Although the Capitals narrowed the deficit to 1-2 through Simon Bourque, goalie Dylan Wells prevented worse.
The American returned to goal after a short injury break and confirmed his previously demonstrated upward trend.
Lukas praises: "He was an absolute key player in our performance. He made crucial saves at very important moments of the game and gave us the opportunity to win the match."
Then There Probably Wouldn't Have Been Any Points
In the third period, the Black Wings found their game again.
Graham Knott's 3-1 goal was a decisive blow from which the visitors from Vienna could no longer recover. Brady Shaw sealed the final decision with the 4-1, his second goal of the evening.
Lukas reveals: "After the second period, we talked about having a huge opportunity to find our game again. If we continued to play like that (as in the second period, editor's note), we probably wouldn't go home with points today."
Cohesion and Understanding
The reaction of his team is "a positive sign," says the Vienna native.
Das beweist, dass die Mannschaft einen gewissen Zusammenhalt und ein gewisses Verständnis dafür hat, wie wir schlussendlich agieren müssen.
"The team found a way. That proves they have a certain cohesion and understanding of how we ultimately need to act."
Lukas also highlights the team spirit with a view to the thrashing on Sunday in Bozen. It wasn't strictly necessary to rebuild the team after that setback.
"It's very important for us to turn the page after such games and analyze what we can do better. At the same time, we should build on what we did well. For me, that wasn't a 0-5 game. There was no reason to hang our heads."
The second period against the Capitals, however, the coach found "more tragic because it didn't suit us at all."
On Track for Top 6, But...
After the first quarter of the season, the Black Wings can certainly draw a satisfied conclusion.
After the summer overhaul, the team already seems well-rehearsed, has won nine of the last eleven games, and is in second place, tied on points with leader Bozen. "But there's still so much hockey to play, so much can happen," Lukas warns.
The 46-year-old explains: "We don't have the deepest squad and need to make sure we stay healthy and, above all, manage the workload carefully. We need to give the team opportunities to recover."
Linz is currently mastering the tightrope walk between recovery, training, and game day excellently.
Defense Impresses with Only One Import Player
Die Nationalität sollte keine Rolle spielen.
The defense's performances are particularly remarkable: With Greg Moro, the Black Wings currently rely on only one import defenseman.
"I am very proud," says Lukas, addressing the previous performance of the six homegrown defensemen, and emphasizes: "Nationality should not play a role. We look at individual skills, character, and potential here."
They are willing to give opportunities. "And the guys have gratefully accepted that so far. They have repaid the trust with high commitment and a lot of discipline."
Will a Second Import Defenseman Still Come?
Nevertheless, it's not ruled out that a second import defenseman will join during the season. Also, potentially to aim for higher goals than just reaching the playoffs.
Lukas emphasizes: "We are constantly evaluating and seeing how we can broaden this collective." If a suitable puzzle piece is found, "it's possible we'll make a move," says the coach. But: "So far, that hasn't been the case."
Thus, Gerd Kragl, Luis Lindner, Patrick Söllinger, Christoph Tialler, Philipp Wimmer, and Niklas Würschl can continue to prove that it doesn't necessarily take three, four, or five import players to be successful.
