Intermediate Round continues on Wednesday

Wed, 21.02.2018: EC-KAC – KHL Medvescak Zagreb (19:15)
Referees: ROHATSCH, TRILAR, Nagy, Soos.
>EC-KAC (6.) and KHL Medvescak Zagreb (5.) will face each other twice within 48 hours. The two neighbours in the standing will be in a fight for points in Klagenfurt on Wednesday and in Zagreb on Friday. The Austrians are on place 6 with two points from four games, the Croatians are on place 5 with three points.   
>EC-KAC had a bad run in the last weeks: The Austrians have lost eight consecutive games and have scored just eleven goals during that span. Besides EC-KAC has not won a single home-game in the year 2018. The Red Jackets have lost seven consecutive home-games. Klagenfurt‘s bad home-run has started with a defeat against KHL Medvescak Zagreb on January 1st.
>Both teams have had problems to score in the Intermediate Round: The Croatians have netted just nine goals from four games, the Red Jackets have scored only five times during the same span.
>KHL Medvescak Zagreb is leading in the season-clash 3:1, the Croatians won the last two meetings with one goal difference.
>Tyler Morley of KHL Medvescak Zagreb has netted a goal in both games in Klagenfurt. Besides Mike Boivin (3x) has scored for the Bears 2017/18 in Klagenfurt.
Quotes:
Marco Richter, forward EC-KAC: „The break was important for us. We want to start scoring again from our chances and we want to stop our bad run!“
Aaron Fox, sport director KHL Medvescak Zagreb: "Anton Ranov is new in our roster, he is the leading scorer of his team in Swiss B league, and we believe that he will bring additional positive energy and high quality to our team. We expect that he would adjust to our roster during the remaining 6 games of the Intermediate Round, fit in the team and help us reach as better placement for the playoffs as possible.“

 

Wed, 21.02.2018: EC Red Bull Salzburg – Vienna Capitals (19:15)
Referees: BERNEKER, PIRAGIC, Verworner, Zgonc.
>EC Red Bull Salzburg (2.) and Champion EV Vienna Capitals (1.) will be in a fight for place 1 in the Mozart City on Wednesday. The Vienna Capitals are on the lead position with 16 points, Salzburg is following close behind with 15 points. The Caps are in the leading position since the first round. Salzburg has the chance to  overtake place 1 with a home-win. The two teams will face each other in Vienna on Friday as well. 
>EC Red Bull Salzburg and Vienna Capitals have scored most of the goals in the Intermediate Round, both teams have netted 21 goals. Besides the two Austrians have allowed fewest number of goals (12) in the Pick Rund..
>EC Red Bull Salzburg has won ten consecutive games. The Mozart Citizens started their good run with a home-win over Vienna on January 12th 2018.
>It’s 2:2 in the season-clash. The home-team left the ice as the winner in the last two meetings and has scored always exactly five goals.
> EC Red Bull Salzburg (PP%: 28,3) and the Vienna Capitals (PP%: 26,2) are the best Power Play teams in the Erste Bank Eishockey League. 
Quotes:
Brant Harris, Forward EC Red Bull Salzburg: „We played well as a team before the break. We want to continue this way now. The games against Vienna will be a good test.“
Serge Aubin, Headcoach Vienna Capitals: „Salzburg has won ten consecutive games. We must be ready from the start, we have to play strong and focussed in our defense and we must follow our game-play!“

 

Referees: SCHUTZ, STOLC, Pardatscher, Schauer.
>HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (4.) and EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (3.) will face each other twice within just 48 hours. The two neighbours in the standing will be in a fight for points in Innsbruck on Wednesday and in Linz on Friday.
>HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ is fighting for their first home-win in Febraury: The Sharks have been defeated in both home-games against the Vienna Capitals (4:6) and KHL Medvescak Zagreb (3:5) in this month and have allowed eleven goals. But watch out: The Tyroleans celebrated their last home-win against Linz.
>In six consecutive meetings between Innsbruck and Linz the home-team has left the ice as the winner. The Black Wings celebrated their last win in Innsbruck on December 30th 2016 or 417 days ago.
>EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz has allowed most of the goals (17) in the Intermediate Round. The Upper Austrians allowed 15 goals in the last two games. Innsbruck celebrated a 4:0-Shut out win in Kagenfurt before the International Break. But the Sharks allowed 15 goals from the first three Pick Round games.
>HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (673 PIM) and EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (584 PIM) are the most penalized teams.
Quotes:
Florian Pedevilla, defenseman HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“: "Our aim is place 4, but fort he moment we look just from game to game. The break was perfect for us to get some energy back. We expect two difficult games agaisnt Linz. But we are ready."
Troy Ward, Headcoach EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz: „We are on the right way. In this time of the year it is important to stay healthy and to show the best hockey.“

