Graz overturn thrilling top clash | VSV clinch Pre Playoff spot

It was the expected showdown between the Graz99ers and EC-KAC. In front of 4,126 fans at a sold-out Merkur Eisstadion, the hosts prevailed 4–2, despite trailing 0–2 until the 44th minute. With this result, Graz have closed the gap to league leaders Klagenfurt to just one point, with three games remaining. In a highly entertaining contest, Simeon Schwinger opened the scoring for the visitors in the 8th minute. The 1–0 lead held until the 37th minute, when Josh Teves doubled the advantage. At the start of the final period, everything pointed towards an away win and a decisive step in the race for first place. However, Graz came out of the locker room transformed. First, Marcus Vela pulled one back in the 44th minute, before Chris Collins equalised in the 52nd minute. That was not all: new signing Kevin Conley put the Graz99ers ahead for the first time in the 55th minute, scoring the game-winning goal in just his third appearance for the club. EC-KAC threw everything forward in the closing minutes. However, the equaliser did not come, and Josh Currie sealed the victory with an empty-net goal. For Graz, it was their fifth win in the last six games and their third victory in four meetings with EC-KAC this season. For KAC, it marked their first defeat after three consecutive wins.

VSV clinch Pre Playoff spot
The EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV collected the crucial points with a 3:1 home win over Pioneers Vorarlberg to officially secure their place in the Pre Playoffs. In a tight contest, Nick Hutchison gave the eighth-placed side the lead in the 9th minute. VSV controlled large parts of the game thereafter, but the Pioneers equalised in the 37th minute on the power play through Oskar Maier. The Eagles responded immediately, restoring their lead just 40 seconds later thanks to Joël Teasdale. It was his second goal in only his fourth appearance for the club. VSV were unable to seal the game early, and the final decision came only 71 seconds before the end with an empty-net goal. As with the opening goal, Nick Hutchison was once again the scorer.

Salzburg claim first season win over Pustertal
In their fourth meeting of the season, the EC Red Bull Salzburg earned their first victory over the HC Falkensteiner Pustertal, edging out a 2:1 overtime win. In a very tight game played in front of a near sell-out crowd, Salzburg trailed early after Austin Rueschhoff gave the visitors the lead in the 2nd minute. It took until the 46th minute for Pustertal goaltender Eddie Pasquale to be beaten for the first time, as defenseman Cole Krygier scored in just his second game for Salzburg. Overtime lasted only 49 seconds before center Travis St. Denis netted the game-winning goal. With the win, Salzburg moved back ahead of Bolzano in the standings and now sit third, while Pustertal remain in sixth place.

Ljubljana prevail in Linz after overtime
Another tight contest unfolded between the Steinbach Black Wings Linz and Olimpija Ljubljana, once again ending 2:1 after overtime, this time in favour of the visitors from Slovenia. Both regulation goals were scored in the first period: Evan Polei opened the scoring in the 6th minute for Ljubljana, before Brian Lebler equalised for Linz on the power play in the 14th minute. Around 4,800 spectators attended the game at the LINZ AG Eisarena. No further goals were scored in regulation, sending the game into overtime. There, T.J. Brennan struck on the power play in the 64th minute to secure Ljubljana’s third win of the season against the Upper Austrians. In the standings, Ljubljana remain ninth, while the Black Wings sit tenth, three points clear of Budapest.

win2day ICE Hockey League
Sun, 22.02.2026
EC Red Bull Salzburg - HC Falkensteiner Pustertal 2:1/OT (0:1, 0:0, 1:0, 1:0)
Referees: FICHTNER, OFNER, Nothegger, Zacherl
Goals RBS: 1:1 Krygier C. (45.), 2:1 St. Denis T. (61./OT)
Goals HCP: 0:1 Rueschhoff A. (2.)

Steinbach Black Wings Linz - Olimpija Ljubljana 1:2/OT (1:1, 0:0, 0:0, 0:0)
Referees: STERNAT, UNTERWEGER, J. Seewald, Vaczi
Goal BWL: 1:1 Lebler B. (14./PP1)
Goals OLL: 0:1 Polei E. (6.), 1:2 Brennan T. (64./OT)

EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV - Pioneers Vorarlberg 3:1 (1:0, 1:1, 1:0)
Referees: PIRAGIC, REZEK, Jeram, Riecken
Goals VSV: 1:0 Hutchison N. (9.), 2:1 Teasdale J. (38.), 3:1 Hutchison N. (59./EN)
Goal PIV: 1:1 Maier O. (37./PP1)

Moser Medical Graz99ers - EC-KAC 4:2 (0:1, 0:1, 4:0)
Referees: HRONSKY, ZRNIC, Jedlicka, Puff
Goals G99: 1:2 Vela M. (44.), 2:2 Collins S. (52.), 3:2 Conley K. (55.), 4:2 Currie J. (60./EN)
Goals KAC: 0:1 Schwinger S. (8.), 0:2 Teves J. (37.)