Direct duel for the Top-6 live on PULS 24

win2day ICE Hockey League | 18.02.2024:
Sun, 18.02.2024, 15:00: EC Red Bull Salzburg - BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg
Referees: BERNEKER, SEEWALD, Bärnthaler, Riecken. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
Defending champion EC Red Bull Salzburg are already four points behind second-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 with three rounds to go in the Regular Season, meaning RBS are in danger of missing out on a Champions Hockey League ticket for the coming season, at least for the time being. If the Red Bulls lose to the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg after regulation for the first time on Sunday and Fehérvár win in Innsbruck after 60 minutes, Salzburg would no longer be able to overtake the Hungarians in the table. Salzburg are currently in good form, having won all of their last three games, two of them after shootout. The Red Bulls have even won seven of their last eight games at home. The Pioneers are still in tenth place and are already four points behind ninth-placed Olimpija with just two games left to play. On Friday, the Vorarlberg side, for whom Steven Owre dropped to second place behind John Huges in the top scorer charts, celebrated a 5:4/OT win in the against Innsbruck. 40 seconds before the end of the third period, the Pioneers even conceded the equalizer 4:4 in a powerplay situation.

Sun, 18.02.2024, 16:00: EC-KAC - HK SZ Olimpija
Referees: SIEGEL, SMETANA, Muzsik, Vaczi. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
It has been clear since Friday that the EC-KAC will finish the Regular Season in first place. The team from Klagenfurt narrowly won 2:1 in Vienna and will now host the HK SZ Olimpija, who are ninth in the table, tomorrow (Sunday). The Slovenians had a great fight against Salzburg on Friday, battling their way into the shootout despite trailing 1:3 and 3:4 in the meantime, before finally losing in the shootout. It was Ljubljana's second defeat in a row after shootout or overtime. The KAC have won all of their last five games after 60 minutes. However, the KAC are finding it difficult against Olimpija this season. Although they won the first game of the season at home with 4:0, the KAC suffered two shootout defeats in Ljubljana. Klagenfurt will be without Raphael Herburger and Jan Mursak on Sunday, who aren´t allowed to play due to suspensions.

Sun, 18.02.2024, 17:30: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV
Referees: GROZNIK, NIKOLIC K., Bedynek, Hribar. | >> PULS 24 (available worldwide) <<
In the PULS 24 live match, there will be a direct duel for the Top-6, with the Steinbach Black Wings Linz facing the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV. The VSV celebrated an enormously important 7:3 home win against Bolzano on Friday and thus overtook Linz in the table. In fourth place in the table, the Carinthians are currently two points ahead of the Black Wings, who occupy the last direct playoff spot in sixth place. The Upper Austrians narrowly lost 1:2 in Székesfehérvár on Friday, one of three defeats in the last five games for BWL. VSV recently celebrated two wins in a row. Robert Sabolic and John Hughes were outstanding against Bolzano, both with a 6-point game. Hughes, who took the lead in the top scorer charts with 59 points (14G | 45A), was also named the win2day Top Performer of the 49th round. The 36-year-old's contract was extended shortly before the game against Bolzano. In the H2H with Linz, Villach was victorious in two of three season duels.

Sun, 18.02.2024, 17:30: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Fleischmann, Sparer. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
Second-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 has a long away trip ahead when they visit seventh-placed HC TIWAG Innsbruck on Sunday. With a win after 60 minutes and a defeat of Salzburg at the Pioneers after regulation, Fehérvár would finish the Regular Season in second place and thus participate in the Champions Hockey League 2024/25. Innsbruck, on the other hand, are still in the fight for the Top-6, currently in seventh place with the same number of points as sixth-placed Linz. However, the Upper Austrians have decided the direct duel in their favor. In addition to Fehérvár, HCI will also have to deal with Villach and Asiago in the Regular Season next week. On Friday, the Eagles picked up a point against the Pioneers. Nick Albano scored just 40 seconds before the end of the third period while shorthanded to tie the game 4:4 for the Tyroleans. Fehérvár narrowly beat Linz 2:1 at home. It was one of eight wins for the Hungarians in their last ten games. Innsbruck, by comparison, have only won two of their last seven games. The Sharks have lost all three matches against Fehérvár so far this season by at least a two goals difference. At Fehérvár Gleason Fournier will miss the match due to a suspension.

Sun, 18.02.2024, 18:00: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Snoj, Zgonc. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
In the "Grande Classico", fifth-placed HCB Südtirol Alperia will host twelfth-placed Migross Supermerati Asiago Hockey. While Asiago no longer has a chance of qualifying for the Pre-Playoffs, Bolzano is in the battle for the Top-6 and thus a direct playoff qualification. The South Tyroleans are currently just one point ahead of seventh-placed Innsbruck. Next week, Bolzano will face bottom-of-the-table Graz away from home before hosting regular-season champion EC-KAC at the end of the Regular Season. The current form of last year's finalist is not that good. They have only won two of their last five games, losing clearly with 3:7 in Villach on Friday and turning a 0:4 in the South Tyrolean derby at Pustertal into an OT win three days earlier. In total, Bolzano have conceded at least four goals in each of their last four games. However, with a total of 121 goals conceded, HCB still has the fourth-best defense in the league. Asiago prevailed 4:3 in Graz on Friday. It was the northern Italians' first win after three consecutive defeats. They have conceded three defeats against Bolzano so far this season. Overall, Asiago has only won the first ICE duel against HCB.

Sun, 18.02.2024, 18:00: HC Pustertal - Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: HUBER, NIKOLIC M., Mantovani, Pardatscher. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
The HC Pustertal, who are eighth in the table were without a game on Friday, will host bottom of the table Moser Medical Graz99ers on Sunday. Three games before the end of the Regular Season, Pustertal is three points behind sixth place and therefore still has every chance of qualifying for the playoffs early. On Tuesday, the best penalty-killing team in the league (84.46%) suffered a bitter 4:5/OT home defeat in the South Tyrol derby against Bolzano. After 21 minutes, HCP was already 4:0 in the lead. It was one of three defeats for the Wolves in the last five games. It was their second defeat in a row at home, having previously won four in a row in front of their home crowd. Graz lost 3:4 at home to Asiago on Friday and conceded their eighth defeat in a row. The Styrians have not won their last five games away from home. The 99ers celebrated a 3:2/OT win against Pustertal this season, they also conceded a narrow 2:1 defeat and one game was penalized 5:0 for Pustertal.