Leipzig vs Benatky

The hosts controlled the opening period from the first puck drop, outshooting the Czech visitors 16–6. Benátky came closest in the 5th minute when defenceman Adam Vosmík rang a shot off the post behind Hoffmann, but that was their best look of the entire match.

Leipzig capitalised on a power play at 18:56. Paul Reiner fired from the blue line and Daniel Visner redirected the puck past David Hora for a 1–0 lead — the only goal of the first period despite Leipzig's territorial dominance.

The second period was more even, though Benátky failed to convert their best chance. Forward Petr Poppel found himself alone in the slot at 32:00 but shot wide. Moments later, Leipzig made them pay.

At 36:04, defenceman Daniel Schwaiger wound up from the blue line; his shot threaded through a maze of bodies in front and sailed past Hora. Vincent Hessler and Vincent Jiranek drew the assists. Shots in the middle frame were 10–6 in Leipzig's favour.

The third period saw Benátky push for a foothold. They had a clear chance at 44:05 when a defensive lapse left Leipzig captain Roache on a breakaway, but Hora denied him with a sharp pad save. The visitors out-shot Leipzig in the final frame but could not beat Hoffmann, who posted a composed 22-save shutout.

Petr Poppel's miss at 32:00 proved decisive. Benátky had weathered the early second-period storm and appeared to be building momentum. When Poppel failed to convert from point-blank range, the game swung back Leipzig's way. Schwaiger's goal just over four minutes later doubled the lead and effectively ended the contest — Benátky never truly threatened thereafter.

• Eric Hoffmann (Leipzig) — The Leipzig goaltender stopped all 22 shots he faced for a clean sheet. His calm presence, especially after Benátky hit the post early in the first period, never wavered.
• Daniel Visner (Leipzig) — Scored the opening goal on the power play, the type of net-front presence that pre-season is designed to refine. His tip gave Leipzig a lead they never relinquished.
• Daniel Schwaiger (Leipzig) — His second-period strike from the point was the game-winner, showing offensive instinct from the blue line.
• David Hora (Benátky) — Despite the loss, the Benátky netminder kept his side in the match, making several quality saves including a third-period breakaway stop on captain Roache.

Player of the Match: Eric Hoffmann (Leipzig) — a 22-save shutout in a pre-season friendly is as solid as it gets.

Leipzig out-shot Benátky 26–11 through two periods and finished with a significant overall shot advantage (the reported period totals of 16–6, 10–6, and an unnamed third frame suggest a final count of roughly 32–22). The 2–0 scoreline understates Leipzig's territorial dominance in the opening 40 minutes. Benátky generated only a handful of genuine scoring chances: Vosmík's post in the 5th minute, Poppel's miss in the 32nd, and a couple of scrambles in the third. Hoffmann was tested more in the third period but never seriously threatened. Leipzig's penalty kill was perfect, and their power play converted once in two opportunities — a key detail given the tight margin.

Leipzig split the two-match pre-season series with Benátky, following Friday's 4–3 loss on the road. The clean sheet and commanding territorial display suggest Håkan Åhlund's side are rounding into form ahead of the 2026–27 Oberliga Nord season. For Benátky, it was their sixth pre-season outing under coach Daniel Vrdlovec; the Czech side have areas to sharpen in the offensive zone, having managed only 11 shots through two periods against a third-tier German opponent.

Leipzig's next pre-season fixture is scheduled against Schönheide on 13 September. Benátky continue their preparation ahead of the Czech domestic season.

A controlled, professional pre-season performance from Leipzig. The IceFighters dictated play for 40 minutes, got power-play production, and received a shutout from their starting goaltender. Benátky will want more offensive creativity, but two evenly matched friendlies — a 4–3 win for the Czechs and a 2–0 win for the Germans — provided both sides with exactly the kind of competitive test pre-season is meant to deliver.