Black Wings Linz came from behind to beat Straubing Tigers 3:4 in a club friendly on 30 August. The result turned things around after the hosts had won 5:2 just two days earlier. This was a rematch of sorts, and the visitors showed they could respond when needed.
Straubing had looked sharp in their last outing, scoring five goals against the same opponents. Linz were not so convincing then, losing 2:5 at home. Since that defeat they have mixed results — a 1:4 loss to ERC Ingolstadt and a narrow 2:3 defeat to Litvinov.
And here's the thing about these friendlies. Both sides were testing combinations ahead of the new campaign. The scoreline tells you little about how the game played out. What matters is that Linz found a way to win when it counted.
By then both teams had played several matches already. Straubing lost three of five against Eisbären Berlin in April, with only one victory. Linz showed more variety recently — a win in Prague, a loss to Munich Red Bulls, and a heavy defeat to Filak in March.
The result leaves Linz with momentum after a difficult run. They had lost four of their last five competitive matches before this friendly. Straubing's form has been inconsistent too, though they dominated the first meeting of this pairing.
To be fair, neither side is in championship shape yet. These matches are about finding rhythm and testing players in different situations. The 3:4 scoreline is what it is — a close game with plenty of room for improvement on both sides.