal ahead 2-1 (54.). The Innsbruck Sharks could not respond and suffered their seventh consecutive defeat.

Innsbruck remains second-to-last with 15 points, while HC Pustertal, with 32 points and fourth place in the standings, belongs to the group of chasers. In terms of points lost, the "Wolves" lead the league alongside HC Bozen.