Finals start in Vienna on Sunday

The facts before the first game of the finals in Vienna in 2019:

• In contrast to the previous year, the "Best of 7" series will again be played in H / A / H / A / H / A / H mode. The first game starts on Sunday already at 14.00 o´clock in Vienna. A first possible deciding game would take place on Saturday, April 20, in Klagenfurt.
• The spusu Vienna Capitals and the EC-KAC meet for the fourth time in a final series. In all three series, the Viennese went top seeded in the finals. In 2005, the Capitals won 4:3, in 2017 they won the title with a sweep. The KAC won the 2013 clash without a defeat (4-0).
• For the 13th time the winner of the basic round is also in the finals of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. Only in the years 2008, 2010 and 2018 the best team of the regular season could not qualify for the finals.
• For the 16th time this year, the championship title will be awarded in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
• Game one of the "Best of -7"-series is broadcast live on Sunday by both ServusTV, the Servus Hockey Night (Facebook, Youtube and Homepage) and Sky Sport Austria.

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, Finals Games #1:
Su, April 14, 14.00: spusu Vienna Capitals (#1) – EC-KAC (#3)
Referees: NIKOLIC M., SMETANA, Kontschieder, Zgonc.

• The spusu Vienna Capitals (#1) qualified for the final in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga only in match seven of the "Best of 7"-semi-final series against EC Red Bull Salzburg. The two-time champion will contest his fifth final series starting on Sunday (record: 2:2).
• The EC-KAC has a much shorter semi-final series in the legs. The Carinthians managed a sweep (4: 0) over the Moser Medical Graz 99ers qualifying for their eighth finals in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (record: 3:4). Thus, the KAC had 198.5 hours regeneration time until the starting whistle on Sunday. The recovery time of  the Vienna Capitals is only 40 hours.
• In the last two finals between these two teams, there was a sweep on each side: in 2017, the caps won 4-0, in 2013 the "red jackets"  won the finals without a defeat. Overall, a final series in the Ersten Bank Eishockey Liga was won 4:0 only three times (2015 RBS vs. VIC 4: 0).
• Both teams have shown their qualities in the playoffs especially in the penalty killing: Vienna ranks first in this statistic with 89.3%. Klagenfurt is in third place with 84.6%.
• With J.P. Lamoureux (VIC) and Lars Haugen (KAC) the two best goalkeepers in the current playoffs duel in this series. Both players have received only 2.2 goals per game on average in this season. While Lamoureux's balance is constant, Haugen conceded only one goal on average in the Semifinals.
• With Christopher DeSousa (43G | 37A) and Peter Schneider (40G | 40G), the Capitals have the top two players of the league in their rows. So far, Nick Petersen has scored 72 points for the KAC (28G | 44 A).
• The Caps have won four of the six games so far this season. In the two recent duels in the pick round, the Viennese won 4:1.
• Johannes Bischofberger will return in the lineup oft he „Red Jackets“. Manuel Geier and Philipp Kreuzer will definitely miss the series. The comeback of Marco Richter could possibly be in the finals. 

Quotes to the game:

Peter Schneider, player of VIC: "Now it's a new start in a new series. The semi-final series is over, it was really difficult. But I think it will push you if you win such a tough series. I am now full of energy and verve again. I am so excited for Sunday."

Dave Cameron, head coach of VIC: "Klagenfurt has a very good team. It's a really good season for them. Of course we know how the KAC operates. We'll do some video analysis now and be ready for the final series. "

Petri Matikainen, Head Coach of the KAC: "Two battles are behind us, the third is coming up. In the final series we meet a very strong opponent, who is in full swing and took a positive flow from the victory on Friday. Our preparation for the meetings with the Capitals was good, we know very well what we have to do to be successful. We're excited about the opportunity we have, we've been working to get that opportunity since last summer, and as a group we are now fully focused on it and determined to reward ourselves for the effort we've put into it." 

Here your can find the schedule of the finals.