Battle for playoffs and pre-playoffs enters decisive stage

Thu, 04.03.2021, 19:00: EC KAC II – SHC Fassa Falcons
Referees: DURCHNER, HEINRICHER, Legat, Schweighofer. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
For the second time within 48 hours the EC-KAC II and the SHC Fassa Falcons will meet. On Tuesday, the Klagenfurt team celebrated a razor-thin 5:4 away win in Fassa. Valentin Hammerle (KA2) scored his season goals nine and ten. For the "Falcons" it was already the third defeat in a row. In the standings they still occupy the thirteenth place. The gap to the twelfth-placed Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan is three points, the lead over the EC-KAC II, who follow in 14th place is five points. For both teams, therefore, another "do-or-die" game is on the agenda. In order to still reach the top-12, both teams need a win, KA2 even more urgently than Fassa, as the Italians still have one game less on their account than Klagenfurt and Sterzing. The victory of Klagenfurt on Tuesday was their first success after seven defeats in a row. In the H2H with Fassa it was their third victory in the ninth duel.

• H2H AHL FAS – KA2: 3:6

Thu, 04.03.2021, 19:15: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: BRUNNER, HLAVATY, Reisinger, Weiss. I >> FREE-LIVESTREAM <<
The top clash of the Alps Hockey League on Thursday will be played by the fifth-placed Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the sixth-placed S.G. Cortina Hafro. Both teams are separated by only one point. In the fight for the Top-4 and thus the early Playoff qualification, both teams need a win. The guests from Cortina go into the game as slight favorites, with five wins in a row they currently hold the second longest active winning streak of all 16 teams. The Young Bulls were able to win two of the last five games. In the first duel of the season on February 6th, RBJ clearly won with 8:3 away from home. It was their sixth win in the eleventh AHL duel. With Remy Gifopoulos and Mike Cazzola, Cortina has both the league's top goal scorer and the league's top scorer in their ranks. Gifopoulos leads the scoring charts with 27 goals. The 28-year-old's scoring streak is eight games. Mike Cazzola is the top scorer with 59 points and has a scoring streak of 15 games. The top scorer for RBJ is German Danjo Leonhardt with 32 points.

• H2H AHL RBJ – SGC: 6:5

Thu, 04.03.2021, 19:30: EHC Lustenau – HC Pustertal Wölfe
Referees: HUBER, SCHAUER, Eisl, Rinker. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
In the third game of the day, the EHC Lustenau will face the HC Pustertal Wölfe. The South Tyrolean team is currently third in the standings and could already clinch a playoff ticket on Thursday. For this they need a win in any case. In addition, the early playoff qualification depends on the outcome of the game Red Bull Hockey Juniors against S.G. Cortina Hafro. Lustenau is in seventh place in the standings. While the Vorarlberger team already fixed the Pre-Playoff quaification, the chance to reach the Top-4 is still there, statistically speaking. However, a win against Pustertal is a prerequisite and they are in good form. PUS has won all of its last five games. Lustenau won two of the last three games, but before that they lost four times in a row. Both teams will meet for the first time this season. The second duel will follow on Saturday, March 13th. In the AHL history, the two teams have dueled ten times so far. The H2H is even. The score is 5:5.

• H2H AHL EHC – PUS: 5:5

Thu, 04.03.2021, 19:30: EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitbühel – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan
Referees: OREL, PODLESNIK, Holzer, Pötscher. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The game of the last chance for the EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel, in the fight for the Pre-Playoff places, is on Thursday against the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. The Broncos currently hold the last Pre-Playoff spot. They are ten points ahead of Kitzbühel, who are in 15th place. The Tyrolean team still has four games to play and can therefore conquer a maximum of twelve points. In the first duel of the season between the two teams, Sterzing kept the upper hand with 5:4. It was their ninth win in the eleventh AHL duel with the KEC. Currently, both teams are in poor form. While Kitzbühel could not win any of the last four games, Sterzing lost the last three games. Thus, it is certain that one team will end its losing streak on Thursday.

• H2H AHL KEC – WSV: 2:9

Thu, 04.03.2021, 20:00: Rittner Buam – Steel Wings Linz
Referees: LAZZERI, LEGA, Cristeli, De Zordo. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The Rittner Buam are clear favorites against the Steel Wings Linz. As eighth in the table, the "Buam" are fully on course for the Pre-Playoffs. The Steel Wings are at the bottom of the table and have no chance to reach the Pre-Playoffs. Last week Ritten showed two strong games. First they lost to the second in the table, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, with 4:2. In the meantime, however, the South Tyroleans were already with 2:0 in front. In the second game of the week, a surprising 3:2-OT away win at Red Bull Hockey Juniors followed. Against the Steel Wings, the "Buam" kept the upper hand in all three AHL duels so far. After two clear victories last season (8:1 & 10:0), they prevailed with 3:1 in the first duel of the season 2020/21. While this year's season is entering the decisive phase, Ritten already announced an important personnel decision for the season 2021/22. Head Coach Santeri Heiskanen will continue as head coach for the 2017 AHL Champion in the upcoming season. For the 43-year-old Finn, it will be the second season with the South Tyroleans.

• H2H AHL RIT – SWL 3:0

Thu, 04.03.2021, 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – VEU Feldkirch
Referees: BENVEGNU, MOSCHEN, Bedana, Piras. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
In the sixth and last game on Thursday, the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, the eleventh-placed, will face theVEU Feldkirch, the ninth-placed. Both teams are separated by only two points and are on course for the Pre-Playoffs. The lead over the thirteenth place is six points (GHE) and eight points (VEU) respectively. Val Gardena is currently one of the strongest teams in the league and is therefore the favorite in the match. The South Tyroleans have won all of their last four games. They also have a winning streak of four games at home. Feldkirch was able to celebrate a narrow 7:6-SO away win at the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan last, but before that they conceded nine defeats from ten games. The only victory in a phase dominated by numerous defeats came for the Vorarlberg team against Val Gardena. At home, they dispatched the South Tyroleans with 11:4. It was the clearest victory of all eleven AHL duels between the two teams.

• H2H AHL GHE – VEU: 2:9