Capitals host KAC on Friday | Salzburg face league leaders Ljubljana

The EC-KAC bowed out of the Champions Hockey League on Wednesday after a 1–3 loss in Kuopio. Just two days later, the runners-up will visit the Vienna Capitals – a prestigious duel expected to draw another strong crowd. The Capitals have lost their last three games but managed to pick up single points against both Pustertal and Salzburg. With 13 points, they currently sit eighth in the standings, just behind KAC, who occupy seventh place with 14 points and two games in hand. In league play, the KAC have won their last three matches. Last season, KAC took all four meetings with Vienna, while the Capitals claimed a 3–2 victory in their pre-season encounter.

Salzburg face league leaders after CHL qualification
On Wednesday, EC Red Bull Salzburg became the only win2day ICE Hockey League team to advance to the Round of 16 in the Champions Hockey League, following an impressive 4–1 home win against German champions Eisbären Berlin. Their next CHL opponent will be ERC Ingolstadt. In domestic league, the defending champions currently rank sixth, just three points behind league leaders HK Olimpija Ljubljana. With a win on Friday, Salzburg could draw level with the Slovenians. Both teams suffered defeats in their most recent league outings – Ljubljana 6–7 in overtime against Innsbruck, and Salzburg 2–3 in Fehérvár. Over their last five games, each team has won only twice. In head-to-head matchups last season, Salzburg prevailed in three of four encounters.

Graz visit in-form second-place VSV
With 12 of a possible 15 points from their last five games, EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV are currently the league’s hottest team. The Villach side sit second in the standings with 19 points – just one behind Ljubljana, and two ahead of the Moser Medical Graz99ers, who are fifth. Graz have won only two of their past five games but picked up points in four of them – their only pointless outing coming in the 3–4 loss to VSV on September 28. In that game, Alexander Rauchenwald netted the decisive game-winner in a tight contest.

Linz aim to return to winning ways in Budapest
Last season’s semifinalists, the Steinbach Black Wings Linz, currently sit at the bottom of the table with five points. Their only wins so far came against the Pioneers Vorarlberg and EC Red Bull Salzburg. On Friday, they face league newcomer FTC-Telekom for the first time. The Hungarian side have been in strong form recently, winning their last two games to move up to tenth place with 12 points. At home, Budapest have claimed two victories from four games, while Linz remain the only team in the league yet to earn a point on the road.

Pustertal travel to Pioneers
The HC Falkensteiner Pustertal are in excellent form. Last week, they celebrated a 5–3 derby win over Bolzano, before falling narrowly 2–3 in overtime to KAC. With 18 points, they occupy fourth place, while the Pioneers Vorarlberg sit twelfth with seven. The Pioneers impressed last weekend with a 4–1 win in Fehérvár, but then suffered a 0–6 defeat in Budapest. So far, the Vorarlberg side have won two games this season – one of them at home (4–2 vs. Vienna). Pustertal, meanwhile, have earned points in all five road games, winning four of them. Their only away loss came narrowly against KAC. Last season, the Wolves split their four meetings with the Pioneers evenly, winning two and losing two.

Fehérvár begin double-header weekend in Innsbruck
On Friday, the HC TIWAG Innsbruck host Hydro Fehérvár AV19, marking the first of two games within 24 hours for the Hungarian side, who visit Bolzano on Saturday. Fehérvár have won two of their last five outings, including a surprise 3–2 home victory over Salzburg, just a day after losing 1–4 to the Pioneers. Innsbruck, currently eleventh, also boast two wins in their last five, showing improved form recently with a 7–6 OT win at Ljubljana and a 3–2 shootout victory over Graz. Friday’s game will already be the second meeting between the two sides this season – Fehérvár won the previous clash on September 20 5–4, marking their fifth consecutive victory over Innsbruck.

Bolzano and Fehérvár open Round 12 on Saturday
The HCB Südtirol Alperia and Hydro Fehérvár AV19 will open the 12th round on Saturday – the only game that day before the remaining five take place on Sunday. Bolzano are free from play on Friday and enter the weekend sitting third with 18 points. On Tuesday, the Foxes faced Luleå in the Champions Hockey League, losing narrowly 2–3 in overtime, which ended their playoff hopes. Across all competitions, Bolzano have gone winless in their last four games, including league defeats to Pustertal (3–5) and Villach (3–6). Their most recent win came on October 5, a 4–2 home victory over Ljubljana. Last season, the semifinalists defeated Fehérvár in three of four matchups.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Fri, 17.10.2025:
18:30: FTC-Telekom – Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: HRONSKY, SIEGEL, Vaczi, Weiss

19:15: Vienna Capitals – EC-KAC
Referees: GROZNIK, NIKOLIC M., Bedynek, Zgonc

19:15: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Muzsik, Riecken

19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: NIKOLIC K., SCHAUER, Fleischmann, Rigoni

19:15: Olimpija Ljubljana – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: REZEK, SOOS, Hribar, Seewald J.

19:30: Pioneers Vorarlberg – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Pardatscher, Sparer

Sat, 18.10.2025:
19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Mantovani, Rigoni

Watch all games live on www.sporteurope.tv.   

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