Graz can equal longest winning streak in club’s history

bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | 30.12.2021 | Schedule:
Th, 30.12.2021, 6.30 pm: HC TESLA Orli Znojmo – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: NIKOLIC K., SIEGEL, Gatol, Vaczi. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The Moser Medical Graz99ers defended their winning streak against reigning champions EC-KAC on Tuesday, but the 4-3 home win after overtime was hard-fought: the Styrians had to overcome a two-goal deficit, but managed to do so for the first time in the current season. The seventh win in a row means the second-longest winning streak in the club's history for the Styrians, which are ranked seventh having managed eight wins in a row between January 25th and February 22nd, 2019. The setting of the record should succeed on Thursday at HC TESLA Orli Znojmo. Twice these two teams have faced each other so far, both times won by the Czechs, which are hard to break, especially at home, with seven wins from the last ten games. Both teams play a very good powerplay: Znojmo leads the PP ranking with 26.6%, Graz is third (23.5%).

Th, 30.12.2021, 7.15 pm: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie – HC Pustertal Wölfe
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Seewald, Sparer. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HC TIWAG Innsbruck – Die Haie will meet back-2-back the South Tyrolean ICE teams. After the 0:3 away defeat in Bolzano, the Tyroleans host HC Pustertal Wölfe, with the ICE newcomer was also unable to score a goal on the last matchday, losing 0:5 in Dornbirn. While the defeat was a slight damper for the "Wolves", they still remained within touching distance of the top-10, the "Sharks" are searching for improvement: Only one of the last six games was won (6:2 @ZNO). In the standings, they dropped to ninth place. At home, the team around Zach Magwood, Innsbruck's top scorer is back after suspension, is without a win for three games, made only four goals in these 180 minutes. The two teams play against each other for the second time, the first duel went, after a good start, to the "Sharks".

Th, 30.12.2021, 7.15 pm: EC Red Bull Salzburg – Dornbirn Bulldogs
Referees: BULOVEC, GROZNIK, Kainberger, Nothegger. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
EC Red Bull Salzburg continues to be the benchmark in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League: with a point average of 2.032, the six-time champions are now comfortably at the top. For seven games, the team of Peter Schneider – the goal scorer currently scored 20 goals, eight of them in the last four games – is unbeaten and did not give up a single point. To set the longest winning streak in club history, it still needs five more wins (12-game winning streak between October 22nd and November 26th, 2013). The first of these should come against Dornbirn, especially as there is still a score to settle with the Vorarlberg side. The first duel of the season was won by the Ländle squad early in the season with 6:5. The "Bulldogs" go into the second duel of the season strengthened: The last three road games were won, on Tuesday they dominated HC Pustertal – thanks to a strong defensive and goalie performance by Felix Beck – with 5:0. Both teams improved their performance on the powerplay on the last game day, scoring twice each in numerical superiority. The Bulldogs (15.5%) have yet to score two PP goals this season. For Salzburg, Dominique Heinrich and Florian Baltram could be back. Goalie Atte Tolvanen is out for the coming weeks with an upper body injury suffered in the Linz game.

Th, 30.12.2021, 7.15 pm: EC GRAND Immo VSV – HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: NAGY, TRILAR, Bärnthaler, Riecken. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HCB Südtirol Alperia improved to fourth place in the table with a clear 3:0 home win against Innsbruck on Tuesday and is now only a short distance behind the top 3. The "Foxes" have recently improved their play in a shorthanded situation: although they are still only the second-weakest team with a man less on the ice with 75%, they did not concede a goal in the box play in the last two games. VSV also remained without a pp goal against in their 4:2 home win over Ljubljana – for the 18th time this season (82.6% PK | #4). Both previous season encounters were hard-fought, decided in overtime (6:5) and shootout (3:2) by the home team in each case. In the last four games in Villach, the "Foxes" have always scored, winning twice. Villach has to play without the injured Brett Flemming, Simon Pitschieler is missing for Bozen.

Th, 30.12.2021, 7.15 pm: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: FICHTNER, SMETANA, Kis-Kiraly, Konc. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
Hydro Fehérvár AV19, which were not in action on Tuesday, host the spusu Vienna Capitals in their last game of 2021. The two teams from the top-6 have different forms availabel: while the Hungarians, after five defeats from seven games lately, slipped to fifth place, the Austrians improved to second place in the table with a 4-2 home win on Tuesday. Fehérvár is fighting for its tenth home win of the current season, and the two previous season duels between these teams were also won by the home team in each case. Nevertheless, the "Caps" have almost always convinced in Székesfehérvár recently. Seven of the last nine encounters were won by the team around Neo-ICE top scorer Nicolai Meyer (17G|23A), which is especially dangerous on the power play. In the last four games, the Viennese scored eight goals with numerical superiority.

Th, 30.12.2021, 7.45 pm: HK SZ Olimpija – EC-KAC
Referees: OFNER, STERNAT, Miklic, Zgonc. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The second duel between two teams from the top-6 will take place in Ljubljana, as third-placed HK SZ Olimpija will host EC-KAC. This is already the third time this season that the two teams clash: the first match was won by the "Dragons" with 3:2, the second encounter went to the "Rotjacken" with 3:1. The Carinthians currently have very good form available away from home, picking up at least a point in each of their last five road games, and twice the reigning champions, who will again be without the injured Thomas Koch and Dennis Sticha, went without conceding a goal. In addition, the Carinthians are threatened by the loss of Petersen, Dahm and Bischofberger. If they are able to play will be decided after the morning skate on game day. Both teams are in the habit of playing strong penalty killing in the current championship. Ljubljana's PK unit is the strongest league-wide (84.5%), Klagenfurt comes in at 83.5%. The "Dragons" have nevertheless lost their initial drive, losing in five of their last six games.