Release from 29.12.2025

Final round of 2025 features top clash Ljubljana vs. Klagenfurt

Short text 583 CharactersPlain text

The win2day ICE Hockey League wraps up the year 2025 with a full round of games on Tuesday. In the headline matchup, third-placed Olimpija Ljubljana hosts league leaders EC-KAC. Among other games, struggling EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV will face second-placed Moser Medical Graz99ers. Two direct battles in the fight for the Top 10 are also on the schedule, with FTC-Telekom taking on the Vienna Capitals and Steinbach Black Wings Linz hosting Hydro Fehérvár AV19.

Ahead of the game in Villach, Graz further strengthened their blue line by signing Finnish defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo.

Press release 5037 CharactersPlain text

League leaders EC-KAC are unbeaten in their last five games and already hold an eleven-point advantage over third-placed Olimpija Ljubljana. The Klagenfurt side has also remained undefeated in their last five road games. Ljubljana, meanwhile, snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with a convincing 5:0 home win over Fehérvár. In the two previous head-to-head meetings this season, the away team prevailed on both occasions.

Struggling VSV host Graz | Finn strengthens 99ers’ defense
Six games without a win and down to ninth place: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV are currently in a slump and now hold only a two-point lead over eleventh-placed Vienna Capitals. On Sunday, the Villach side suffered a 1:4 home defeat against Bolzano. Up next is a matchup with second-placed Moser Medical Graz99ers, who have won their last two home games and continue to trail league leaders KAC by six points. VSV claimed the first meeting of the season in Graz with a 4:3 road win, followed by a heavy 1:6 home loss in the second encounter. With a total of 19 home points, VSV rank only eleventh in the home standings, while the 99ers are the league’s second-best road team.

Ahead of the game in Villach, Graz further strengthened their blue line by signing Finnish defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo. The 27-year-old was signed through the end of the season and will replace the injured Frank Hora. Kotkansalo most recently played for Luleå HF in Sweden. In his youth, he suited up for Boston University and was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the NHL Draft. However, he did not appear in the NHL and returned to Finland after his time in North America, playing five seasons in the top domestic league before moving to Sweden.

Vienna face crucial road game in Budapest
Following a 1:3 home loss to EC-KAC on Sunday, the Vienna Capitals slipped out of the Top 10 but remain just one point behind tenth-placed Linz. On Tuesday, the Capitals travel for a capital-city showdown against FTC-Telekom Budapest, who sit eighth and hold a three-point advantage over Vienna, but are coming off two heavy defeats (1:5 at Salzburg, 0:5 vs. KAC). The teams meet for the fourth time this season on Tuesday. So far, each matchup has been decided by a single goal and always in favor of the home team. The Capitals have claimed two of those encounters.

Linz aim to defend Top-10 spot against Fehérvár
The matchup between Steinbach Black Wings Linz and Hydro Fehérvár AV19 also carries significant implications in the battle for the Top 10. Linz climbed back into tenth place on Sunday thanks to a 4:1 home win over Innsbruck, while Fehérvár, despite a heavy 0:5 loss in Ljubljana, remain seventh. However, the Hungarian side’s cushion is slim, just four points ahead of Linz and five ahead of eleventh-placed Vienna. Sunday’s win marked Linz’s first victory after four consecutive losses, while Fehérvár have won two of their last five games. In the head-to-head matchup, the Hungarians have won both home games this season, while the Black Wings recorded a commanding 7:1 victory on home ice.

Salzburg visit bottom placed Innsbruck
Defending champions EC Red Bull Salzburg are currently the hottest team in the win2day ICE Hockey League. The sixth-placed side has won seven consecutive games, with their last defeat dating back to December 5 against EC-KAC. On Tuesday, Salzburg enter the matchup at HC TIWAG Innsbruck as clear favorites. The league’s bottom team has won just two of its last ten games and already trails tenth place by 16 points. The head-to-head record also offers little hope for the Tyroleans, who have lost their last six meetings with Salzburg, including two defeats this season (0:4 and 2:4).

Bolzano and Pioneers close out the year
The sixth and final game of Round 34—and of the calendar year—will see HCB Südtirol Alperia take on the Pioneers Vorarlberg. Fifth-placed Bolzano have won four of their last five games, while the Pioneers, currently eleventh, have collected two wins from their last five outings. The Vorarlberg side was free from play on Sunday, having previously suffered a narrow 3:4 overtime loss to Salzburg. However, the Pioneers have struggled against Bolzano this season, suffering a 0:6 home defeat in September followed by a 1:7 road loss in November.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Tue, 30.12.2025:
18:30: FTC-Telekom -Vienna Capitals
Referees: SMETANA, SOOS, Gatol, Riecken

19:15: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: GROZNIK, ZRNIC, Muzsik, Wimmler

19:15: Steinbach Black Wings Linz – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: NAGY, PIRAGIC, Vaczi, Zgonc

19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: KAINBERGER, NIKOLIC K., Fleischmann, Sparer

19:15: Olimpija Ljubljana – EC-KAC
Referees: NIKOLIC M., STERNAT, Bedynek, Hribar

19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia – Pioneers Vorarlberg
Referees: HOLZER, OFNER, Pardatscher, Puff

Watch all games live on Sporteurope.tv.