34th round opens 2019

Tu, 1.1.2019: EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie“ (16.00)
Referees: NIKOLIC K., SMETANA, Kontschieder, Seewald.

• The game between EC Red Bull Salzburg and HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie” is the first game of 2019. This game starts at 4, all the other battles on 5:30. 
• Both teams suffered road defeats past game day.
• After beating Bolzano on November 18th, the “sharks” lost their last seven road games.
• Innsbruck won all three season encounters with Salzburg. HCI grinded out a 3:2 win at their last road game in Salzburg after trailing twice. 
• They met each other six days ago with Mario Lamoureux having four goals for Innsbruck’s 5:3 victory. 
• While Salzburg will stick to the top-3 in standings, Innsbruck will shorten its deficit to sixth place. The sharks are currently ten points behind.
• Salzburg will miss Dustin Gazley and Brent Regner, Innsbruck Lubomir Stach. 

Matthias Trattnig (EC Red Bull Salzburg): „This game is about unfinished business, after we lost all three season meetings with the sharks so far. We will get a win to stick to the top-teams in standings. We struggled on defensive end in the past two games, which we need to improve on New Year’s Day.”

Mario Lamoureux (HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie“): „To get again three points against Salzburg we need to push hard and go to our limits. It will be tough, but it is not impossible.”

Tu, 1.1.2019: spusu Vienna Capitals – Fehervar AV19 (17.30)
Referees: PIRAGIC, STERNAT, Bärnthaler, Rezek.

• With spusu Vienna Capitals against Fehervar AV19 the two best teams of December meet each other. Both gained 21 points past month.
• While Linz ended Fehervar’s winning streak past game day, the Viennese celebrated their second shutout (3:0 against ZNO).
• The Caps remained leader, the Hungarians dropped to seventh place. 
• All three season meetings were won by the home teams. 
• Fehervar’s top-scorer Anze Kuralt (13 G | 18 A) is suspended and will return next round on January 4th. 
• Christopher DeSousa each scored in five of the last six games for Vienna. He currently is the second-best scorer of the league (22 G). 

Christoph DeSousa (spusu Vienna Capitals): “We are ready to take revenge for the last defeat at Fehervar. Obviously you cannot win every game, but we will do our best to get a successful start into the new year.”

Donat Szita (Fehervar AV19): "We are expecting a tough game against Vienna as the last game was the same against them. Although we lost against Linz, we are ready to start a new winning streak! We have to be ready from the first puckdrop and show our competitive face against Vienna to do so."

Di, 1.1.2019: EC Panaceo VSV – EC-KAC (17.30 Uhr)
Referees: NIKOLIC M., ZRNIC, Schauer, Zgonc.

• The EC Panaceo VSV and the EC-KAC will meet for the 325. Carinthian Derby. 
• While Klagenfurt won the last battle 1:0, Villach grinded out its first derby win since November 13th, 2016 in its first home derby this season (3:2).
• The EC-KAC is about to take over second spot in standings. 
• Klagenfurt won the past two games including its highest season victory (7:0 @Zagreb). Villach had two losses in a row. 
• Villach still waits for its 2.500 regular season goal since 2003/04. They currently scored 2.496 goals. 
• Eight different players scored the last eleven goals of EC-KAC.
• If Patrick Spannring, Bernd Wolf and Nikolar Petrik will be on duty is a game-time-decision.
• Ken Strong, who played 329 games for VSV, became “eagles” new assistant coach. 

Blaine Down (EC Panaceo VSV): "We need to be more aggressive in front of opponent’s net. That’s the only chance to score. With one or two goals it is almost impossible to win a game.”

Lars Haugen (EC-KAC): "After we had some problems in the past weeks, we looked more stable on the defensiv end in the last few games. We will build on that in Villach too. Derbies are special with a great atmosphere. We will try our best to get a successful start in 2019."

Tu, 1.1.2019: HC Orli Znojmo – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz (17.30)
Referees: GRUBER, OFNER, Gatol, Soos.

• After a loss in the East-Derby past game day, the HC Orli Znojmo hosts EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz. 
• While the “red eagles” lost the last two home games, the black wings booked two road victories. 
• Both teams are battling for a place in the pick round. Linz is sixth-ranked, Znojmo on the eight-place in standings. 
• For the second time this season the Czech side did not score in the past game at Vienna. 
• Znojmo lost only one home game against Linz ever.
• Linz still has among league’s best PK available (88,4%). They did not received a goal shorthanded in the past four games. 
• Znojmo struggled on power play occasions so far with only 18 goals in 133 power plays. 

Miroslav Frycer (Headcoach HC Orli Znojmo): “We know it is an important game, we hope for a strong support from our fans. Despite the loss in Vienna I was happy with our performance and we hope to continue fighting just like we did yesterday. We have a lot of injuries but we need to battle through it.”

Troy Ward (Headcoach Liwest Black Wings Linz): "At this time of the year it is everywhere tough to play. We need to match up Znojmo's pressure and follow our game plan."
 

Tu, 1.1.2019: Dornbirn Bulldogs – HBC Südtirol Alperia (17.30)
Referees: KOPITZ, STOLC, Sparer, Tschrepitsch

• Dornbirn’s formcurve points upwards with 14 out of 18 possible points in the past six games. 
• The Bulldogs won the last six home games. 
• The “foxes” lost five of the last six road games. 
• After the reigning champion won the first two season encounters, they lost 0:1 after overtime in the last meeting. Dornbirn each had only one goal in every single game against Bolzano this season. 
• Bolzano has the chance to take over the second spot in standings. Dornbirn is about to shorten its seven-point difference to the pick round places. 
• Dornbirn’s Brodie Dupont and Dominic Haberl will return to the line-up after suspensions. 

Dave MacQueen (Headcoach Dornbirn Bulldogs): “After the huge team effort against Salzburg, we will face another strong team. We again need to be patient and we need to benefit on the opportunities we get.”

Andrew Crescenzi (HCB Südtirol Alperia): "We want to start the new year as we finished 2018. The last game against Dornbirn showed us how tough they are, it will be a tough game."

Tu, 1.1.2019: Moser Medical Graz99ers – KHL Medvescak Zagreb (17.30)
Referees: BALUSKA, SIEGEL, Nagy, Nemeth.

• After four consecutive victories Moser Medical Graz99ers host bottom-placed club KHL Medvescak Zagreb.
• The Croatians lost the past thirteen games with only 20 goals scored and did not score five times at all. 
• Graz got a huge 9:0 win the last meeting, which was its third season win against the “bears”. The Styrians controlled the game for 60 minutes giving Zagreb only five shots on goal in the first two frames. 
• Since Zagreb is back in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga they did not win in Graz. 
• Zagreb has the last theoretical chance for the sixth place. 

Doug Mason (Headcoach Moser Medical Graz99ers): “We only need three points, which will be important to stay into the top-6.”

Tom Zanoski (KHL Medvescak Zagreb): „Despite loosing the last games, we are proud of what we are doing. Everybody is trying to give his best. We can not expect more than that in our situation.”


Fotocredit: 2018 EC-KAC Betriebs GmbH / Josef Kuess