Game report
Both teams started the derby at a high tempo. Despite the home side having more of the attacking play, it was the visitors who took the lead: in the 7th minute, Ethan Szypula deflected a shot from Sebastian Zauner past goalie Valentin Ankirchner to make it 0-1. The Red Bulls responded immediately: just 45 seconds later (8th minute), Vadim Schreiner scored from the high slot on his comeback to make it 1-1, assisted by Nick Maul and Justus Kaufmann. The Juniors survived a subsequent power play unscathed, with alternating periods of pressure characterizing the rest of the period.
In the second period, the young Salzburg team got back into the game, with Zell goalkeeper Alexander Schmidt making several strong saves. In the 30th minute, Nick Maul finished off a quick counterattack to give his team a 2-1 lead. The Eisbären then played undisciplined hockey, allowing Salzburg to gain a two-man advantage: Florian Lanzinger scored in the 34th minute during a 5-on-3 situation after assists from Jesse Juhola and Maxim Eliseev to make it 3-1. Shortly before the siren, the Juniors took advantage of another power play and Eliseev increased the lead to 4-1 (40th) 10 seconds before the break.
At the start of the final period, the Juniors continued their strong forechecking, before several penalties on the Salzburg side opened up the game. The penalty killing held firm (4/4), and even a brief 5-on-3 sequence was defused. In the 55th minute, Zell am See pulled their goalie during their own power play. Eliseev took advantage of the situation and scored into the empty net in the 57th minute to make it 5-1.
