Holiday-hockey

Referees: HOFFARD, LEMELIN, Jensen, Nemeth.

>>KHL Medvescak Zagreb is guest at Vienna for the first time since February 15th 2014 on Friday. 1.391 days ago the Bears won a friendly game at Kagran 3:2 after Shoot Out. One year before (13.02.2013) the two teams meet the last time in Austria in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, also in those days the Bears were successful (5:4).

>>Lately the two teams showed different faces: While Leader Vienna Capitals won the last four games and convinced in the defense - goalie JP Lamoureux received no goal in the last 128 minutes -, KHL Medvescak Zagreb lost the last three games. The Croatians had big problems to score goals lately: Even the Bears had 105 shots on goal in the last 180 minutes, they scored just one goal. Vienna leads the ranking, while Zagreb is seventh.

>>But take attention: KHL Medvescak Zagreb is the only team, that is still unbeaten in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga against the Vienna Capitals this season: The Bears won the first season-meeting at Zagreb 4:1. Against the other (ten) opponents the Caps have won at least once 2017/18.

>>With Vienna Capitals and KHL Medvescak Zagreb the two best Penalty Killing teams will face on Friday at Kagran. Vienna has a Penalty Killing efficiency of 85,1% and Zagreb of 84,5%. This is completly different in the Power Play statistic, here Vienna is first and Zagreb the worst team.

>>The Vienna Capitals are the best team at home, the Caps collected so far 30 points (ten wins) from twelve home-games. KHL Medvescak Zagreb on the other side is the worst team on the road. The Bears collected just seven points (three wins) from twelve road-games, in which they scored in average less then two goals per game.

Quotes:
Riley Holzapfel, Forward Vienna Capitals: „Zagreb is a good team. It needs 100% from all of us all 60 minutes!“
Aaron Fox, former Topscorer of Vienna Capitals and now sports director of KHL Medvescak Zagreb: „We have with Garrett Noonan a new player, he wil help us immediately. We expect him to help our Power Play, which has been really struggling.“

 

Referees: KELLNER, M. NIKOLIC, Kontschieder, Sparer
>>EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (3) welcomes EC-KAC (2) in the persecutor-clash on Friday. Klagenfurt collected so far 50 points (17 wins) from 25 game and is second, Linz collected 44 points (14 wins) from 25 games and is third.
>>EC-KAC is the team of the hour: The „Red Jackets“ won their last seven games and are unbeaten for over one month. Lately the Carinthians played strong defense, received no goal for 181:04 minutes. 2007/08 the Fin Mikko Strömberg stayed unbeaten with HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ even for 249 minutes. The Black Wings won their last two games and were also on Fire, they scored totally nine goals!

>>EC-KAC travels with good meomories to Linz. The Red Jackets won their last three games in Upper Austria. Last time the Black Wings were successful at home against the Carinthians was on September 25th 2016 or 438 days ago.

>>The last three meetings between this two teams were won by the road-team. 
>>With Brian Lebler (BWL) and Johannes Bischofberger (KAC) at both tlubs an Austrian player is Topscorer and best goalscorer. Lebler made so far 31 points (19G/12A), Bischofberger 23 points (9G/14A).
Quotes:
Troy Ward, Headcoach EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz: „We get better and better.“
Christoph Brandner, Assistant Coach EC-KAC: „The team is fighting, shows good hockey and we also started scoring in Power Play again and we have a really good goaltending!“

 

Referees: GRUBER, SCHUTZ, Angerer, Seewald.
>>HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“, where Rob Pallin will be Headcoach also next season, and the Moser Medical Graz99ers will face twice within 48 hours this weekend. On Friday (17:30) the two teams will meet at Innsbruck and then on Sunday (16:00) at Graz.
>>The two teams had an exactly different run lately: While the Tyroleans started the December with two wins after three defeats before, the 99ers did not win and did not score in their last two games. Before the Mur Citizens celebrated three wins in a row.
>>The last five clashes between this two Austrian clubs ended with home-wins. The 99ers got their last win at Innsbruck on February 7th 2016 or 669 das ago.
>>The Moser Medical Graz99ers had problems on the road so far: The Styrians collected just nine points (three wins) from 12 road-games. It’s more then two month ago the Styrians took three points on the road (from Dornbirn). Since that day the Mur Citizens got just three points from seven road-games (OT-win at Bozen and SO-defeat at Salzburg).
>>For both teams it is an important weekend in the fight for a Top 6 spot and the direct Play-off-Qualification. Innsbruck is sixth with 38 points (12 wins) from 25 games and Graz is eight with 34 points (12 wins) from 25 games.
Quotes:
Mitch Wahl, Forward HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“: „The confidence is back and things go easier again.“
Brock Higgs, Forward Moser Medical Graz99ers: „We are rested and will be ready for Innsbruck!“

