(Innsbruck,January 16,2026) – The HC Tiwag Innsbruck defeated the Moser medical Graz99ers 3-2 in a closely contested win2day ICE Hockey League game,despite a dominant performance for much of the match by the Styrians.
innsbruck secured a narrow victory over Graz99ers after a game where the Styrians controlled play for extended periods, ultimately falling short in the final minutes.
- The Graz99ers dominated large portions of the game but were unable too capitalize on their opportunities.
- Innsbruck’s Kudla opened the scoring in the 28th minute, followed by a speedy response from Graz with goals from Roy and Feldner.
- Late goals from Rappold and Benker secured the win for Innsbruck after a back-and-forth third period.
The first period saw limited action, with both teams struggling to establish a strong offensive presence. As the period progressed, the Graz99ers increased their pressure, forcing Innsbruck’s goalkeeper Vernon to make several key saves, but the score remained 0-0 after 20 minutes.
Innsbruck took the lead in the 28th minute when Kudla scored, giving the home team a 1-0 advantage. However, Graz quickly responded with a power-play goal from Kevin Roy to tie the game at 1-1 in the 36th minute. Just a minute later, Nico Feldner put Graz ahead, scoring to make it 2-1.
The third period saw a flurry of activity. The Tyroleans managed to equalize with a goal from Rappold in the 54th minute, tying the score at 2-2. Innsbruck then took the lead two minutes later with a goal from Benker. Graz challenged the goal for offside, but the call stood and they were assessed a bench penalty. Shortly after, Ganahl was sent to the penalty box, leaving Graz shorthanded in the closing minutes.
Despite the late penalties, the Graz99ers were unable to find the equalizer, and Innsbruck held on to win the game 3-2. The final score was HC Tiwag Innsbruck – Moser Medical Graz99ers 3:2 (0:0, 1:2, 2:0), with goals scored by Kudla (28th), Roy (36th PP), Feldner (37th), Rappold (54th), and Benker (56th).
Why It Matters
This result highlights the unpredictable nature of the win2day ICE Hockey League and demonstrates that sustained dominance doesn’t guarantee victory. While the Graz99ers controlled much of the game, innsbruck’s ability to capitalize on key moments and withstand pressure proved decisive. This win is notably significant for Innsbruck as it’s the first game of a road trip in the west, providing a positive start to a challenging stretch of games.
Game highlights are available at https://www.ice.hockey/en/video/highlights and full game statistics can be found at https://
