The Graz 99ers made a perfect debut under new coach Harald “Harry” Lange – at least in the test matches. The Graz team won the first tough test after a good week in the joint training camp in Kitzbühel. On the ice, the Murstadt team faced the Augsburg Panthers, a well-established German club. The Panthers held on to the league because Regensburg had not applied for a license. But that should certainly not detract from the Graz team’s performance. It was a thrilling performance.
President Herbert Jerich was already pleased in the first third, because the start was a success – and that in front of a good 300 fans of the big cats. A good 30 fans of Graz found their way to the chamois city. In the third minute, Casey Bailey put Graz in the lead, Marcus Vela (18th) and Trevor Gooch (20th) increased the lead until the first break. The opponent was kept in check with a running-intensive pressing. In the first line of attack, Lange put a native of Graz alongside Gooch and Lukas Haudum: Paul Huber played on the left side.
The young players were also involved and so there was a little less space on the bench than the stars are used to. Lenz Moosbrugger was also constantly whirling around on the ice and he also managed to score the only goal in the second period. A great goal after he had intercepted a pass – casually.
Augsburg tested goalkeeper Jonas Gunnarsson a few times, and he cut a good figure over the entire game. However, he did concede one goal – the opponent had already taken the goalkeeper off the ice. Two goals from Graz made it 6:1 (3:0, 1:0, 2:1): Lukas Kainz (60th minute) and again (60th minute). It was a first appearance that certainly made us want to see.
