Release from 15.02.2020

Direction giving duels in Qualification Round

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On Sunday the first half of the intermediate round of Erste Bank Eishockey will be completed. Particularly in the Qualification Round there will be direction giving duels. The Liwest Black Wings Linz and EC Panaceo VSV fight for pole position in a direct clash (live at Servus Hockey Night). The HC Tiroler Wasserkraft Innsbruck wants to maintain a place in the top 3 against Znojmo. The Czechs, for their part, need a win to narrow the gap to the playoff places. Above all, however, the Dornbirn Bulldogs urgently need points in order to be able to play in the decisive phase.

In the Pick Round, the race for the pick right and the home advantage comes to a head. There are only three points between second and fifth place, only EC Red Bull Salzburg seems to rush forward. The EC-KAC would like to stop the run of Salzburger on Sunday to stop their own negative series on the road. The Moser Medical Graz99ers could even jump from fifth to second place with a full success against Bozen (note and support from Salzburg).

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Facts about the 5th round of the Pick Round / Qualification Round:

  • Head Referee Gergely Kincses was injured in a collision in Friday's match between Vienna and Salzburg. The referee was brought to hospital with a dislocated shoulder and concussion. Kincses was released again after one night and is now on his way home to Hungary.
  • On Sunday there will be the top-duel of the Qualification Round between Linz and VSV. The duel for pole position will be broadcast live at Servus Hockey Night.
  • Salzburg is the only undefeated team in the intermediate round and already has a six-point lead to the first chaser.
  • Between second and fifth place in the pick round there are only three points.

Sun. 16.02.2020 16:00 EC Red Bull Salzburg - EC-KAC
Referees: BULOVEC, GRUBER, Bedynek, Zgonc

  • The EC Red Bull Salzburg won the top duel against the Caps on Friday and gained a six-point lead over the first chaser.
  • The EC-KAC suffered its fourth away defeat in a row on Friday and dropped back to fourth place in the table but is only one point behind the runner-up.
  • Salzburg has so far conquered eight of nine possible points in the Pick Round. They only had to give up one point against Graz.
  • Both teams won two of the four season duels so far. However, the KAC could conquer two points more.
  • At the KAC Thomas Hundertpfund and Marcel Witting are questionable. Definitely missing are Nick Petersen and Lukas Haudum. At Salzburg, Peter Hochkofler is doomed to watch because of a suspension.
Sun. 16.02.2020 16:00 Moser Medical Graz99ers - HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: OFNER, ZRNIC, Bärnthaler, Hribar
  • The HCB prevailed against the KAC on Friday and climbed to second place in the table.
  • The 99ers fell back to fifth place on Friday without a match, but on Sunday they have the chance to push the South Tyroleans from second place (note with support from Salzburg).
  • The Foxes won the last two games but had to accept a defeat in the only away game of the Pick Round so far.
  • The 99ers had to go overtime in the two of the previous three Pick Round games. Once with the better end for the 99ers (note in their last game against the KAC).
  • Graz won three of the previous four season duels with the HCB.
  • Lukas Kainz increases the list of injured at the 99ers. Trevis Oleksuk is back in the game.

Sun. 16.02.2020 17:30 EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz - EC Panaceo VSV (Live at the Servus Hockey Night)
Referees: NIKOLIC K., PIRAGIC, Rezek, Seewald

  • The Liwest Black Wings Linz are hosting the EC Panaceo VSV for the top-duel of the Qualification Round.
  • With Rob Daum, the Black WIngs Master Maker of the 2011/12 season returns to Linz as Head Coach of the Villach team.
  • Daum celebrated two wins in two games with Villach. Recently the Adler won against Znojmo. Meanwhile, the Linz team ended their away misery in Dornbirn.
  • Brian Lebler currently presents himself in shape. After his Friday hat-trick, he has 27 goals and leads the scoring charts of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • The Villach team won three of the four duels of the season against Linz.
Sun. 16.02.2020 17:30 Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - Dornbirn Bulldogs
Referees: NIKOLIC M., PEARCE, Gatol, Soos
  • While Hydro Fehérvár AV 19 was ousted from the top three in the last round, the Dornbirn Bulldogs lost touch with the play-off places.
  • Both teams got off to a remarkable start in the qualifying round and won the first two games, but then suffered two consecutive defeats.
  • Fehérvár won the first three duels with the Bulldogs this season. However, Dornbirn prevailed in the so far only clash of 2020.
  • William Rapuzzi celebrated his comeback with the Bulldogs on Friday after an injury break.
  • Both teams are still struggling with their offensive in the qualification round. Fehérvár scored 2.7 goals per game in the basic round, in the qualification round it is only 2.25. Dornbirn has only scored two goals on average in the qualification round so far.
Sun. 16.02.2020 17:30 HC TWK Innsbruck 'die Haie' - HC Orli Znojmo
Referees: BERNEKER, SMETANA, Martin, Nothegger
  • The HC TWK Innsbruck made it into the top 3 of the Qualification Round on Friday. In a direct duel against HC Orli Znojmo the Sharks now want to maintain their current playoff place.
  • The Innsbruckers captured nine of 12 possible points in the Qualification Round. No other team could get more points in the QR.
  • HC Orli Znojmo is still without a win in the intermediate round. Twice the Czechs had to admit defeat in extra time.
  • The Eagles are now four points behind the top three.
  • Innsbruck have not yet managed to score a single point against Znojmo this season.