Game Summary
With a hard shot from the mid-slot, Brandon Coe made a strong statement for Salzburg right from the start in a game that quickly turned into a closely contested contest. Both teams played consistently on defense and initially allowed few scoring opportunities. The play went back and forth, with neither team able to establish a sustained lead. The scoring chances then improved. In the 15th minute, Thomas Raffl tried his luck with a powerful shot that was stopped by goaltender Maxime Lagacé. Shortly afterward, Benjamin Nissner hit the post from a sharp angle, and on the ensuing counterattack, Salzburg's goalie David Kickert remained composed when Paul Huber made a crucial save (16th minute). Toward the end of the period, the Red Bulls applied more pressure and also had their first opportunity to prove themselves while shorthanded. After a balanced period, the teams went into the first intermission scoreless.
The second period saw both teams continue to neutralize each other. The first dangerous shot came from Graz's Kilian Zündel from mid-range (26th minute), followed by a shot from Chris Collins with a backhand shot (28th minute). Salzburg's Brandon Coe then got to the puck right at the post (29th minute). Despite dominating possession, the Red Bulls managed only a few shots on goal during two subsequent power plays. David Kickert was then busier on the penalty kill but remained composed. Salzburg's best chance fell to Thomas Raffl (40th minute), but he failed to convert the rebound after a brief scramble on the power play. The score remained 0-0 after 40 minutes.
In the final period, the visitors dominated the opening minutes, but then the Red Bulls struck with clinical precision. Michael Raffl won the face-off, and Travis St. Denis immediately fired an unstoppable one-timer (44th minute). Just over a minute later, Troy Bourke pounced on the rebound after a powerful shot from Dennis Robertson to make it 2-0 (46th minute). Graz pushed the pace, but the Red Bulls had the next big chance through Benjamin Nissner after a solo run through the defense (51st minute). Meanwhile, Salzburg's defense held firm during another penalty kill. Things got a bit rough in front of the Graz net in the final stages, with Troy Bourke and Lukas Haudum engaging in a brief scuffle. Finally, Lucas Thaler scored into the empty Graz net, sealing the hard-earned 3-0 victory.
