Release from 28.02.2026

Final Round: Race for first place | Direct duel for 10th spot

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On September 12, the win2day ICE Hockey League kicked off its 26th season. Almost five and a half months later, the regular season will come to an end on Sunday – and the best time of the year, playoff hockey, is just around the corner. However, several decisions are still pending: In the race for first place, the EC-KAC hold a one-point lead over the Moser Medical Graz99ers. While Klagenfurt will host the Vienna Capitals on Sunday, Graz will visit the Steinbach Black Wings Linz. The battle for the final Pre-Playoff spot will also be decided in a direct clash between Hungarian rivals: FTC-Telekom need a regulation-time win at Hydro Fehérvár AV19 to overtake Fehérvár and qualify for the Pre-Playoffs in their debut season. Further, additional – and potentially important – changes in the standings are still possible.

After the conclusion of the regular season, the Pre-Playoffs will begin next Wednesday. The matchups will be announced shortly after the final game on Sunday via the league’s official channels.

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League leaders EC-KAC reached the 100-point mark on Friday, but this is still not enough to secure first place in the regular season. Their lead over Graz remains just one point, and they also lost the head-to-head series against the Styrians. Their opponent on Sunday will be the Vienna Capitals. The team currently in seventh place secured home-ice advantage in the Pre-Playoffs on Friday with a 3:2 shootout win over Hydro Fehérvár AV19. However, they could still drop to eighth if they fail to collect any points and Villach defeat Pustertal in regulation time. Vienna have yet to beat KAC this season (1:3, 2:4, 2:3).

Linz hosts Graz
The Steinbach Black Wings Linz secured their Pre-Playoff berth with a 2:0 road win at FTC-Telekom on Friday – their first victory after two consecutive defeats. They will finish the regular season either in eighth or ninth place. Currently ninth, Linz trail Villach by one point and lost the head-to-head series against the Eagles. The Moser Medical Graz99ers must win and at the same time hope that Vienna can take points in Klagenfurt to leapfrog EC-KAC and finish the regular season in first place. On Friday, Graz earned a 2:0 home win over VSV, their third straight victory. However, they have struggled against Linz this season: although they won two of three meetings, both victories came by just one-goal margins (4:3, 3:2). In Linz, they lost 2:3 in overtime.

Direct duel for tenth place
The final game day also features a direct battle for the last Pre-Playoff spot – the Hungarian derby between Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and league newcomers FTC-Telekom. Fehérvár enter the matchup with a two-point advantage and won the first three meetings of the season convincingly (6:3, 6:1, 5:1). Therefore, FTC need a regulation-time win to qualify for the Pre-Playoffs. The most recent encounter, however, saw FTC win the Hungarian Cup final 4:2. On Friday, Budapest lost 0:2 to Linz, while Fehérvár suffered a 3:4 shootout defeat in Vienna – their fourth consecutive loss.

Pustertal can still move up to fifth place
A climb in the standings is still possible for sixth-placed HC Falkensteiner Pustertal. With a road win at the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV, they could move up to fifth place. They trail free from play fifth-placed Olimpija Ljubljana by just one point and have won the head-to-head series against the Slovenians. On Friday, Pustertal claimed a 3:2 overtime victory. VSV lost 0:2 in Graz, suffering their first defeat after two straight wins. Villach can still climb to seventh place but would need a regulation-time win and also hope Vienna fail to collect any points in Klagenfurt. At the same time, they could drop to ninth place, as Linz trail them by only one point – although Villach won the head-to-head series against the Black Wings. VSV have yet to beat Pustertal this season (1:3, 3:4 OT, 0:3).

Salzburg hosts Innsbruck
No changes in the standings are possible in the game between EC Red Bull Salzburg and the HC TIWAG Innsbruck. Salzburg will finish the regular season in third place, while Innsbruck will remain at the bottom of the table. For the Tyroleans, this will be their final game of the season. On Friday, Innsbruck defeated the Pioneers 6:5 in overtime – their first win after eight consecutive losses. Salzburg were free from play but had previously recorded two straight victories. In the season series, Salzburg won all three meetings so far (4:0, 4:0, 4:2).

Pioneers end season against Bolzano
Twelfth-placed Pioneers Vorarlberg will close out their season against fourth-placed HCB Südtirol Alperia. Bolzano are guaranteed to finish the regular season in fourth place. On Friday, the South Tyroleans lost 3:6 to KAC, their second defeat in a row, while the Pioneers have now gone eight games without a win. In the head-to-head series, Bolzano have recorded three clear victories over Vorarlberg (5:0, 7:1, 6:0).

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Sun, 01.03.2026:
17:30: EC-KAC – Vienna Capitals
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Mantovani, Zacherl

17:30: EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: HUBER R., NIKOLIC K., Dummermuth-Haas, Nothegger

17:30: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Bedynek, Puff

17:30: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – FTC-Telekom
Referees: NAGY, SOOS, Muzsik, Vaczi

17:30: Steinbach Black Wings Linz – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: SIEGEL, SMETANA, Gatol, Riecken

17:30: Pioneers Vorarlberg – HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: NIKOLIC M., WINKLER, Divis, Fleischmann

Watch all games live on Sporteurope.tv.