Release from 04.02.2023
On the last matchday before the International Break, five games are scheduled in the win2day ICE Hockey League on Sunday. While HC TIWAG Innsbruck wants to beat the league leader from Salzburg for the first time in their fourth attempt, two other top 6 teams duel in the PULS 24 live match: In the race for direct playoff qualification, Steinbach Black Wings Linz welcome EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV.
win2day ICE Hockey League:
Sun, 05.02.2023, 16:00: EC-KAC - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, PIRAGIC, Bärnthaler, Zgonc | LIVE in PPV-Stream
On Friday, EC-KAC got back on the winning track and also into the top-6 with a 4:3 victory at Fehérvár AV19 - the first red-white "three-pointer" in Hungary since October 2020. Now the Klagenfurt team wants to show its best side at home as well: From the most recent six games in the Heidi Horten Arena, only two wins and five points are on the books. With Asiago Hockey, Petri Matikainen's team will face the only club in the league, against whom there has not yet been a loss of points this season (4:1 and 3:2 for the KAC). Still, the Italians are one of the league's in-form teams, winning six of their last seven championship encounters and sitting in ninth place. Allan McShane and Giordano Finoro have averaged over 1.00 points so far, and the Canadian duo already have a combined 46 goals. The EC-KAC must continue to do without Thomas Vallant, Maximilian Preiml, Nick Petersen, Lukas Haudum, Thomas Koch, Johannes Bischofberger, Finn van Ee and Daniel Obersteiner (all injured).
Sun, 05.02.2023, 17:30: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV
Referees: RENCZ, SMETANA, Gatol-Schafranek, Muzsik | LIVE on PULS 24
For the Steinbach Black Wings, a real heartbeat finale is looming in the race for direct playoff qualification. Currently, the Upper Austrians, who have lost three of their last four games, are four points ahead of seventh place. VSV, on the other hand, consolidated fourth place with three wins in a row, on Friday Anthony Luciani scored a hat-trick in a 5:2 victory in Bolzano. The PULS 24 live match is the fourth duel of the season between the two teams, so far always the home team won - thus the Carinthians went twice as winners from the ice. With a win athe Carinthians would fix their playoff spot.
On Sunday, the "Karl Nedwed Trophy" will be in Linz, the 18.25 kilogram object of desire can be examined, selfies and photos included. In addition, the Black Wings will be hosting a "Retro Night": against their 2002/03 final opponents, the Upper Austrians will be celebrating long-time companions and looking back on the successes of their 30-year existence. Many glorious names and faces will be in the Linz AG Eisarena.
Sun, 05.02.2023, 17:30: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: BERNEKER, M. NIKOLIC, Martin, Sparer | LIVE in PPV-Stream
With the 4:1 home win against HC Pustertal, the Red Bulls regained the lead in the standings after four months and are now one point ahead of Bolzano. The Red Bulls recently won seven in a row, one more victory is missing for the reigning champions to set a new season record. Innsbruck is currently in third place, seven points behind Salzburg, but the Tyroleans have only won one of their last four home games. In addition, the Red Bulls also prevailed in the three duels so far this season. The Sharks are at the top in several individual statistics. Brady Shaw leads the league scorers list with 63 points, Adam Helewka has scored the most goals so far (25). On the other hand, Salzburg's Atte Tolvanen is at the top of the goalie rankings with a .934 save percentage.
Sun, 05.02.2023, 17:30: HK SZ Olimpija - Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: HRONSKY, OFNER, Durmis, Konc | LIVE in PPV-Stream
After the 2:5 in Asiago the Moser Medical Graz99ers now face Ljubljana away. The Styrians recently conceded eight away defeats in a row, but a win in Slovenia is almost mandatory to establish themselves among the top-10. Olimpija has let some players go in the last few days. However, the second-to-last team in the table showed as recently as Friday with a 3:1 win in Vienna that they are still a strong team. The Slovenians also won two of three duels this season, but just a week ago the 99ers prevailed 4:1. Graz coach Pennerborn can call on almost the entire squad for the game. Michael Schiechl will return to the line-up, only Andrew Yogan remains unavailable.
Sun, 05.02.2023, 18:00: HC Pustertal Wolves - Hydro Fehervar AV 19
Referees: GROZNIK, STERNAT, Nothegger, Seewald | LIVE in PPV-Stream
Both Pustertal and Fehérvár fell short of expectations in the season so far. With position eleven, the South Tyrolean team is outside the pre-playoff places, of their last five games they could only win one. The reigning vice-champion ranks eighth, after the 3:4 home defeat against the KAC the gap to the top-6 is already eight points. However, the Hungarians now meet one of their "favorite opponents", from ten league duels they kept the upper hand eight times. In the current season, they won 4:1 and 2:0.
Photo: Black Wings Linz/Eisenbauer