Release from 13.11.2020
© (c) HCP / Foppa / Optic Rapid
The break of some teams is fading away - the Alps Hockey League will pick up again next weekend with seven games. For VEU Feldkirch and S.G. Cortina Hafro it is all about the confirmation of their impressive home streaks. While the HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana wants to remain unbeaten, experienced Philip Winzig will probably make his home debut for EHC Lustenau and the EC Bregenzerwald wants revenge against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. The SHC Fassa Falcons and the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it will meet for the third time this season. The Steel Wings Linz are on a "Vorarlberg Road Trip" and will stop by at VEU in Sunday’s lone game.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 5.00 pm: EHC Lustenau – Steel Wings Linz
Referees: HUBER, WALLNER, Eisl, Kainberger.
The face-off of the game between EHC Lustenau and Steel Wings Linz has been brought forward to 5 p.m., opening the upcoming matchday. The home team celebrated a 3:1 road-win in Sterzing on Thursday and will go into the game as favorites with the Upper Austrians, who are on Vorarlberg road trip, stopping by in Feldkirch on Sunday. In the Preseason the EHC celebrated a clear victory - the two encounters of the past campaign were won clearly by Lustenau too, which misses David Slivnik, Stefan Hrdina and Frederik Rasmussen due to injuries. But was reactivated - already for the game at the Broncos - Philipp Winzig, who posted in his last AHL season (18/19) still 43 points.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 5.30 pm: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan
Referees: FAJDIGA, REZEK, Arlic, Bergant.
After a 21-day break, the HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana is back on the ice again and hosts the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan in the Hala Tivoli. Both teams had a good performance in the return-2-play phase, grabbing nine (HKO) and seven (WSV) points. The "dragons" are still undefeated this season, on home ice they have not yet lost a game against the "Broncos" (3 wins). Especially the special teams of the Slovenians were convincing until the Corona-related break: In the PK they are ranked second in the league with 91.7%, in the PP with 30.6% too. The South Tyroleans are in the lower third in both rankings. For the game on Saturday they have the complete squad available.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 7.30 pm: EC Bregenzerwald – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: HOLZER, SCHAUER, Huber, Rinker.
The EC Bregenzerwald has strengthened its roster with the 26-year-old Latvian Roberts Lipsbergs, who played 137 KHL games for Dinamo Riga. He is about to make his debut against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors to ensure a revenge: On October 24th, the Salzburg side closed out the Vorarlberg team 9-1, celebrating their ninth consecutive win against the "Wälder", who won only one out of seven games this season. Salzburg most recently had four wins in a row, with an average goal difference of +6.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 7.30 pm: VEU Feldkirch – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: HEINRICHER, WUNTSCHEK, Pätscher, Schweighofer.
Their first game in the second phase of the regular season will play the VEU Feldkirch and the HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. While the Vorarlberg side took the full number of points from the R2P rounds, the Slovenians took three points for now - the deciding leg with the EC-KAC II is still to come. The VEU was particularly convincing on home ice: The last eight home games were won, the last home defeat is dated January 29th, 2020, when they lost just to their upcoming opponent Jesenice, which won both games past season against the VEU. So far, both teams have done well on penalty killing: VEU (90% | #4) resp. JES (89,5% | #6). The VEU - they will meet Linz on Sunday back-to-back - can probably count on Sven Grasböck again, who was missing the last games due to injury.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 7.30 pm: SHC Fassa Falcons – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it
Referees: GIACOMOZZI F., LEGA, Cristeli, Piras.
The SHC Fassa Falcons and the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it will meet for the third time this season. The first two games - played during the return-to-play phase - were won by Val Gardena. The difference was made by Brad McGowan and Mathew Wilkins, who together scored ten points in these two games. Currently the duo is leading the scoring charts with 18 points each. Fassa has meanwhile recovered from his "cold start" and won the last two games (SGC & ASH) clearly, where Joseph Mizzi (4G | 2A) was on fire.
Sat, 14.11.2020, 8.30 pm: S.G. Cortina Hafro – HC Pustertal Wölfe
Referees: MOSCHEN, PINIE, Mantovani, Ricco.
For the S.G. Cortina Hafro, who recently made up for three games from the return-to-play phase, "stage two" starts on Saturday at home against the HC Pustertal Wölfe. Cortina heads into this game with confidence: on the one hand it has the best penalty killing available (92.3%), on the other hand it has scored in every home game since December 15th of the past year. The last home defeat after regulation is dated December 14th, where the "wolves" snatched up a road win at Cortina. But the Bruneck side is again struggling on the road: In all four road games so far, they have not been successful, and have been without a win in seven games abroad.
Sun, 15.11.2020, 6.00 pm: VEU Feldkirch – Steel Wings Linz
Referees: HOLZER, HUBER A., Eisl, Huber J..
The road trip of Steel Wings Linz ends at VEU Feldkirch. The day before, Saturday, the Upper Austrians will take on EHC Lustenau, the Vorarlberg side hosts HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. In the past campaign these two teams met four times. VEU won all games, once after Shootout (3:4 @SWL on December 5th, 2019), the last two without conceding one goal.