Excitement on the second last matchday of the intermediate round

Masterround:

Initial situation:

• Ritten needs 1 point for direct quarterfinal qualification
• Jesenice needs 2 points for direct quarterfinal qualification
• If Lustenau loses after 60 minutes, Ritten and Jesenice will be in the quarterfinals early
• Cortina can only qualify directly for the quarterfinals on Thursday if they win after regulation and Lustenau loses after 60 minutes.

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: S.G. Cortina Hafro - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: BENVEGNU, FAJDIGA, Arlic, Cristeli | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

Cortina won four of the last five games and also picked up a point in the overtime defeat against Asiago. The Italians are currently in fourth place and flirting with a direct quarterfinal qualification. Jesenice recovered from a brief slump with wins over Lustenau and Ritten last week. Although the Slovenians have lost some of their dominance in the first phase of the season, they are still on course for the quarterfinals. In the two season duels so far, the road teams has won.

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: EHC Lustenau - Rittner Buam
Referees: RUETZ, SCHAUER, Huber, Spiegel | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

Lustenau is currently one point behind Cortina in fifth place in the table and therefore desperately needs a home win against Ritten. Stefan Häußle, on loan from the Dornbirn Bulldogs of the win2day ICE Hockey League, will be wearing the lions' jersey for the first time. The second-placed South Tyroleans, who recently won away at Asiago and Fassa, need a point for direct quarterfinal qualification. Ritten won both games against EHC in the first part of the regular season (7:3 and 4:0).

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: SHC Fassa Falcons - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: EGGER, PINIE, Brondi, De Zordo | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

While Asiago is the superior leader of the Masterround with 24 points, Fassa has only one point on their account. The Falcons have to go into pre-playoffs, but they want to gain self-confidence. Although Asiago leads in the direct seasonal comparison with 2:1, Fassa won the only home game with 4:0.

Qualification Round A:
Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - EC Bregenzerwald
Referees: LAZZERI, MOSCHEN, Bedana, Da Pian | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

In Qualification Round A Salzburg and Sterzing have already qualified for the Pre-Playoffs. The Broncos will meet EC Bregenzerwald, who will duel with Klagenfurt for the last remaining spot for the pre-playoffs, in their last game of the intermediate round on Thursday. In case of a point win by the Wälder on Thursday and a defeat of KAC against Salzburg in regulation, EC Bregenzerwald would already be qualified. Otherwise, the big showdown will take place on Saturday, 5 March at 7 pm in the Messehalle in Dornbirn. The two previous season duels between Sterzing and the Vorarlbergers were not decided in regulation time, the Austrians prevailed in overtime and penalty shootout.

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: EC-KAC Future Team - Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: BAJT, HEINRICHER, Javornik, Puff | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

The EC-KAC Future Team is currently in fourth place, three points behind Bregenzerwald. The Carinthians are therefore under pressure at home against league leader Salzburg. The Klagenfurters have won two of the three season duels, including the first leg in the Qualification Round. The Juniors, who can no longer be taken out of first place, recently had the upper hand against Sterzing and Bregenzerwald.

Qualification Round B:
Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: HC Meran/o Pircher - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it
Referees: STEFENELLI, VIRTA, Fleischmann, Pace | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

While Val Gardena has already won the Qualification Round B and is fixed in the Pre-Playoffs, Merano can no longer qualify for the next championship phase. In the intermediate round, the league newcomer lost six of its eight games, including the first leg against Val Gardena (2:5).

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: BEMER VEU Feldkirch - EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: HOLZER, HUBER, Müller, Tschrepitsch | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

The race for the remaining two pre-play-off places is exciting, with only three points separating the second-placed Zeller Eisbären and BEMER VEU Feldkirch (fourth). Both teams have recently reacted to injuries and absences and strengthened their squads in depth and quality by signing players from the win2day ICE Hockey League. The Vorarlberg side signed Kevin Marcierzynski, David Madlener, Martin Ulmer, Luis Ludin and Daniel Jakubitzka (all from the ICE) as well as Mark Mußbacher (from the GCK Lions U20). On the other hand, Lukas Bär and Clemens Paulweber - both from Innsbruck - will play for Zell am See for the first time. In the three season duels so far, there have only been away victories, VEU leads 2:1.

Thu, 03.03.2022, 19:00: Steel Wings Linz - Vienna Capitals Silver
Referees: BRUNNER, HLAVATY, Moidl, Weiss | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

The currently third-placed Steel Wings Linz have a supposedly easier task with last-place Vienna Capitals Silver. However, the Upper Austrians have already lost to the bottom team once this season, with the other two duels going to head coach Philip Lukas' team. If the Steel Wings score two more points than VEU Feldkirch, they would be in the pre-playoffs.

Photo: BEMER VEU Feldkirch