All five games take place in Austria on Sunday

3 facts prior round 40:

1. EC-KAC could fix the Pick Round and Play-off as the third team with three points in Vienna on Sunday.
2. The two top-4-clashes - Leader spusu Vienna Capitals vs. EC-KAC (3.) and Moser Medical Graz99ers (2.) vs. Champion HCB Südtirol Alperia (4.) will be broadcasted live by www.servushockeynight.com on Sunday. The second game is broadcasted by video33.it too.
3. On Sunday, alle five games take place in Austria! There will be fights for points in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga in Dornbirn, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and in Vienna. Round 40 will be closed with the match KHL Medvescak Zagreb vs. EC Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday.

 

• The Dornbirn Bulldogs will be in action for the second time within just 22 hours on Sunday. After facing HC Orli Znojmo on Saturday, the Vorarlberger will welcome Fehervar AV19 in another west-east-clash on Sunday (17:30).

• Each team is still involved in the fight for a top 6 spot and the direct Playoff Qualification after round 44. The Hungarians have collected 62 points or 21 wins out of 39 Erste Bank Eishockey Liga games during this season so far and are ranked on place 6. Janos Hari and Co. have had a good run lately as well: The Devils earned points out of four straight matches (three wins). Besides, the team of Head Coach Hannu Järvenpää has played strong defense lately too: Fehervar AV19 has won their last two games against the Carinthian teams EC-KAC (3:1) and EC Panaceo VSV (3:1), allowing just one goal per game. But, watch out: The Dornbirn Bulldogs are on place 8 and still in contact with Fehervar AV19.
• Fehervar AV19 will travel with good memories to Vorarlberg. The Hungarians have won four consecutive meetings with the Devils.
• Fehervar AV19 has the best scoring efficiency in this Erste Bank Eishockey Liga season. The „Devils“ have already potted 137 goals out of 1.110 shots on goal (scoring-efficiency: 12.34%).
• O’Donnell (DEC) and Tikkanen (AVS) have netted at least one goal in two straight meetings.
Quotes:
Dave MacQueen, Headcoach Dornbirn Bulldogs: „Back-to-Back-games are never easy. Fehervar AV19 is the team, we want to catch up. The Hungarians  are playing a structured game and had success lately.“ 
Hannu Järvenpää, Headcoach Fehervar AV19: „The Dornbirn Bulldogs are a good, hard working team. We have to be ready for a fight and we have to play a smart game there.“

 

Referees: SIEGEL, STERNAT, Gatol, Kaspar.
• When Moser Medical Graz99ers (2.) and Champion HCB Südtirol Alperia (4.) will face each other in the Mur City on Sunday, then offensiv-fire-power will meet with defensiv-power: While the Styrians have potted most goals at home (81), the Foxes have given away fewest goals on the road (43).
• The top 4 clash - Moser Medical Graz99ers (2.) vs. Champion HCB Südtirol Alperia (4.) – is broadcasted live by www.servushockeynight.com and video33.it on Sunday.
• Moser Medical Graz99ers have already fixed the Pick Round and Playoff. On the other hand, Bozen still needs (nine) points to finish top 6 for sure. Each team has been on fire lately: The Italians have won two straight games, they beat KHL Medvescak Zagreb (11:0) on Sunday. The Styrians have even earned three consecutive matches. Lately, the Mur Citizens have beaten EC Red Bull Salzburg at home (5:4).

• The Italians will travel with good memories to Graz. The Foxes have left the ice as the winner in five straight contests with the Austrians.
• The Moser Medical Graz99ers are the best team in Power Play. The Mur Citizens have already netted 37 goals out of 137 Power Plays this season (PP%: 27.0).
Quotes:

Kevin Moderer, forward Moser Medical Graz99ers: „We want to win all games, to earn as much bonus-points as possible for the Pick Round!“
Mike Blunden, forward HCB Südtirol Alperia: „We are looking forward to a fight in Graz. The 99ers are a strong team, that can score lots of goals. We have to be ready and we have to play our game for full 60 minutes!“

Sun, 20.01.2019: HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ vs. HC Orli Znojmo (17:30)

• HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (10.) vs. HC Orli Znojmo (9.) is the meeting of two neighbours in the standing. The Tyroleans have collected 52 points or 19 wins out of 39 matches so far and are ranked on place 10, while the Czechs got 53 points (17 successes) out of 38 matches and are ranked ninth. Each club needs the points to move up in the ranking….

• HC Orli Znojmo will be in action for the second time within just 22 hours on Sunday. After fighting for points in Dornbirn on Saturday, the Czechs will visit Innsbruck in another west-east-clash on Sunday.

