Release from 27.12.2019

EC-KAC tries to end losing streak

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After an extended Christmas break the EC-KAC enters 32nd round of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, hosting Moser Medical Graz99ers in the Pack-Derby to end its losing streak. While the spusu Vienna Capitals and the HC Orli Znojmo, which heads into his 500th Erste Bank Eishockey Liga game, can underpin their spot in the top-3, league’s best road team and leader EC Red Bull Salzburg travels to bottom-placed Dornbirn Bulldogs. Further the HBC Südtirol Alperia defends an impressive home record against the HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie” in the Tiroler-Derby.

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6 facts ahead of the 32nd round:

  • The HC Orli Znojmo heads into its 500th game in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • With Dornbirn Bulldogs hosting EC Red Bull Salzburg, the last faces the first team in standings.
  • The EC-KAC as well as the HCB Südtirol Alperia has huge records available in the upcoming derbies.
  • The Moser Medical Graz99ers sill miss one more win to grab the 400th regular season victory in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • Mario Fischer, captain of the spusu Vienna Capitals, plays his 600th game in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • The EC Panaceo VSV is free of play.

Sat, 28.12.2019, 5.30 pm: HC Orli Znojmo – Hydro Fehérvár AV19 (Sport 5)
Referees: BERNEKER, STOLC, Muzsik, Pardatscher.

  • With HC Orli Znojmo facing Hydro Fehérvár AV19 the 32nd round opens at 5.30.
  • The Czech side heads into its 500th Erste Bank Eishockey Liga game.
  • ZNO grabbed points in all past ten games, winning eighth times after regulation, once after shootout and losing one after overtime in Graz.
  • In home games the “eagles” remain unbeaten in the last four. Five wins in a row were reached back in January and February 2017.
  • The Hungarian side arrives after three consecutive road wins. More successive wins were achieved twice since AVS is participating in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • ZNO has the best offensive available, reaching the 100th goal mark as the first team past gameday.
  • Robert Flick scored at least one goal in the past four games and grabbed a minimum of two points in that period.
  • Both teams face each other for the 43th time, with ZNO leading head-2-head 24:18.
  • The Czech side won both season encounter. (6:2 resp. 4:3)

Pregame Statemten: Hannu Järvenpää (AVS)


Sat, 28.12.2019, 7.15 pm: spusu Vienna Capitals – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz
Referees: BALUSKA, KINCSES, Soos, Vaczi.

  • In Saturday’s lone duel of two top-5 teams the spusu Vienna Capitals host EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz.
  • While VIC won three out of the past four, BWL arrives after three consecutive losses.
  • The best team on PP (BWL with 26,4%) struggles on the defensive end, allowing at least four goals a game in the last seven games, while Vienna had to take only 1,25 goals against on average in the last four.
  • Both previous season meetings were decided by home teams (6:3 BWL resp. 4:2 VIC).
  • Brian Lebler and Dragan Umicevic have a five-game scoring streak available.
  • Linz did not lose four games in a row in the running season.
  • With only 64 goals against, VIC has league’s third-best defensive available.
  • Both teams face each other for the 122nd time with VIC winning 62 in the past.
  • VIC won seven out of the last ten home games against BWL.
  • Mario Fischer, captain of the spusu Vienna Capitals, plays his 600th game in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • BWL misses Raphael Wolf and Paul Mocher.

Pregame Statement: Rafael Rotter (VIC)


Sat, 28.12.2019, 7.15 pm: Dornbirn Bulldogs – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: NIKOLIC K., STERNAT, Sparer, Tschrepitsch.

  • Leader EC Red Bull Salzburg takes on bottom placed Dornbirn Bulldogs on the road.
  • While DEC lost the last seven games, RBS won four out of seven.
  • DEC struggles on the offensive end, as they scored a maximum of two goals each in the last six games and having the weakest scoring efficiency available (7,54%).
  • Salzburg remains the best road team, as the Red Bulls lost only one game in the running season.
  • In both season meetings, the road teams were successful.
  • In Salzburg’s last game on Thursday against Bolzano (2:1 win), John Hughes scored its 800th point in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, trailing only nine points to all time top-scorer Thomas Koch.
  • Salzburg misses Thomas Raffl, Alexander Rauchenwald and Bud Holloway. Daniel Jakubitzka is back on the team.

Pregame Statement: Sam Antonitsch (DEC) | Brendan Mikkelson (RBS)


Sat, 28.12.2019, 7.15 pm: EC-KAC – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: BULOVEC, ZRNIC, Nagy, Nemeth.

  • After an extended Christmas break – the reigning champion was free of play on December 26th – the EC-KAC take on the Moser Medical Graz99ers in the Pack-Derby on home ice.
  • The “Rotjacken” are about to end their losing streak, after four consecutive losses.
  • Graz‘ form curve points upwards, as the 99ers grabbed at least one point in the last five games, winning four.
  • Despite two home losses in a row, the EC-KAC is still the best home-team among all teams.
  • KAC won 71 out of the past 110 duels with G99 (since 2003/04).
  • The Moser Medical Graz99ers sill miss one more win to grab the 400th regular season victory in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
  • KAC plays without Marcel Witting, Nick Petersen, Michael Kernberger and Adam Comrie.

Pregame Statement: Kevin Moderer (G99)


Sat, 28.12.2019, 7.45 pm: HCB Südtirol Alperia – HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“
Referees: KOPETZ, PIRAGIC, Basso, Hribar.

  • In the Tiroler-Derby the HCB Südtirol Alperia hosts HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie”.
  • With a win against the second-last “sharks”, Bolzano can narrow the gap to fifth place in standings, as the “foxes” sit on sixth spot trailing three points.
  • Bolzano’s form curve points downwards, as the South Tyrolean grabbed only five of 15 possible points in the past five games, when Innsbruck earned nine points.
  • HCB has the weakest PP available (10,9%), while HCI scores on every fifth pp occasion.
  • Both teams play each other for the 31st time, with HCB winning 20 games in the past.
  • HCI only grabbed two wins in Palaonda out of 15 games.
  • Both season encounter were decided by home teams (3:2 SO HCI resp. 4:1 HCB).
  • Sebastien Sylvestre is expected to be back on the team, while Patrick Wiercioch competes with Team Canada at Spengler Cup.

Pregame Statement: Angelo Miceli (HCB) | Caleb Herbert (HCI)