Release from 23.01.2020

Decisions weekend - Part 1

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On Friday the weekend of decisions in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga starts. Furthermore, six teams will fight for three top 5 places and the associated early play-off qualification. In pole position for this is the EC-KAC followed by the Moser Medical Graz99ers. Both teams could already grab their ticket on Friday. The EC Red Bull Salzburg and the spusu Vienna Capitals have already qualified for the Masterround. But for these two teams an important decision is still pending, as the winner of the regulasr season part 1 will not only win the most bonus points, but will also receive the first of three tickets for the Champions Hockey League 20/21. But it could also be exciting at the bottom of the table, as the Dornbirn Bulldogs want to keep the chances for a bonus point.

Erste Bank Hockey League, round 43:
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 Dornbirn Bulldogs - EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 HC TWK Innsbruck 'Die Haie' - EC Panaceo VSV
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 EC-KAC - spusu Vienna Capitals
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 HC Orli Znojmo - Moser Medical Graz99ers live on Sky Sport Austria

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Facts about the 43rd round:

  • Three decisions in three different areas of the standings are still outstanding in the last two rounds.
  • The EC-KAC and the Moser Medical Graz99ers could solve the playoff ticket on Friday under their own steam. A total of 66 points are needed for this.
  • The direct duel between two top 5 aspirants, Znojmo and Graz, will be broadcast live on Sky Sport Austria. HC Orli Znojmo cannot afford to lose any more points in order to keep the theoretical chances for the Masterround.
  • The Liwest Black Wings Linz need at least two points to stay in the race for the top 5.
  • HCB Südtirol Alperia, which is free to play on Friday, could also qualify for the playoffs on Friday. Villach and Linz are each allowed to capture a maximum of one point and Graz would have to score at least one point at the same time.

Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: BALUSKA, TRILAR, Gatol, Kaspar

  • Former assistant coach Antti Karhula takes over the reins at Fehérvár AV19, with the ninth-placed team in the standings announcing the separation from Hannu Järvenpää on Tuesday.
  • For the Hungarians, this is the last game in the regular season of phase 1, and Antti Karhula's team can neither improve nor deteriorate in the standings - so they start the qualifying round with two bonus points.
  • The EC Red Bull Salzburg has the chance to secure the first place after the basic round and thus to buy the first ticket for the Champions Hockey League 2020/21. Salzburg needs two points from its own strength to do so.
  • Fehérvár could win two of the three duels with EC Red Bull Salzburg. However, they had to admit defeat in the home hall with 2:5.
  • Salzburg could celebrate the 500th victory in the regular season on Friday.

Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 Dornbirn Bulldogs - EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz
Referees: DURCHNER, NIKOLIC K., Martin, Schauer

  • For the Liwest Black Wings Linz, the first of two deciding games is on Friday. With a full success against Dornbirn they could reduce the gap to the Foxes to one point.
  • At the same time, the Linz team is hoping for help from Vienna to possibly push for a deciding game on Sunday in a direct duel against the EC-KAC.
  • With Matias Sointu (most recently Cardiff Devils) the Bulldogs brought a familiar face back into the league. The Finn, became champion in the 2017/18 season with HC Bolzano.
  • The Linz team has managed to score two points only in the last five games. The Bulldogs scored five points after all.
  • Whether business attacker Dan DaSilva can make the trip to Dornbirn will be decided at short notice. The Linz team will still have to do without the injured Mario Altmann, Daniel Woger and Mark McNeill. Matt Finn is still suspended due to his cross-check in the match against Bolzano. In the goal of the LIWEST Black Wings, Jeff Glass will replace David Kickert this time.

Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 HC TWK Innsbruck 'Die Haie' - EC Panaceo VSV
Referees: BERNEKER, STOLC, Bedynek, Nothegger

  • The EC Panaceo VSV has to score against the HC TWK Innsbruck to keep the chances for the Pickround.
  • Specifically, the VSV needs two points to be able to catch Bolzano in the table. If the Villach team only manages to score one point, they are also dependent on zero points from the 99ers to still have the theoretical chances on Sunday.
  • The HC TWK Innsbruck could still be intercepted by the Dornbirn Bulldogs on the home straight of the basic round phase 1 and thus lose another bonus point. The lead is now only four points.
  • Innsbruck won two of the three season duels with the Villach team. In the last home game the Sharks celebrated a 7:3 victory over VSV.
  • Innsbruck announced the signing of Luc Snuggerud to replace the injured Ondrej Sedivy.
  • Chris Collins, Benjamin Lanzinger and Alexander Schmidt will be back in the squad after overcoming illness and Innsbruck will be able to compete again with four lines.

Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 EC-KAC - spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: NIKOLIC M., OFNER, Kontschieder, Seewald

  • The EC-KAC needs one more point for the fixed qualification for the Pickround.
  • If the Rotjacken cannot get a point against Vienna, the Klagenfurt team will have to rely on help from Dornbirn. If Linz does not win three points, the KAC would also have the playoff ticket in its hands.
  • The spusu Vienna Capitals want to keep the theoretical chance of first place, but they have to conquer two points more than the Salzburg already on Friday.
  • The Viennese scored in ten of the eleven matches held since Christmas.
  • Dominic Hackl of spusu Vienna Capitals will play his 250th game in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • After an injury break of 14 games, Nick Petersen will play his first league game since December 8 on Friday.
  • The injury plight of the Viennese is never-ending: With Brenden Kichton another top performer joins the list of injured players. The best defender on points suffered a lower body injury during the away game in Graz and will be out of the game for several weeks.
Fri, 24.01.2020 19:15 HC Orli Znojmo - Moser Medical Graz99ers live on Sky Sport Austria
Referees: SIEGEL, STERNAT, Bärnthaler, Nagy
  • Sky Sport Austria broadcasts the only match between two teams fighting in a direct duel for the top 5.
  • The Moser Medical Graz99ers grab the playoff ticket in any case if they win three points. If the 99ers get less than three points, the lead over Znojmo and Linz would have to be more than three points after this round to be in the pickround on Friday.
  • HC Orli Znojmo needs the maximum points from the remaining two games to keep the theoretical chance of the Pickround. Any loss of points would mean the qualification round for the Czechs.
  • The injury misfortune of the Graz99ers does not stop. With Oliver Setzinger, the captain is out for the next four to six weeks.
  • The 99ers conquered eight of nine possible points against Znojmo this season.