Bolzano extends lead in the standings on New Year's Day | KAC continues winning streak in Vienna

HCB Südtirol Alperia extended their lead at the top of the table on New Year's Day, winning 4:2 in Innsbruck. The visitors took the lead through Simon Bourque eight seconds before the first period break. Although the home side managed to equalise in the middle period, former Innsbruck defenceman Bourque scored again at his old stomping ground to make it 1:2. HC TIWAG Innsbruck stayed in contention and managed to close the gap to 2:3 after conceding another goal. However, an empty netter from Giordano Finoro finally decided the game.

Second-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 started the new year with a defeat, losing after shootout to EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV. After a goalless first period, things goals were scored in the middle period: after briefly trailing, Villach turned the game around and went into the second period break with a 3:2 lead. The tide turned in favour of the Hungarians in the third period, with Kevin Hancock then scoring the equaliser for the eagles - goalie JP Lamoureux was already off the ice at this point. Hancock even secured the extra point for the hosts in the shootout, putting VSV back into the top six.

The spusu Vienna Capitals and the EC-KAC delivered a thrilling exchange of blows, with the Carinthians ultimately celebrating their sixth win in a row. Nick Petersen gave the visitors the lead after 89 seconds and the "Red Jackets" were 3:1 ahead after the first period. The Viennese equalised in the middle period in front of 7,022 fans in the sold-out STEFFL Arena and also countered the KAC's renewed lead in the third period. 4:4 after 43 minutes. In the 50th minute Mathias From scored the eventual game-winner, Daniel Obersteiner and Matt Fraser with his hat-trick made the final score 7:4. It was the eighth win in a row against Vienna for Klagenfurt, who remain in third place.

Almost 4,600 fans watched a top game between Steinbach Black Wings Linz and EC Red Bull Salzburg. The game went into the first break at 1:1. The reigning champions of the win2day ICE Hockey League equalised just 19 seconds after the home side took the lead. After ideal assist by Schneider, Benjamin Nissner, who scored for the fourth time in a row, buried the disc. The Red Bulls took the lead in the middle period and although Linz managed to equalise once more, the visitors secured fourth place in the table with a 4:2 win.

Olimpija Ljubljana recorded their fifth win in a row under interim head coach Andrej Tavželj, as the Dragons prevailed in Graz in the last minute. After the Moser Medical Graz99ers missed several good chances in the first period, the visitors took the lead through Blaz Gregorc (33'). The Styrians scored their first goal in the powerplay through Paul Huber. Then Manuel Ganahl equalised after the visitors took the lead again as Pance scored. The guests provided the final blow in the final minute - after a mistake in the build-up play, Rok Kapel scored the winner for Ljubljana. The 99ers thus dropped out of the top six for the first time this season.

For the fourth time this season and for the second time in the last four days, HC Pustertal sold out its home game against Asiago Hockey (3,104 fans). After a goalless first period, Tyler Coulter broke the spell, followed by Daniel Glira in the third. The visitors came close again with a Miceli goal, but Jason Akeson made the final score 3:1. The South Tyroleans thus improved to ninth place.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Wednesday, 01.01.2025:
Moser Medical Graz99ers - Olimpija Ljubljana 2:3 (0:0, 0:1, 2:2)
Referees: GROZNIK, SOOS, Bärnthaler, Muzsik.
Goals Graz: Huber (43./PP), Ganahl (52.)
Goals Ljubljana: Gregorc (33.), Pance (47.), Kapel (60.)

spusu Vienna Capitals - EC-KAC 4:7 (1:3, 2:0, 1:4)
Referees: SIEGEL, SMETANA, Gatol-Schafranek, Jedlicka.
Goals Vienna: Cramarossa (5.), Jasper (38.), Raskob (40.), Franklin (43.)
Goals KAC: Petersen (2.), Fraser (5., 42./PP), Hochegger (18./PP), From (50.)

EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV - Hydro Fehérvár AV19 5:4 SO (0:0, 3:2, 1:2)
Referees: NAGY, PIRAGIC, Bedynek, Vaczi.
Goals Villach: Lindner (23.) Hughes (27.), B. Lanzinger (31./PP), Hancock (59., 65./dec. penalty)
Goals Fehérvár: Atkinson (22./PP), Sebok (39.), Stajnoch (46.), Terbocs (54.)

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:4 (0:1, 1:1, 1:2)
Referees: NIKOLIC M., NIKOLIC K., Martin, Sparer.
Goals Innsbruck: Mackin (27.), Valentini (47.)
Goals Bolzano: Bourque (20., 35.), Bradley (44./PP), Finoro (59./EN)

Steinbach Black Wings Linz - EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:4 (1:1, 0:1, 1:2)
Referees: HUBER, OFNER, Nothegger, Seewald J.
Goals Linz: Collins (4., 47./PP)
Goals Salzburg: Nissner (5.), Bourke (25.), Murphy (51.), Schneider (59./EN)

HC Pustertal - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 3:1 (0:0, 1:0, 2:1)
Referees: REZEK, STERNAT, Rigoni, Zgonc.
Goals Pustertal: Coulter (35.), Glira (44.), Akeson (57.)
Goal Asiago (Miceli (54.)