Release from 09.09.2021

ICE teams aim to continue CHL winning run

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After a successful opening weekend, the three representatives of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League are now back in action in the Champions Hockey League. While EC-KAC plays an away double, EC Red Bull Salzburg and HCB Südtirol Alperia have home advantage. In addition, nine league teams play preseason games this weekend.

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As the first of the three teams from the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League, EC-KAC is already back in action in the Champions Hockey League on Thursday (see preview). In addition to Klagenfurt, EC Red Bull Salzburg and HCB Südtirol Alperia are also among the six CHL teams that are still unbeaten in this year's competition.

The Red Bulls play their first two home games this weekend and face Frisk Asker on Friday and JKH GKS Jastrzębie on Sunday - just a few days ago the Salzburg side won their away games. A clear 6:2 victory in Norway was followed by a hard-earned 3:2 win against the Polish representative, which was only fixed in the final third. Now the return games against these two opponents follow. The Red Bulls alos want to earn points in their first competitive games of the new season in front of their home crowd and take a big step towards a playoff spot. "It was good for us to start the CHL season with two away wins. Despite the clear result in Asker, there were still many things that we need to improve and that we have been working on the last few days. Furthermore, we expect strong Norwegians who will come out of the dressing room with a lot of emotion and want to take revenge. We will be prepared for that," said Thomas Raffl, who returns to the lineup. The Red Bulls will be without convalescents JP Lamoureux, Dominique Heinrich, Lucas Thaler and Florian Baltram tomorrow.

After the two victories in Poland and Norway, HCB Südtirol Alperia are in second place in CHL Group H behind the Salzburgers. On Friday, the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League runners-up will host JKH GKS Jastrzębie, followed two days later by a home game against Frisk Asker. These two games can already be trend-setting for the qualification to the next phase. With the exception of the suspended Dan Catenacci, coach Doug Mason will have the entire squad available on Friday. And Kevin Boyle will once again start the match between the pipes: in his debut against Frisk Asker, the US goalkeeper showed his full potential with 41 saved shots and a save percentage of .972. "I'm pleased and proud of my team after the first two games," Mason explained, "it's a group of well-attuned guys who are eager to learn the new system of play to the best of their ability. I was particularly taken with the tactical implementation, even though we've never had the opportunity to practice together. The goal these days is to continue to improve and train intensively in order to achieve the results in the games that we have set out to achieve. Jastrzebie and Asker are excellent teams, we need to bring out our best game and above all be disciplined."

ICE teams in the Champions Hockey League:
Thu, 09.09.2021, 20:30: Rungsted Seier Capital (DEN) - EC-KAC | ORF Sport+
Fri, 10.09.2021, 20:20: EC Red Bull Salzburg - Frisk Asker (DEN) | ORF Sport+ Livestream
Fri, 10.09.2021, 20:30: HCB Südtirol Alperia - JKH GKS Jastrzębie (POL) | Livestream on the CHL channels (HP/App)

Sat, 11.09.2021, 19:30: Rouen Dragons (FRA) - EC-KAC | ORF Sport+
Sun, 12.09.2021, 18:00: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Frisk Asker (DEN) | Livestream on CHL channels (HP/App)
Sun, 12.09.2021, 20:20: EC Red Bull Salzburg - JKH GKS Jastrzębie (POL) | ORF Sport+

Nine teams in test match action
Nine teams of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League will also play preseason games this weekend. HC Pustertal and EC GRAND Immo VSV will face each other twice in league internal tests. Especially the first game in Bruneck is a very special one, as it will be the last game in the Rienzstadion. With the spusu Vienna Capitals, Steinbach Black Wings Linz and HK SZ Olimpija, three other teams are in action twice.

Preseason, bet-at-home ICE Hockey League:
Fri, 10.09.2021, 18:00: HK Nitra - iClinic Bratislava Capitals
Fri, 10.09.2021, 18:00: HC Nové Zámky - spusu Vienna Capitals
Fri, 10.09.2021, 19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - The Sharks - HK SŽ Olimpija Ljubljana
Fri, 10/09/2021, 19:15: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 - Gyergyói HK
Fri, 10.09.2021, 19:15: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - MAC Budapest
Fri, 10.09.2021, 19:30: EHC Freiburg - Dornbirn Bulldogs
Fri, 10.09.2021, 20:00: HC Pustertal - EC GRAND Immo VSV
Sun, 12.09.2021, 17:00: EC GRAND Immo VSV - HC Pustertal
Sun, 12.09.2021, 17:00: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - Moser Medical Graz99ers
Sun, 12.09.2021, 18:00: HK Nitra - spusu Vienna Capitals
Sun, 12.09.2021, TBD: HK SŽ Olimpija Ljubljana - MAC Budapest