Mountfield HK vs Graz99ers

Graz99ers started the brighter side. Nico Feldner forced a sharp pad save from Stanislav Škorvánek inside the first 90 seconds, and the hosts needed their Slovak goaltender to stay solid during an early Austrian surge.

Mountfield grew into the game and struck at 09:28. Aleš Jergl worked the puck through from the left boards; his shot was parried by Graz netminder Thomas Wieser, and Jan Vyvial was on hand to bury the rebound — his first-ever goal for the Mountfield HK senior team (assists: Jergl, Klíma).

Period 1: 1-0 — Mountfield had the lead, but Graz pushed hard.

The visitors struck back early in the second period. Patrik Zdráhal was sent off for boarding at 22:09, and Graz needed 71 seconds of power-play time to capitalise. Nick Swaney's point shot was deflected twice — first by Clay Hanus, then decisively by Marcus Vela at 23:20 — to level the score at 1-1.

That was as good as it got for the Austrian champions.

Mountfield replied immediately. At 28:03, Martin Pláněk's shot from the blue line created a rebound that Patrik Zdráhal buried at the back post to restore the lead (assists: Pláněk, McCormack). Seventy-eight seconds later, Jan Vyvial turned provider, picking out Markus Nenonen with a precise pass from the blue line; Nenonen, alone in front, picked the top corner at 29:21.

Martin Pláněk atoned for an earlier hooking penalty by ripping a slapshot from the point past Wieser at 35:49 (assists: McCormack, Pilař). In between, Škorvánek saved a Nick Swaney penalty shot — awarded when Pláněk hooked a Graz forward on a breakaway at 34:27.

Period 2: 3-1 (4-1 aggregate) — Mountfield had seized full control.

The third period brought more pressure. Graz's Michael Stapelfeldt and Jakob Lippitsch took consecutive minor penalties, and Mountfield's power play cashed in at 44:43. T.J. Melancon's point shot created chaos in the slot, and Radek Pilař poked the rebound home (assists: Melancon, Tamáši). Two minutes later at 46:38, Kevin Klíma worked hard behind the Graz net and fed Martin Kohout, who fired home from the slot for 6-1 (assists: Klíma, Jergl).

Period 3: 2-0 (6-1 final).

Graz99ers had momentum after Vela's power-play equaliser at 23:20. But Mountfield's response was immediate and devastating: three goals in 7 minutes 28 seconds from Zdráhal (28:03), Nenonen (29:21) and Pláněk (35:49) turned a 1-1 game into a 4-1 rout. The third goal — Vyvial's perfect blue-line pass to Nenonen for a top-shelf finish — was the most damaging, coming barely a minute after Zdráhal had restored the lead.

• Jan Vyvial (Mountfield HK) — ⭐ Player of the Match. Scored his first senior goal at 09:28 and added a primary assist on Nenonen's strike. Composed and decisive in both offensive-zone plays.
• Martin Kohout (Mountfield HK) — Scored the final goal and hit the post earlier. His physical play and net-front presence caused constant problems for Graz defenders.
• Stanislav Škorvánek (Mountfield HK) — Made several key early saves, including one on Feldner's breakaway and a penalty-shot stop against Nick Swaney at 34:27. Kept Mountfield in the game during Graz's best spell.
• Marcus Vela (Graz99ers) — Scored Graz's only goal on the power play and was one of few Austrian players to consistently trouble the Mountfield defence.

The penalty count tells the story of the game: Graz took six minors to Mountfield's one. The hosts' power play eventually converted at 1-for-6 after a slow start; Graz's own PP was efficient (1-for-1) but they failed to sustain offensive-zone time at even strength. Attendance was 1,515 at ČPP Aréna.

Mountfield HK have now won all five pre-season fixtures since early August — against Jihlava (3-0), Olomouc (3-2), Salzburg (2-1 SO), Liberec (6-4), and Graz (6-1). They host the Straubing Tigers on 11 September before their Tipsport Extraliga campaign begins.

For Graz99ers, this was their third pre-season test (1-5 loss, 4-3 win vs Adler Mannheim). They were short-handed: Sam Schiechl, Petr Hora, Josh Currie and Philipp Gruber all missed the trip, and forwards Samir Roy and Dominik Brunner were listed as questionable pre-game, per the 99ers.at match preview. Next up for the defending ICE Hockey League champions is the Energie Steiermark Trophy tournament on home ice.

A clinical, professional performance from Mountfield HK against an understrength opponent. The scoreline flattered Graz only in the first 10 minutes — once Mountfield's transition game clicked, the result was never in doubt. Graz will want their injured players back before the season proper, but their defensive structure, especially on the penalty kill, needs tightening.