• The Sharks need a win to stay in the race for the Pick Round for sure: Because, if, Fehervar AV19 earns three points in Dornbirn on Sunday and HC Orli Znojmo takes away three points from Innsbruck as well, then, the Tyroleans are forced to go into the Qualification Round. Lately, the Austrians have been defeated in two consecutive games and netted just three goals.

• A high scoring game is expected in Innsbruck on Sunday: 62 goals in total (!) have been potted in the last seven meetings between Innsbruck and Znojmo, on average nine goals per game and always at least seven goals.

• The players to watch are the top-goal-scorers Andrew Yogan (HCI) and Marek Kalus (ZNO). Yogan has already netted 26 goals for the Sharks 2018/19 and is leading the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga goal scoring statistics, Kalus has potted 25 goals for HC Orli Znojmo so far.

Quotes:

Rob Pallin, Headcoach HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“: „We will fight and we hope for a success!“

Jan Lattner, defenseman HC Orli Znojmo: „Recently our results have been better on the road where we play a simple game focused on defensive zone and counter-attacking play. We go on trip now for two games in two days and we need to be successful in both games in order to still have a shot at the top six. We didn´t give up and still want to fight for that position.”

Info: Znojmo’s Canadian forward Ryan Kujawinski has suffered a groin injury. After consultation with medical professionals, he has left the team after mutual consent and will undergo surgery in Canada. “It is an unfortunate end to the season, but I want to wish Orli all the best in the remainder of the season,” Kujawinski said. Both the club and the player wish each other good luck for the future.

 

Referees: HOPPE, ZRNIC, Bärnthaler, Zgonc.
• EC-KAC will get their second chance to fix the Pick Round and Play-off as the third team on Sunday. Therefore, the Red Jackets need a 3-point-win in Vienna on Sunday.
• The Austrian clash, Leader spusu Vienna Capitals vs. EC-KAC (3.), is broadcasted live by www.servushockeynight.com on Sunday.
• When Leader spusu Vienna Capitals (1.) and EC-KAC (3.) will face each other in Wien/Kagran on Sunday, then home-power will face road-power: The Caps are Leader and the best home-team too: Vienna has already collected 48 points (16 wins) out of 20 home-games and has earned points out of eleven straight home-games too (nine wins). On the other hand, EC-KAC won their last three road-games in Zagreb (7:0), Villach (2:1) and Bozen (2:1/OT), allowing just two goals in total…

• Each team has played strong defense so far: EC-KAC has allowed fewest goals (90), Wien third fewest goals (102).
• EC-KAC is ahead of the Caps in all Special Statistics (Power Play, Penalty Killing, Fair Play and scoring efficiency).

Quotes:
Peter Schneider, forward spusu Vienna Capitals: „We have to be ready from the beginning against EC-KAC, we have to be ready for the battles, we have to play strong defense and we have to take advantage from our chance!“

Marco Richter, forward EC-KAC: „We are looking forward to an intense game in Vienna. We have to play in our system for full 60 minutes.“

 

Referees: KELLNER, M. NIKOLIC, Nothegger, Schauer.
• EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (7.) welcomes EC Panaceo VSV (11.) in an Austrian clash on Sunday. In this moment, the two teams would meat each other in the Qualification Round starting in February as well. But, the Upper Austrians are still in the race for a Top 6 spot. After ending their bad run on Friday by beating HC TWK Innsbuck „Die Haie“ (4:2), the Steel Citizens are still just two points behind place 6.

• EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz will welcome the Eagles with good memories. The Upper Austrians have left the ice as the winner in three straight meetings with EC Panaceo VSV (1:0, 5:4, 5:0).
• EC Panaceo VSV will try to end their bad run in Linz on Sunday. The Drau Citizens stayed without points in three consecutive matches. On the other hand, Linz has ended their bad run on Friday after four straight defeats.
• EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz is ahead of EC Panaceo VSV in all special statistics (Power Play, Penalty Killing, fair play, scoring efficiency, number of fans).

• EC Panaceo VSV is hunting for their 100th season-goal. The Eagles have potted 96 goals so far. Besides, KHL Medvescak Zagreb (71 Goals) is still waiting for their 100th goal of the season.

Quotes:

Dragan Umicevic, player EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz: „We want to show a good performance infront of our fans, we want to have fun on the ice and we want to get the win!“
Stefan Bacher, defenseman EC Panaceo VSV: „We have to show our best game there and we have to take advantage from our chances! We are looking forward to a difficult game, the Black Wings are still fighting for a Top 6 spot.“