Full Friday round highlighted by top clash between Graz and Salzburg

Friday’s game between the Moser Medical Graz99ers and EC Red Bull Salzburg is the clear highlight of the round. Graz, currently second in the standings, can secure their playoff berth with a regulation-time win, regardless of other results. A Top-6 finish would also be guaranteed if they collect at least as many points as Fehérvár against Ljubljana. This means that even a regulation loss could be enough should Fehérvár also fail to pick up points in their parallel game.

With 78 points, Graz trail league leaders KAC by four points and hold a three-point advantage over third-placed Salzburg. The Red Bulls suffered a 4–2 loss in Budapest on Wednesday, just their second defeat in the last 16 games. The 99ers last played on Saturday, recording a 4–0 win at the Pioneers after falling 3–2 in Innsbruck the day before. Overall, the Styrians are also in excellent form, having won eight of their last ten games. They have enjoyed success against Salzburg this season as well, winning two of the three meetings so far, although the most recent clash ended in a 3–0 home win for the Red Bulls.

Direct Top-10 battle in Villach
EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV are under serious pressure in the race for the pre-playoffs. Sitting 11th in the standings, the Carinthians are currently three points behind the crucial tenth place. Ninth-placed Steinbach Black Wings Linz, however, are only three points ahead of Villach themselves. Linz have won two of the three head-to-head meetings this season. At present, the Upper Austrians are on a two-game losing streak, while VSV have won two of their last three games. Away from home, Linz have struggled all season, recording just four wins—only two in regulation time—from 19 games. One of those victories was a 5–4 overtime win in Villach.

League leaders KAC visit the Pioneers
On Wednesday, KAC’s five-game winning streak came to an end with a 3–2 loss in Pustertal. On Friday, they visit 12th-placed Pioneers Vorarlberg, who won their first home game against KAC this season 2–1 in a shootout. Both games in Klagenfurt ended in home wins. The Pioneers are also in good form, having won three of their last five games. At home, they have claimed six victories from their last ten outings, while KAC have suffered just two losses in their last ten road games.

Second Tyrolean derby within 48 hours
HC TIWAG Innsbruck and HCB Südtirol Alperia faced off in an intense Tyrolean derby in Innsbruck on Wednesday, with the South Tyroleans edging out a 5–4 overtime win. Just 48 hours later, the rematch takes place in Bolzano. The first meeting in the South Tyrolean capital was won 3–1 by the hosts. Overall, the Foxes have won each of the last eight derbies. In the standings, Bolzano sit fourth, just one point behind third-placed Salzburg, while Innsbruck are rooted to the bottom of the table.

Vienna tested against Pustertal
The Vienna Capitals currently occupy the vital tenth spot and are therefore also under pressure in the race for the pre-playoffs. Their lead over 11th-placed Villach stands at just three points. Pustertal, meanwhile, are in a strong fifth place, already 15 points clear of seventh-placed Fehérvár. The South Tyroleans are on a four-game winning streak, most recently defeating league leaders EC-KAC 3–2 on Wednesday. Vienna, for their part, picked up a 5–2 win in Innsbruck last weekend after previously suffering three consecutive losses. In the season series against Pustertal, the Capitals lost the first two meetings in overtime before securing a narrow 3–2 away win. For Pustertal, this is the first of two games within 24 hours, as they visit Hydro Fehérvár AV19 on Saturday. All Italian fans can watch the game live and for free on DAZN Italia.

Fehérvár host Ljubljana
On Friday, Fehérvár face Olimpija Ljubljana. The Slovenians were crowned champions in their domestic league last week after a 3–0 series sweep against HDD Jesenice. Their last outing in the win2day ICE Hockey League dates back to January 11, when they recorded a 4–1 home win over Linz. Fehérvár, by contrast, have lost each of their last four games. Sitting seventh in the standings, they already trail sixth-placed Ljubljana by 11 points. The first meeting of the season in Fehérvár ended in a 3–1 home win, while both games in Ljubljana were won by the Slovenians. Olimpija are also beginning a two-game stretch within 24 hours, visiting FTC-Telekom on Saturday.

Two games on Saturday
Round 43 gets underway on Saturday with two games, both featuring Hungarian teams enjoying home ice. Fehérvár host Pustertal, with the visitors from South Tyrol having won the first two meetings of the season (4–0, 3–1).

In addition, FTC-Telekom—free from play on Friday—welcome Ljubljana. On Wednesday, the Budapest-based side claimed a surprise 4–2 home win over Salzburg, moving up to eighth place ahead of the Friday games and ending a three-game losing streak. Against Ljubljana, however, FTC-Telekom have yet to record a win, having lost all three previous encounters.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Fri, 23.01.2026:
18:30: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: GEBEI, SMETANA, Bärnthaler, Nothegger

19:15: Vienna Capitals – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal
Referees: SEEWALD E., STERNAT, Bedynek, Weiss | LIVE on DAZN Italia (only available in Italy)

19:15: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: FICHTNER, GROZNIK, Jeram, Muzsik

19:15: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – Olimpija Ljubljana
Referees: OFNER, SOOS, Puff, Vaczi

19:30: Pioneers Vorarlberg – EC-KAC
Referees: NIKOLIC M., RIVIS, Fleischmann, Strimitzer

19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia – HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, HUBER A., Mantovani, Pardatscher

Sat, 24.01.2026:
17:30: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal
Referees: GEBEI, HRONSKY, Durmis, Jedlicka

18:30 Uhr: FTC-Telekom – Olimpija Ljubljana
Referees: PIRAGIC, REZEK, Muzsik, Vaczi

Watch all games live on Sporteurope.tv.