HC Orli Znojmo showed a different face compared to the team that was beaten just two nights ago in a meaningless regulation encounter. The Czechs were all over Villach in this Eagles-Matchup and drew first blood when Jan Hranac struck from the blue line three minutes into the game.
Villach instantly replied with a long Pass from Kevin Mitchell up to Ben Petrik, who beat Znojmos-Keeper Ondrej Kacetl in the 1-on-0.
The home side got their powerplay chnaces, but failed to produce on them. What they did produce was a cheap turnover and Peter Pucher gave his team the lead back just before the end of the period.
The shock was in the air – and in the bones of Villach who didn’t find a way forward in the second part of the game. Instead, Znojmo, who had waited patiently for their chances, struck when Mike Danton set up Ales Stanek, who scored the 3:1.
In the Final period, the Blue-and-White improved. They took too long to close the gap, though. Rob Shearer scored shorthanded in the 53^rd, but it was too little, too late, as Ondrej Kacetl and the rest of the Red-And-White held on to their 3:2 road win in Villach, where, to repeat, they had not scored a single goal until tonight.

Graz rally, win shootout
UPC Vienna Capitals versus Moser Medical Graz 99ers was the first inter-Austrian clash in the qualification round and it showed just how much is at stake for either club involved. Penalties were at a high and the Special teams snapped at the chances. Francois Fortier tallied in 5-on-3, but Brett Lysak equalized in a 5-on-4. Needless to say that Jonathan Ferlands goal came on the powerplay, too. The First period was over, and scoring hit a drought, while the Caps arena officials pondered about installing a revolving door at the sin bins.
In the fifth minute of the third period, Pat Harand was stopped while racing in on Reinhard Divis, but failed to convert the following penalty. However, 2:20 from time, Guillaume Lefebvre scored (guess what - on a powerplay) and took the game to Overtime: That went by scorless, so Penalties had to make a decision and with Zdenek Blatyn socring the lone goal in the shootout, Graz ran away with the extra point. No Love lost between those two teams as they continued to exchange barking down the tunnel and on into the dressing rooms. Can you feel the heat? We do.

22.01.2012: EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – HC Orli Znojmo 2:3 (1:2, 0:1, 1:0)
Goals Villach: 1:1 B. Petrik (4.), 2:3 Shearer (53./sh)
Goals Znojmo: 0:1 Hranac (4.), 1:2 Pucher (19.), 1:3 Stanek (35.)

UPC Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz 99ers 2:3 n. P. (2:1, 0:0, 0:1, 0:0, 0:1)
Goals Wien: 1:0 Fortier (5./pp2), 2:1 Ferland (16./pp)
Goals Graz: 1:1 Lysak (8./pp), 2:2 Lefebrve (58./pp), 2:3 Blatny (65./dec. Penalty)