Release from 20.01.2021
A total of four games are scheduled on Thursday in the Alps Hockey League. There Joni Petrell will make his debut as head coach of HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. The Finn replaced Erwin Kostner at the South Tyrolean team. The opponent for the debut are the Steel Wings Linz, who are bottom of the table. The VEU Feldkirch signed the Swede Linus Lundström as a replacement for Jakob Stukel. The league top scorer transfered to the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League just a few days ago. Lundström is known in the Alps Hockey League. The 29-year-old was already under contract with the HC Neumarkt Egna, the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and the SHC Fassa Falcons. In the match between the HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors, the Slovenians have the chance to become new league leader. The gap to the HC Pustertal Wölfe is currently two points. With HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice the second Slovenian AHL team is also in action. Opponent of the fourth in the standings is S.G. Cortina Hafro.
Thu, 21.01.2021, 19:00: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: LESNIAK, REZEK, Arlic, Bergant. I >> FREE-LIVESTREAM <<
In the first of four games on Thursday, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice will face S.G. Cortina Hafro. After last five wins in a row, Jesenice is already on fourth place in the standings, but have still five games less played than for example the third in the standings Asiago, who have two points more on their account. Cortina is in eighth place in the standings. The two teams have not yet faced each other this season. The last meeting was on February 25th, 2020, when Cortina won with 5:4 after overtime. Overall, however, JES has a clear 7:3 lead in the H2H. On the Slovenian side, Zan Jezovsek in particular is currently in impressive shape. The 23-year-old scored a total of twelve points (7G/5A) in the last five games, which is why the attacker was named Alps Hockey League Top Performer of the week. Also the 21-year-old Jaka Sodja is currently an important part of Jesenice. He scored his first hat trick in the 7:5 away win at Red Bull Hockey Juniors. His scoring streak is already five games. On the side of Cortina, who won four of the last five games, 29-year-old Canadian Mike Cazzola is the top scorer with 37 points (12G/25A).
Thu, 21.01.2021, 19:15: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: FAJDIGA, PAHOR, Javornik, Pagon. I >> Šport TV <<
HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana can take over the top of the table with a win against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. Currently the Slovenians are two points behind the HC Pustertal Wölfe. The Red Bull Hockey Juniors are sixth in the standings. Ljubljana is already unbeaten in five games in the Alps Hockey League. In their home arena they The Red Bull Hockey Juniors were unable to continue their good performances in 2021. Out of five games, they won only one game. The duel HKO against RBJ was not played so far this season. The last time the two teams met was on November 30th, 2019. The Juniors celebrated their fourth victory over the „Dragons“ in the tenth AHL meeting.
Thu, 21.01.2021, 20:00: Rittner Buam - VEU Feldkirch
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, PINIE, Mantovani, Piras. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
With three wins in a row, the Rittner Buam are currently in strong shape. Overall, the Buam are in tenth place in the standings. VEU Feldkirch most recently lost in the Vorarlberg derby to EC Bregenzerwald 3:2 after overtime despite a 2:0 lead. VEU Feldkirch is in seventh place in the standings. In the AHL, both teams have faced each other ten times so far. The Rittner Buam have a clear 8:2 lead in the H2H and this will be the first duel between the two teams this season.
Swede Lundström replaces Stukel at Feldkirch
With Jakob Stukel, the Vorarlberg team has lost the league top scorer. The Canadian scored 40 points (22G/18A) for Feldkirch. In the future, the 23-year-old will play for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League. As a replacement for Stukel, the VEU signed the Swede Linus Lundström. The 29-year-old last played for EV Lindau in the third division in Germany. In 19 games, the right wing scored 18 points (3G/15A). Previously, Lundström was under contract with three clubs in the Alps Hockey League (HC Neumarkt Egna, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, SHC Fassa Falcons). In his career, Lundström has also been active once in Vorarlberg. Between 2012 and 2016, he played a total of 149 games for the EC Bregenzerwald.
Thu, 21.01.2021, 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Steel Wings Linz
Referees: LEGA, STEFENELLI, Bedana, Cristeli. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and the Steel Wings Linz are two of the teams with weak performances in the last weeks. While Val Gardena could only win one of the last seven games, the Steel Wings have been waiting for a point for eleven games. In the two AHL duels so far, Gherdeina prevailed in each game (5:1 & 4:2). In the standings, both teams are currently outside the playoff spots. While GHE is thirteenth in the standings with 20 points, SWL is bottom of the table with two points. Gherdeina reacted to the recent weak results and changed the head coach.
The 62-year-old Erwin Kostner is no longer in charge of the South Tyroleans. Joni Petrell from Finland took over in his place. For the 43-year-old it is the first coaching station outside his home country. Petrell most recently coached in the second Finnish league, where he was even named coach of the year in 2020.
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