 

Referees: BALUSKA, SMETANA, Gatol, Nemeth.
>Fehervar AV19 and HC Orli Znojmo will be in a fight for points twice within 48 hours. The two clubs will meet each other in Szekesfehervar on Wednesday and  in Czech Republik on Friday. Both teams need the wins in the Playoff race.
>HC Orli Znojmo has shown two different faces in the Qualification Round: While the „Red Eagles“ have won both home-games and have allowed no goal, they have lost both road-games and have allowed nine goals.
>Fehervar AV19 has lost two consecutive games before the International Break. But the Hungarians have collected points from both home-games in the Qualification Round. 
>Fehervar AV19 has won three consecutive meetings with HC Orli Znojmo.
>Janos Hari (AVS) netted at least one goal in the last two clashes with the Czechs.
Quotes:
Hannu Järvenpää, Headcoach Fehervar AV19: “The national break is great in the sense that the players can take a couple of days off. We have a lot of players in the Hungarian national team, Manavian in the French team and two guys at the Olympics. You cannot organize effective practice under these circumstances but we tried to make the best of it. All four games very very tight, I’m disappointed that we lost those two games but I don't expect anything different in the upcoming games. We have to fight hard, we have to create scoring chances and we have to find that final touch to put them in the net. This way, we can be happy after the game.” Krisztian Szabo and Donat Szita extended their contracts for two seasons.
Rostislav Šnajnar, defenseman HC Orli Znojmo: „Our aim is to make it into the Playoffs. Prior the break we had success at home. We played as a team, blocked shots, everybody fighted and played with heart. We must continue this way after the break.“

 

Wed, 21.02.2018: Moser Medical Graz99ers – Dornbirn Bulldogs (19:15)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, SIEGEL, Ettlmayr, Tschrepitsch.
>Moser Medical Graz99ers (6.) vs. Dornbirn Bulldogs (1.) is the meeting between the bottom club and the Leader of the Qualification Round. The two teams will be in a fight for points in Graz on Wednesday and in Dornbirn on Friday. While the Styrians need the points to stay in the Playoff race, the Vorarlberger have the chance to secure their Playoff spot with two wins.
>Moser Medical Graz 99ers are the only team, that was left without points in all four games in the Intermediate Round. Besides the Styrians have had problems to score goals. The Mur Citizens have netted just three goals from four Intermediate Round games, they have not even scored for 149 minutes.
>The Moser Medical Graz99ers are leading in the season-clash 3:1. The last six meetings were decided by just one goal, the 99ers have had the better end five times.
>Dornbirn Bulldogs (385 PIM) and Moser Medical Graz99ers (387 PIM) are the fairest teams.
>Scott Timmins and Brodie Reid (beide DEC) scored at least one goal in the last two meetings.
Quotes:
Mario Lamoureux, new forward Moser Medical Graz99ers: „We want to shot good hockey and get the win. I am happy to be back in the League. Brock Nixon I played with in Denmark already. I play an aggressiv style of hockey and I go to the net.“
Stefan Häussle, Forward Dornbirn Bulldogs: „It starts the most important time of the year. The whole team is looking forward to the next games. We must show our game for full 60 minutes, then the points will be ours.“

 

Referees: GRUBER, K. NIKOLIC, Nothegger, Seewald.
>EC VSV and HCB Südtirol Alperia have played strong defense lately. The Eagles allowed just seven goals in four games in the Qualification Round, the Foxes allowed even just four goals!
>EC VSV and HCB Südtirol Alperia will face each other twice within 48 hours. The two clubs will meet in Villach on Wednesday and in Bozen on Friday. Villach has the chance to secure their Playoff spot with two wins, the Italians have the chance to overtake the Eagles in teh ranking with six points.
>The Qualifcation Round marked the beginning of winning-series of EC VSV. The Eagles have won four consecutive games. HCB Südtirol Alperia on the other side left the ice as the winner in their last two games.
>Villach has won four consecutive home-games. But watch out: The Italians have collected points in four consecutive games in Villach (three wins).

>Chris DeSousa (HCB) has scored at least one goal in the last three meetings with EC VSV.
Quotes:
Niki Petrik, Captain EC VSV: „We preparted well and hard during the break to be ready for the last six games before the Playoffs. We want to show the same good performances as we did before the break.
Stefano Marchetti, player HCB Südtirol Alperia. „We have to be focused from the beginning in each game again.“