HC Orli Znojmo had a perfect start into their road game in Vienna when Antonin Boruta benefitted from a mistake to open the scoring. Petr Kanko had the chance to double their lead shorthanded on breakaway but Reinhard Divis saved his team from another conceding goal twice. In turn Dan Bjornlie scored the equalizer with a trick shot from behind the goal line on power play. Only 38 seconds later Jonathan Ferland broke the tie scoring on his own rebound. In further consequence, the visitors were not able to capitalize on a four-minute-power play when Andre Lakos was sitting in the penalty box for high sticking. The Czechs upped the tempo but none of their shots found the way into the net and the first period ended with a tight lead for the Caps. At the beginning of the second period Sebastian Stefaniszin replaced Divis who was still in frail health before the game.

Head coach Martin Stloukal found the right words because his team scored another early goal at the beginning of the second period: there was a big transfer in front of Stefaniszin’s goal and Martin Podesva knocked it in at 21:31. Only 81 seconds later Jan Trojan turned the game around and it was earned. The visitors’ wave of attacks continued and Jan Lattner made it 4:2 with a distant shot. Then, Peter Pucher tried a wraparound and on the other side Francois Fortier missed a clear-cut chance. The Caps were still out of sorts and Kanko added another one on a wraparound. One minute before the end of the period Philippe Lakos scored Vienna’s third with a blue liner and Marcel Rodman got one back on a breakaway at 41:40 to go down to the wire. Afterwards Filip Gunnarsson and Jonathan Ferland had the equalizer on the stick but both players failed. The hosts piled the pressure and this resulted in a two men advantage but Znojmo defended well. Time was running out and Ferland came upon another good scoring chance but he missed from sharp angle. The Caps were out of luck when they only hit the post. They pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker and Ales Stanek rounded off the scoring with an empty net goal.

Jesenice’s big surprise in Graz
Both teams started offensively-minded into their fourth game of qualification round. HK Acroni had the first good scoring opportunity when Jan Bercic failed because of Fabian Weinhandl who got the nod over Frederic Cloutier. Moser Medical Graz99ers were dominant without developing clear-cut chances. Toni Dahlman only hit the post and the first period ended goalless. The middle period showed a different picture with the Styrians on the attack but Zdenek Blatny wasted a chance after a great solo attempt. In front of the opposing goal they acted hastily. In the course of the period the Slovenes fought back and had opportunities, too. With one minute to go, the hosts made the redeeming breakthrough by Sven Klimbacher. In the third period Graz missed to seal the deal on two power play occasions. The visitors never gave in and Antti Pusa tied the game two seconds before the final buzzer. With no goals in a five-minute overtime session, the final outcome was decided in a shootout. There the sensation was complete with Anze Kuralt, Jaka Ankerst and Marjan Manfreda counting for the Slovenes with only Blatny finding the target for Graz.

31.01.2012: UPC Vienna Capitals – HC Orli Znojmo 4:6 (2:1, 1:4, 1:1)
Goals Wien: Björnlie (6./pp), Ferland (7./pp), Philippe Lakos (39.), Rodman (42.);
Goals Znojmo: Boruta (4.), Podesva (22.), Trojan (23.), Lattner (25.), Kanko (37.), Stanko (60.en)

Moser Medical Graz99ers – HK Acroni Jesenice 1:2 n. P. (0:0, 1:0, 0:1, 0:0, 0:1)
Goal Graz: 1:0 Klimbacher (39.)
Goals Jesenice: 1:1 Pusa (60.) 1:2 Manfreda (65./PS)