Release from 24.08.2017
Champion UPC Vienna Capitals, EC-KAC and EC Red Bull Salzburg fight for points in the Champions Hockey League this weekend, eight other clubs play friendly games.
Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna with difficult tasks in the Champions Hockey League
For the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga-clubs, Champion UPC Vienna Capitals, EC-KAC and EC Red Bull Salzburg, starts already this week the Champions Hockey League.
EC-KAC is in action already today at French Champion Rapaces de Gap. On Saturday the „Red Jackets“ will be guest at Frölunda Gothenburg then. The „Indians“ won the Champions Hockey League in the last two years!
EC Red Bull Salzburg starts the Champions Hockey League this season with home-games vs. Tappara Tampere from Finnland (Fri) and Banska Bystrica from Slovakia (Sun). Both clubs won the title in their country past season. So far the Mozart Citizens always won their first home-game in the Champions Hockey League.
UPC Vienna Capitals start their trip through Europe on Friday at Belarus Champion Neman Grodno. On Sunday Andreas Nödl and Co. will play another tough game at JYP Jyvaskyla. JYP won so far twice (2009, 2012) the title in Finland and always reached the Playoffs in the CHL, 2014/15 second behind EC Red Bull Salzburg.
Black Wings will face Augsburg Panthers twice
EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz started their PreSeason two weeks ago with two wins over the DEL-club Straubing Tigers. This weekend the Upper Austrians continue their preparation now with friendly games against the Augsburg Panther. Also Augsburg, that is coached by Austro-Canadian Mike Stewart, participates in the DEL. 2016/17 the Panthers finished the regular season in the DEL on place 6, but was stopped then in the Playoffs already in the Quarterfinals. The first game takes place on Friday at Augsburg, Sunday follows then the re-match at Linz.
Fehervar AV19 and Foxes play home-opener
Fehervar AV19 is still waiting for the first win in this PreSeason. The Hungarians lost their first friendly games at Poporad and Nove Zamky (both SVK). This weekend the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga-club will play their first two home-games. And again the Devils opponents come from Slovakia: On Friday Daniel Koger and Co. welcome Slovakian Vice-Champion HK Nitra with former Fehervar AV19-player Judd Blackwater and on Sunday MsHk Zilina. Against HK Nitra the devils played already in the past, 2011 and 2014 as well the Hungarians were successful.
HCB Südtirol Alperia started strong into the PreSeason: The Foxes won their first friendly game at WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan 8:0. With S. Marchetti, Oleksuk, Egger, M. Marchetti, Frigo, Angelidis, Monardo, S. Marchetti eight different players scored. On Saturday the Italians will play now their first home-game against Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935. The „Yellow-Reds“ reached the finals in Alps Hockey League past season. For the fans it is the first chance to see the new formed team of Head Coach Pat Curcio. Already on Friday the two teams will face before at Asiago. While goalie Jake Smith is injured, Youngster Robin Quagliato, who came by loan from Sterzing, is Backup at Bozen.
Medvescak travels to Villach
On Friday EC VSV hosts German club SC Riessersee. The two teams faced already last year twice in the PreSeason, both times the „Eagles“ won. But take attention: On Sunday the DEL/2-club beat HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ 2:0. On Sunday arrives then KHL Medvescak Zagreb at Villach. For the Croatians it is the first meeting with an League-opponent. So far the Bears have played one friendly game in Maribor against HC Lyon, which they won 2:1. Villach also faced the French team and won with 4:2. But since that game the Carinthians lost to Banska Bystrica (2:3) and to Rapaces de Gap (3:4). Villach vs. Zagreb was played already often in the past, in the last seven clashes always the home-team left the ice as the winner.
Premiere for the 99ers
After three successful games at Maribor the Moser Medical Graz99ers next stop is Bordeaux. There the Styrians travel for the first time in the clubs history by airplane. In France Oliver Setzinger and Company will play their next two friendly games against Swiss top-club Geneve Servette HC (Fri) and host Boxers de Bordeaux (Sat) with the former 99ers-player Olivier Labelle and Ex-Znojmo-Crack Adam Hughesman.
Update (Thursday, August 24th 2017, 21:05): The 99ers had to cancel the tournament at Bourdeaux! Because of a broken bus the Styrians missed the airplane from Venedig to France.
West-clubs face German teams
Dornbirn Bulldogs and HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ will face German teams this weekend. The Bulldogs, who have won in this PreSeason so far all three clashes against German teams (Ravensburg, Kaufbeuren, Freiburg) and scored 18 goals, will be guest at DEL-club ERC Ingolstadt on Friday. On Sunday the „Vorarlberger“ will welcome then DEL/2-Vice-Champion Bietigheim Steelers. HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ travels to Schwenningen on Saturday. The German club, that is coached by former Fehervar AV19 and Innsbruck coach Pat Cortina, failed the Playoffs in the DEL in the past four years and lost the only clash so far with Innsbruck 2013.
The first games for the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga-clubs in the group stage of the Champions Hockey League:
Thu, 24.08.2017: Gap Rapaces (FRA) - EC-KAC (20:30)
Fri, 25.08.2017: Neman Grodno (BLR) - UPC Vienna Capitals (18:00, CEST)
Fri, 25.08.2017: EC Red Bull Salzburg - Tappara Tampere (FIN) (19:30)
Referees: GRUBER, HALLIN, Soos, Zgonc.
Sat, 26.08.2017: Frölunda Gothenburg (SWE) - EC-KAC (15:00)
Sun, 27.08.2017: JYP Jyvaskyla (FIN) - UPC Vienna Capitals (18:00, CEST)
Sun, 27.08.2017: EC Red Bull Salzburg - Banska Bystrica (SVK) (19:30)
Referees: HALLIN, SMETANA, Pardatscher, Verworner.
The next friendly games of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga-clubs:
Thu, 24.08.2017: HC Orli Znojmo - CEZ Motor Ceske Budejovice (18:00)
Fri, 25.08.2017: EC VSV - SC Riessersee (19:15)
Referees: AUMÜLLER, VOGL, Dreier, Höck
Fri, 25.08.2017: Fehervar AV19 - HK Nitra (19:00)
Fri, 25.08.2017: ERC Ingolstadt (DEL) - Dornbirn Bulldogs (19:30)
Fri, 25.08.2017: Augsburg Panther - EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (19:30)
Fri, 25.08.2017: Geneve Servette - Moser Medical Graz99ers - cancelled
Fri, 25.08.2017: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 - HCB Südtirol Alperia (20:30)
Sat, 26.08.2017: Schwenningen Wild Wings - HC TWK Innsbruck "Die Haie" (15:00)
Sat, 26.08.2017: Boxers de Bordeaux - Moser Medical Graz99ers - cancelled
Sat, 26.08.2017: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 (19:45)
Sun, 27.08.2017: EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz - Augsburg Panther (18:00)
Referees: KELLNER, M. NIKOLIC, Gatol, Kontschieder
Sun, 27.08.2017: Fehervar AV19 - MsHK Zilina (17:00)
Sun, 27.08.2017: EC VSV - KHL Medvescak Zagreb (17:30)
Referees: GRUBER, STERNAT, Ettlmayr, Krausz
Sun, 27.08.2017: Dornbirn Bulldogs - Bietigheim Steelers/DEL2 (20:00)
Referees: BERNEKER, STOLC, Schauer, Sparer