HC Innsbruck was ready, willing and almost able to give the 48er/Stars more than they could handle but in the end, a more balanced and committed group did what was necessary to win. With the championship riding on every game now, the 48er/Stars knew they must pick up the two points to stay ahead of Klagenfurt.

Middway through the first period in a somewhat slow start the 48er/Stars went out in front 2 – 0 when Fritz Schröder converted on a power play from short range with assists to line mates Houben and Hummel and four minutes later at 15.16 it was Vicky Hummel who scored on another five on four opportunity from Houben and Schröder. In a penalty laden first period with HCI taking seven and the 48ers three it was clear that only two goals might not prove to be enough considering the many opportunities that were missed.

After the first period intermission the 48er/Stars did manage to pick up the Tempo, but were unable to capitalize. Then on a four on five shorthanded situation they were promptly penalized by a hard Lindner wrist shot from the point that a screened Ungar saw too late, which cut the lead in half.  The game stayed tense for the remainder of the second  period and with the 48er/Stars in the box six times and successfully fending off two 3 on 5 situations, Philipp Kreuzer scored back to back goals to put them up by three on passes from Richter and Kraus. The home squad answered with their second power play goal of the game by Strobl late in the second to bring the home team back to within two once more.

In the third the 48er/Stars knew they needed to shut the home team down and did just that. In a solid effort lead by their goalie Raphi Ungar, the team rose to the occasion, did what they had to, kept themselves on the defensive side of the puck and limited HCI to very few solid chances. When on a late power play, defenseman Albert Krammer moved deep into the offensive zone with just less than two minutes to play and slammed home a nice passing play from Hummel and Schroeder a jubilant group on the bench and on the ice celebrated the goal and the win.

“It was not our best effort and with some questionable calls against us we came up big in the special teams department which in the end was the difference. In their defence, with nine of the guys playing their fourth game in four nights including a U 17 league game in Zell am See and a U 20 exhibition game in Feldkirch, I was very happy with their effort. They worked hard, earned the win and took a big step towards the title,” smiled a road weary coach Vorlicek after the game.