 

Referees: BULOVEC, K. NIKOLIC, Schauer, Zgonc.
>>HCB Südtirol Alperia (12) and EC VSV (9) try to end bad runs on Friday. The Italians lost their last five games or eight from their last nine matches. The Carinthians on the other side also got just one victory from their last seven games.
>>Pointing out the last five rounds, the two worst teams will face each other: Bozen collected just one point in the last five rounds, Villach three points.
>>EC VSV travels with good memories to Bozen. The Eagles won the first two season-clashes with one goal difference (5:4/SO and 4:3). Petan and Halmo (both HCB) could score in the first two season-meetings with Villach.
>>Markus Peintner makes his debut as EC VSV Headcoach, Hans Winkler will be Assistant Coach for the first time. 
>>The Italians had problems to score lately: The Foxes made just one goal in the last three rounds. Villach on the other side received 18 goals in the last four rounds.
Quotes:
Alexander Egger, Captain HCB Südtirol Alperia: „It is a very important weekend for us: We need points! To acchieve that, we need to be more aggressive and stronger in the offense. We miss already some points to the teams ahead of us. Most important is now, to find our game.“
Markus Peintner, Headcoach EC VSV: „We will play modern ice-hockey, active and with four lines. It needs 100% from all players.“

 

Referees: KONC, Siegel, Kaspar, Tvrdon.
>>HC Orli Znojmo (10) and EC Red Bull Salzburg (5) will face on Friday at Znojmo already the fourth (and maybe last) time this season. The last two meetings were played with-in the last two weeks and ended with home-wins for the Mozart Citizens. Five days ago Salzburg won at home 4:1 and 13 days ago 5:2.
>>HC Orli Znojmo needs points to stay intouch with the Top 6. The Czechs started the December with defeats at Salzburg and Dornbirn and fall down in the ranking to place 10. EC Red Bull Salzburg on the other side opened this month successful and has the chance to secure their Top 5 place with three points. 
>>HC Orli Znojmo builds their hopes on their good home-run. The „Red Eagles“ won their last three home-games. EC Red Bull Salzburg on the other side was defeated twice in a row on the road lately, the Mozart Citizens lost at Vienna (4:5) and Zagreb (3:6).
>>The last four meetings between the finalist from 2016 ended with home-wins. The Red Bulls celebrated their last win at Znojmo on November 27th 2016 or 375 days ago.
>>Peter Mueller was in action with EC Red Bull Salzburg against HC Orli Znojmo twice and scored in both games.
Quotes:
Marek Schwarz, goalie HC Orli Znojmo: „We already fell some pressure in the fight for the Top 6. Now we play Salzburg for the third time within 14 days, so we know what we have to expect. It will be another fight, but the Red Bulls are to beat. We can do this with the help from our fans!“
Thomas Raffl, Stürmer EC Red Bull Salzburg: „We know Znojmo already best now. We expect a close game.“

 

Referees: HOFFARD, LEMELIN, Jensen, Nemeth.
>>An intense weekend is waiting for the Dornbirn Bulldogs. The Vorarlberger will play Fehervar AV19 on the road on Saturday (17:45) and will be guest at Vienna then on Sunday (16:00). Fehervar AV19 will be in action again at Zagreb on Tuesday.
>>The Dornbirn Bulldogs had a great run lately. The Austrians got points in the last seven rounds (six wins) and made a jump forward in the ranking to place 4. This week Martin Grabher Meier and Co. practiced open air.
>>The Dornbirn Bulldogs played strong defense lately, the west-club received just two goals in the last three games. Besides goalie Rasmus Rinne is the best goalie in the League, he has a save% of 95.5%.
>>Fehervar AV19 won the first two season-clashes with one goal difference (2:1, 3:2/SO).
>>Fehervar AV19 had a special run in their home-games in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga since end of September. In the last nine home-games the Hungarins always lost twice and then they won twice. If this series continues, then the Devils must get a home-win over Dornbirn Bulldogs on Saturday.
Quotes:
Hannu Järvenpää, who is back on the coaching bench at Fehervar AV19: „I think the biggest strength of my team will be teamwork. We have to support each other and stick with our game plan. Sooner or later, it will give us some results as well. We can play better defensively and also in the offensive zone we have some work to do. Now we have plenty of time to see how we can prepare for Dornbirn. I expect hard work and a good battle between two good teams. I am very excited.“
Martin Grabher-Meier, Forward Dornbirn Bulldogs: „This weekend will be taff: We did not show our best hockey against Fehervar so far and Vienna is the Leader and the big favorit. But when we play like in the last games, we can get points. It‘s in our hand and we must play our game for full 60 minutes!“