Black Wings Linz vs ERC Ingolstadt

Linz survived the double-minor start to the third period, but the sustained pressure eventually broke them. At 47:26, Austen Keating tipped an Elias Pul point shot past Reder for the go-ahead goal (2–1, P3). The sequence began with Ingolstadt cycling in the offensive zone after killing a Linz power play minutes earlier.

Linz pushed for an equaliser but Jakin Smallwood punished them on a counter-attack at 53:17, skating onto an Emil Wasenden feed and picking the far corner (3–1, P3).

With head coach Philipp Lukas pulling Reder for an extra skater at 55:41, Linz controlled the offensive end but could not convert — Brady Shaw rang a one-timer off the post. Agostino iced the result into the empty net at 57:30, set up by Abbott Girduckis and Powell (4–1, P3).

Kenny Agostino (ERC Ingolstadt) — 2 goals (23', 58' EN), including the equaliser and the insurance empty-netter. His finish through Reder's pads changed the game's momentum early in period two.

Devin Williams (ERC Ingolstadt) — Held Ingolstadt in the game during a first period where Linz out-chanced the Panthers. His pad save on Maier at 8:31 prevented a deficit that could have been 2–0.

Paul Eder (Black Wings Linz) — Scored the opening goal and was solid defensively on the blue line, part of a Linz unit that killed off 5-on-3 pressure across periods two and three.

Player of the Match: Kenny Agostino — With two goals including the game-tying strike and the final empty-netter, the forward was the decisive offensive difference.

The 1–1 score through two periods reflected a game tilting toward Ingolstadt despite Linz's strong opening stanza. The Panthers racked up the majority of their 32+ shots in the second and third periods, while Linz's shot volume dropped sharply after the first intermission.

Linz's penalty kill was outstanding — they killed all five Ingolstadt power plays including a 5-on-3 — but took seven minors to Ingolstadt's three, a discipline gap that ultimately wore them down. The Panthers' third-period surge (3 goals) mirrored their growing territorial advantage as Linz legs tired.

ERC Ingolstadt claimed the 10th Vinschgau Cup, their annual pre-season tournament held in South Tyrol. The Panthers finished the three-day event with wins over HC Litvínov and Linz; HC Pustertal beat Litvínov 3–1 earlier on Sunday.

For Black Wings Linz, the match was their second in 24 hours after a 3–2 loss to Litvínov on Saturday. They return to Austria to host Straubing Tigers at the Linz AG Eisarena on Friday, 28 August. Ingolstadt travel to face SC Bern on Saturday, 29 August (14:00 face-off).

Ingolstadt's depth and patience told in the third period after Linz emptied their tank defending the early 5-on-3 kill. A one-goal game became a rout once the Panthers found the net — and Linz's empty-net gamble backfired immediately. The result confirms Ingolstadt's pre-season sharpness; Linz, missing several regulars, have areas to tighten ahead of the ICEHL season.