Game Summary
The Red Bulls took an early lead almost from a fluke shot. Brandon Coe deflected Philipp Wimmer's shot as it skated past the opposing net, surprising even the visiting goalie, Rasmus Reijola (2nd minute). Székesfehérvár then tested Salzburg's goalie, David Kickert, once or twice, but the Red Bulls soon took control and moved the puck smoothly. Troy Bourke was perfectly positioned for a diagonal pass to the right post and simply had to tap it in (7th minute). Travis St. Denis had the next opportunity alone from a sharp angle (9th minute). The Red Bulls created many more good scoring chances from their combination play. The visitors rarely got their hands on the puck but managed to hold on to the two goals conceded going into the first intermission thanks to solid defensive work.
The Hungarians gained some momentum in the second period during their first power play of the game, but David Kickert was on hand to make the save on Csanad Erdely's mid-range shot (43rd minute). The visitors were now taking the initiative, and the game became a back-and-forth affair. Peter Schneider had the next chance on a 2-on-1 power play, while on the other end, Istvan Bartalis' backhand shot from the slot was dangerous (26th minute). During the next penalty kill, David Kickert made a brilliant save to deny Csanad Erdely's one-timer and preserve the shutout (28th minute). Then the Red Bulls established a clear lead. Devante Stephens was set up in the half-high slot and calmly flicked the puck into the corner (31st minute). Shortly after, Lukas Schreier had a great opportunity after a rebound (31st minute). Only towards the end did things get dangerous in front of Kickert's net during another Hungarian power play, but the 3-0 lead held thanks to Salzburg's solid defense.
After the break, the Red Bulls once again dominated the offensive zone, generating several scoring opportunities. Their fourth goal was a real beauty: Michael Raffl's pass to Travis St. Denis deceived the entire defense, and the one-timer was unstoppable (45th minute). The Red Bulls continued to press forward but also had to be wary of the visitors' counterattacks. In the end, David Kickert earned his fifth shutout of the season (!) with another series of impressive saves during a two-and-a-half-minute 4-on-6 penalty kill (Niki Kraus received a game misconduct penalty, and the Hungarians were playing without a goalie), securing a decisive 4-0 victory for the Red Bulls.
