Every year again: Red Bull Salzburg won the fourth ice hockey championship title in a row on Friday. The team around Captain Thomas Raffl prevailed in their own ice arena Volksgarten in front of 3,400 spectators against KAC 4: 0 (1: 0.2: 0.1: 0), also decided by the fourth match of the final series of the ICE Hockey League and thus created a “Sweepe”. In 2024 they had to fight the Klagenfurters until the seventh game on April 19.
The Salzburger had laid the foundation for the new masterpiece in the opening duel at the basic round winner in Carinthia with a 2-1 after extra time. This was followed by a home 4: 0 and last Tuesday an away 3: 1. The 12th championship title in club history could now be celebrated in front of their own audience, the league has been decided for the tenth time since it started in 2004. It was only for the second time that the Salzburgers won the decisive game in their own hall. Before that, this had only been the case with the premier triumph in 2007.
Raffl initiated victory
As in the seventh game in 2024 (6: 2), the Salzburgers were ice cold in front of the goal and also had a strong Atte Tolvanen in the housing. This was already in the entire play-off series of Salzburg’s recipe for success. Raffl himself initiated the success in majority (12th). The guests held fully against it, but had to accept the next deep strike 45 seconds after the restart. After the preparatory work by Mario Huber, it was Tyler Lewington who, standing alone in front of the goal, gave goalie Sebastian Dahm no chance.
He also got the puck through the legs after completing Lucas Thaler (38th). Peter Schneider had previously successfully chased Kac captain Thomas Hundertpfund. On the other hand, Tolvanen had been able to distinguish himself in front of Nick Pastujov (25th) and then at another of hundred pounds (40th). In the final section, the home side defended and even stopped zero. Troy Bourke still made the end of the end with an Empty-Net goal (57th).
As a reward, the domestic time later the Karl Nedved Trophy was allowed to get back up. Salzburg kept the upper hand in the fourth final series against the record champion for the third time (also in 2011). The KAC was only victorious in 2009 and has to continue waiting for the 33rd title. The last one succeeded in 2021. It continued – the Black Wings Linz 2010 – a club to catch up with a 0: 3 in a “Best of Seven” series. The next season will start in September.