Release from 25.02.2023

Decision for last pre-playoff spot

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On Sunday, the regular season of the win2day ICE Hockey League will be completed with six games. The Moser Medical Graz99ers and the HC Pustertal will fight for the last pre-playoff spot. With HCB Südtirol Alperia and champions EC Red Bull Salzburg, the best teams of the season so far face each other in Bolzano. In addition, HC TIWAG Innsbruck travels to the spusu Vienna Capitals - this encounter between two top 6 sides will be broadcast on PULS 24.

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Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: spusu Vienna Capitals - HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: SIEGEL, SMETANA, Jedlicka, Konc | >> Live on PULS 24 <<

It is already certain that the Capitals and Innsbruck will finish the regular season in sixth and third place, respectively. The PULS 24 live match is the last test for both sides for the upcoming playoffs, where the teams could meet again as early as the quarterfinals. The Tyroleans won the first two season meetings against the Viennese, but the Caps last prevailed 6:5 on January 20. Vienna forward Max Zimmer leads the league's scoring charts with 28 goals, while Matt Bradley is third on the scoring list behind the Sharks' Brady Shaw and Adam Helewka. The hosts will have to do without Rafael Rotter, Sascha Bauer, Christof Kromp, Alexander Maxa, Yannic Pilloni as well as Dominic Hackl.

Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - Hydro Fehervar AV19
Referees: FICHTNER, M. NIKOLIC, Bedynek, Bärnthaler | >> PPV-Livestream <<

The direct duel between Linz and Fehervar is about seventh place and the right to pick for the Pre-Playoffs (Note: The seventh-placed team after the regular season can choose whether to play against the ninth or tenth-placed team). Only last Tuesday, the Black Wings faced the reigning runners-up in Hungary and were defeated 2:3 in overtime. In the standings, the Black Wings are three points ahead of their upcoming opponents. Since the "red devils" won all three season meetings, the Upper Austrians have to get at least one point in the home game to stay ahead of the visitors. The Linz team will have to do without Alexander Lahoda and Dennis Sticha.

Information: The pre-playoff pairings will be communicated by the league after Sunday's games.

Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: HCB Südtirol Alperia - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: BERNEKER, TRILAR, Hribar, Martin | >> PPV-Livestream <<

Bolzano fixed the first place after the regular season on Friday and will therefore go into the playoffs as the top seeded team. The Salzburgers secured second place yesterday at home against Vienna and thus also booked their CHL spot. Now the two best teams of the season so far will meet for one last real test before they start the quarterfinals on March 7. The Red Bulls are looking to even the score in the direct season duel, after the South Tyroleans have a 2:1 winning record. However, Bolzano suffered just one defeat in the last twelve games.

Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: Moser Medical Graz99ers - BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg
Referees: HRONSKY, ZRNIC, Durmis, Nothegger | >> PPV-Livestream <<

Graz had to admit defeat against KAC with 2:4 at home on Friday and missed the first chance to qualify for the pre-playoffs. Before the final round of regular season, the starting position for the 99ers is clear: with a win after 60 minutes over the Pioneers, the Styrians are in the pre-playoffs. With any other result, the game in Brunico is decisive - should both teams be equal on points, then the South Tyroleans are ranked ahead of the 99ers. The Pioneers' season will definitely come to an end on Sunday. The last team in the table played an intense program with six games in the last ten days, most recently two narrow defeats in Asiago. In the direct comparison with Graz, however, the Vorarlberg team won two of three season duels.

Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: HC Pustertal - HK SZ Olimpija
Referees: PIRAGIC, STERNAT, Seewald, Snoj | >> PPV-Livestream <<

HC Pustertal missed the jump to tenth place on Friday with a 3:5 defeat in Villach. Now the South Tyroleans are also dependent on help from the Pioneers Vorarlberg in Graz in the last round, the team from Brunico has to make one point more than the 99ers to reach the pre-playoffs. After a win in Feldkirch, Olimpija recently had to admit clear defeats to the top duo from Bolzano and Salzburg. In the course of the season so far, Pustertal won two out of three games against the Slovenians.

Sun, 26.02.2023, 17:30: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey - EC-KAC
Referees: GROZNIK, K. NIKOLIC, Pardatscher, Zgonc | >> PPV-Livestream <<

Asiago and Klagenfurt have had a very successful week so far with two wins each: While the Italians secured the pre-playoff ticket, the Carinthians fixed fifth place after the regular season. The record champions have been particularly convincing away from home, winning five games in a row. Asiago has also been extremely successful on home ice recently: of the ten home games since mid-January, only one - that against the Vienna Capitals with 1:4 - was lost. However, the league newcomer is the only club in the win2day ICE Hockey League that has not yet gained a point against the EC-KAC this season.

Photo: Rothmund/Pioneers