Release from 01.10.2020

AHL kicks off Saturday

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On Saturday, the Alps Hockey League will start its fifth season - and will initially enter a special campaign with return-2-play games first. No border restrictions between the member countries Italy, Austria and Slovenia will allow the planned kick-off, which is wished for by all teams. The Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey is currently in quarantine due to positive Covid-19 cases and will not be able to open the season as scheduled.

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As a multinational ice hockey league, the Alps Hockey League has faced challenging times in the past weeks and months to establish an orderly and fair league operation - including all country-specific Covid-19-related guidelines - for the upcoming 20-21 season. "After the abandonment of past campaign, the clubs have clearly communicated their will to continue as soon as possible. We took this request very seriously and did everything we could to make a 20-21 season possible," reports Matjaz Rakovec, President of the Alps Hockey League. The responsible persons of the teams were in constant exchange with the regional authorities, to develop their individual return-2-play concepts. "The clubs and their responsible persons deserve great praise: In these uncertain times they have shown great commitment to make a season at 16 locations in three countries possible," Rakovec thanked the participants.

The special situation in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic made it necessary to supplement and expand the existing rules for the operation of the Alps Hockey League. For this reason, the League organization was instructed by the Board of Governors to develop the "Appendix COVID-19" for the Gamebook. It covers all eventualities in connection with Covid-19 and can be viewed in the official league language English at www.gamebook.at.

Asiago games due to covid-19 postponed
In accordance with the authorities and the league organization the team of Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey is currently in quarantine due to positive Covid-19 cases. As a result, the first five scheduled return-2-play games had to be postponed. Due to the narrow season schedule the Board of Governors decided to play Asiago’s return-2-play phase with only one game each, instead of two legs, as planned and carried out in the other groups. The Italian club faces Fassa, Gherdeina and Cortina in the first phase of the regular season only once. The points will be awarded according to the classical scheme (3-2-1-0). The new dates will be announced on a later date.

All games as live video stream
In the 2020-21 season of the Alps Hockey League all games will be available as video stream. All information about the streams will be communicated via press release and on the social media outlets of the league each gameday and can also be viewed in the game schedule on league’s website.

A special preview of the first gameday of the Alps Hockey League will follow on Friday. Currently you can find a series of interviews with players, coaches and officials of the participating clubs on the league channels.