Release from 20.12.2019
With the HC Pustertal Wolves hosting the Rittner Buam the game between first and second in standings is scheduled on Saturday. Further, the Red Bull Hockey Juniors aim the sixth win in a row and the EK Die Zeller Eisbären, the HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana and the EHC Lustenau each will extend winning-streaks against the upcoming opponents, as they have huge series available against their next competitors, while the Vienna Capitals Silver wants back on winning ways after six straight losses.
Sa, 21.12.2019, 5.00 pm: EC-KAC II – EHC Lustenau
Referees: PAHOR, REZEK, Puff, Riecken.
Saturday’s gameday in Alps Hockey League opens at five, as EC-KAC II hosts EHC Lustenau. Fifth-ranked Lustenau aims to come back on winning ways, after its streak was destroyed by Ritten two weeks ago (1:4). With the 15th season-win the Vorarlberg side can make their place in the top-6 more comfortable. Klagenfurt sits on 15th spot, winning only one out of the past five games. In Alps Hockey League Lustenau did not lose one single game against the EC-KAC II, snatching up seven straight. The guests dominated the first season meeting 4:1, as their top-scorer Christopher D’Alvise (17G | 22A) made a brace.
- Losing-Streak KA2: 2
- H2H AHL: 0:7 (EHC)
Sa, 21.12.2019, 6.00 pm: Vienna Capitals Silver – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: LESNIAK, LOICHT, Matthey, Moidl.
The Vienna Capitals Silver head into their third consecutive home-game taking on HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, which plays its second game within less than 24 hours, coming off the Slovenian Derby on Friday. Vienna’s form curve points downwards, as the Caps lost six in a row. Jesenice is ranked on 13th place overall, trailing ten points to sixth place. In the first season encounter the Slovenian side turned around a 0:1 deficit, snatching up a 5:2 home-win thanks to a brace of Jaka Ankerst. On PP and PK Vienna each has the better percentage available.
- Losing-Streak VCS: 6
- Losing-Streak JES: 3
- H2H AHL: 0:1 (JES)
Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: MOSCHEN, WIDMANN, Piras, Snoj.
After Friday’s second Slovenian Derby at Jesenice the HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana hosts Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey in another battle of two former Alps Hockey League Champions. Past gameday Asiago came back on winning streak, after five consecutive defeats, and aims the first victory over Ljubljana ever. The “dragons” won all past five duels against the Italian side. Three games were decided by only one goal. Only once Asiago could grab a point, as they lost 4:5 after overtime on March 6th, 2019. While the Slovenian side is the second-best home-team in Alps Hockey League, Asiago is the fourth best on the road and could reenter the top-6 with another away-win.
Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: RUETZ, SUPPER, Reisinger, Rinker.
After two consecutive wins against bottom-placed teams, the EC “Die Adler” Stadtwerke Kitzbühel welcomes the EK Die Zeller Eisbären in a derby clash. The “eagles” try to take revenge on the “polar bears”, as the Salzburg side dominates the first season meeting 6:0. But the guests arrive after three consecutive losses, accepting at least five goals in the past three games. 14th-ranked Kitzbühel struggled in home-games, winning only five. Zell am See has the chance to reconnect to the top-6, currently placed ninth overall and the “polar bears” have an impressive winning-streak against the Tyrolese available, as they won the past six duels in Alps Hockey League.
- Winning-Streak KEC: 2
- Losing-Streak EKZ: 3
- H2H AHL: 3:8 (EKZ)
Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: VEU Feldkirch – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: GAMPER, HOLZER, Huber, Martin.
On Saturday, another Austrian battle is scheduled, as the VEU Feldkirch hosts the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. With five wins in a row the Salzburg side climbed to eleventh place in standings, trailing only five points to sixth-ranked Feldkirch, which is the fourth best home-team of the league, losing only two out of ten in front of the home crowd. While the VEU has two of the three best scorers in the line-up (Robin Soudek and Dylan Stanley), the young “Red Bulls” dominated on the offensive-end lately in the past five games with seven goals per game on average. The first meeting of the season was decided in overtime, as Stanley fired it home for the VEU to get a 3:2 OT-win.
- Winning-Streak RBJ: 5
- H2H AHL: 4:3 (VEU)
Sa, 21.12.2019, 8.00 pm: HC Pustertal Wölfe – Rittner Buam
Referees: VIRTA, WALLNER, Rigoni, Slaviero.
HC Pustertal Wölfe against the Rittner Buam rounds off Saturday’s gameday in Alps Hockey League, as the top two in standings face each other. The vice-champion tops the table with 48 points, while Ritten is places second with 47 points. Both teams arrive after three consecutive wins. The first season encounter was a hard-fought battle, with the “wolves” taking a tight 2:1 road-win after shootout. Eight out of eleven games between these two were decided by only one goal. Ritten currently has the best PP available among all teams (37,6%) and both teams have an almost equal percentage in PK (RIT 79,8% | PUS 79,3%). Further, this game is the battle of the second-best defense (PUS) against the best offence (RIT), with the “Buam” missing one more goal to reach the 100th this season first.
- Winning-Streak PUS: 3
- Winning-Streak RIT: 3
- H2H AHL: 6:5 (PUS)