KAC defeats Linz and storms into the final against Salzburg!

KAC defeats Linz and storms into the final against Salzburg!

On April 1, 2025, the KAC secured the final of the ICE Hockey League with a 2-0 win against the Black Wings Linz. The game took place in the Heidi Horten Arena in front of 4,403 spectators who expected an exciting game. Linz proved to be tough in the play-offs and fought back several times after residues, but was unable to convince in the decisive game. An early rearing by Graham Knott, who awarded a great chance in the 10th minute, was quickly put into perspective by KAC captain Thomas Hundespfund, who also failed in the 11th minute when he failed to accommodate the puck in goal.

Herburger finally scored the first goal of the evening shortly before the end of the middle third after having a shot from Jesper Jensen Aabo. This was already the seventh goals from Herburger in the running play-offs. Nick Petersen went one step further in the final section and scored his 29th play-off gate for the KAC in the power play. KAC goalie Sebastian Dahm showed outstanding and did not let Brian Lebler and Co. come into play. Linz had made life difficult by punishing and could not overcome the strong defensive of the KAC.

history of the playoff duelle

The Black Wings Linz had already survived four times in these play-offs, but could not fight back against the KAC. The team continues to be waiting for the first final participation since the championship title 13 years ago. In the past, Kac and Linz have faced each other several times in the play-offs. In the last meeting in the 2020 quarter -finals, Linz led 3-0 in the series before the season was broken off. Historically pre -contaminated, each of the successful teams wins the championship title; This caused the tension to rise again in the run -up to the final.

In the best-of-five series in 2003, Linz enforced in all three games that were countered in 2009 as part of a best-of-Seven series when the KAC won the championship. It remains exciting because the two teams already met three times in a final series, with all three series of seven games. While KAC last won the title in 2009, Salzburg secured the championship last year with a 6-2 victory against the KAC in Klagenfurt. Salzburg now meets KAC for the upcoming final, after which they won 4: 1 in the semi -finals against Bolzano and thus play for their twelfth title.

The upcoming final games

The final between the KAC and defending champion Salzburg will open on Friday. While the KAC is aiming for its 33rd title, Salzburg also has the opportunity to increase its track record. The last play-off duel of the two teams also gives hope for an exciting series, because both KAC and Salzburg have won the title in the past, which gives the encounter a special charm.
So the question remains whether KAC can reciprocate for the last defeats or whether Salzburg will continue to expand the dominance.

Both teams bring a long history of rivalry and tension into the final - also the roles of the coaches of both teams, Philipp Lukas von Linz and the head coach of Salzburg, whose strategies were often decisive in the last encores, are particularly observed.

In order to continue to pursue the developments of ice hockey in Austria, the fans remain excited about the first game of the final and the challenges that will bring. kac keep you up to date with the preparations and developments, while the Krone holds up.