Release from 15.02.2024
The EC KAC is on the verge of winning the Regular Season before the game at the spusu Vienna Capitals, four rounds before the end, and thus would have home ice until a possible final. The Klagenfurters still need just one point to secure first place. Behind them, Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and EC Red Bull Salzburg are in a long-distance duel for second place in the table. The direct top-six clash between EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV and HCB Südtirol Alperia is guaranteed to be exciting. Both teams are fighting for a direct place in the quarter-finals of the win2day ICE Hockey League. Steinbach Black Wings Linz and HC TIWAG Innsbruck, who both have away games on Friday, are also speculating on this.
win2day ICE Hockey League, Round 48:
Fri., 16.02.2024, 19:15: Moser Medical Graz99ers - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: SEEWALD, VOICAN, Moidl, Puff | >> live.ice.hockey <<
The Moser Medical Graz99ers and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey open their last week of the 2023/24 season with a commemorative game with free admission. Both teams have already decided that the summer break will begin on February 24. It is the duel between the two last-placed teams in the win2day ICE Hockey League. They are currently eight points behind Asiago, meaning that twelfth place in the table is still mathematically within reach for the Styrians. The two teams are meeting for the first time this calendar year. The Graz99ers won the last encounter by a clear 4:0. Anthony Salinitri, who was still on the scoresheet for Asiago in the previous season, also scored. A few days ago, the goal scorer moved from Graz to the Stavanger Oilers (Norway).
The Moser Medical Graz99ers invite you free of charge to the memorial game for Lucky Krentl, who recently passed away. Tickets will be available at the Merkur Eisstadion box office from two hours before the start of the game. Visitors are requested to arrive early.
Fri., 16.02.2024, 19:15: spusu Vienna Capitals - EC-KAC
Referees: HRONSKY, SIEGEL, Bedynek, Gatol-Schafranek | >> live.ice.hockey <<
The spusu Vienna Capitals welcome the EC-KAC for their penultimate home game - and this game could become a record game. The South Tyrolean derby on January 6, 2024 between HCB Südtirol Alperia and HC Pustertal in front of 6,856 spectators was the best-attended game of the season so far. This record could fall on Friday in the STEFFL Arena, which holds 7,022 spectators. Vienna's hopes of making the pre-playoffs came to an end on Tuesday with a 3-0 defeat at HK SZ Olimpija, which sealed the end of the longest active playoff series in the win2day ICE Hockey League. Things could hardly have gone better for the EC-KAC: Klagenfurt recently became the first team in Europe to secure a place in the 2024/25 Champions Hockey League with a win in the top game against Hydro Fehérvár AV19. In addition, the success against their closest rivals meant they took a big step towards winning the Regular Season. The six-time champions of the win2day ICE Hockey League only need a single point to secure victory in the regular season. The duels with the Viennese so far this season have been clear-cut affairs for Klagenfurt, who have a goal difference of 14:3 against them this season.
Fri., 16.02.2024, 19:15: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV - HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: HUBER, NIKOLIC M., Bärnthaler, Nothegger | >> live.ice.hockey <<
EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV and HCB Südtirol Alperia will play a heated duel for a direct playoff spot on Friday. For the VSV, it is the first of three games against a direct rival. VSV has strengthened its squad with a trio of legionnaires for this crucial phase: Head Coach Marcel Rodman is now spoilt for choice with Maxim Golod, Ethan Cap and Tyler Steenbergen. If all the imports are fit, a legionnaire will have to take a seat in the stands. Golod already gave a first taste of his skills on his debut in Asiago, scoring a two-point game. HCB Südtirol Alperia was also active on the transfer market, signing Canadian forward Cristiano DiGiacinto a few days ago. The Foxes, who celebrated a spectacular comeback win in the derby against Pustertal on Tuesday, currently have a two-point lead over the Eagles, who are currently tied on points with the seventh-placed Sharks in sixth place. The home team has always come out on top in the three duels so far this season. The last meeting will therefore also decide the direct duel in the event of a points tie at the end of the Regular Season.
Fri, 16.02.2024, 19:15: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 - Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: OFNER, SMETANA, Durmis, Konc | >> live.ice.hockey <<
Last Tuesday, Hydro Fehérvár AV19 not only missed the chance to get closer to the EC-KAC in the regular season, but also to keep EC Red Bull Salzburg at a distance in the fight for third place. Four games before the end of the regular season, they have a three-point lead over the Red Bulls. Steinbach Black Wings Linz are in the thick of the fight for a direct playoff spot. The Upper Austrians are currently one point ahead of seventh-placed Innsbruck. It is the first of two difficult and perhaps decisive games for the Upper Austrians this weekend. Just two days after the away game in Székesfehérvár, Linz will host EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV in a direct duel. The previous season duels between Linz and Fehérvár were always won by the respective hosts. Most recently, Logan Roe decided the game in overtime.
Fri, 16.02.2024, 19:15: HK SZ Olimpija - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: FICHTNER, STERNAT, Hribar, Zgonc | >> live.ice.hockey <<
EC Red Bull Salzburg will visit HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana to launch their next attack on second place in the table. Salzburg are currently three points behind Hydro Fehérvár AV19, but in a direct duel with the Hungarians, Salzburg would be ahead by a wafer-thin margin. While Salzburg have at least already secured their pre-playoff ticket, Olimpija are currently looking very much like the pre-playoffs. However, eighth-placed HC Pustertal - and therefore currently with home ice in the pre-playoffs - is still within reach for the Slovenians: The gap is just four points. The three duels so far this season have all gone to the Red Bulls. Most recently, however, they had to go into overtime, where Ryan Murphy scored the winner. It was only on Monday that Salzburg announced the signing of Nicolai Mayer, the scorer of the championship-winning goal in the previous season.
Fri., 16.02.2024, 19:30: BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg - HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Martin, Pardatscher | >> live.ice.hockey <<
Also still in the race for a direct playoff spot is HC TIWAG Innsbruck, who will host the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg on Friday. The Sharks recorded a must-win against the Moser Medical Graz99ers on Tuesday to remain level on points with sixth-placed Villach. Although the Pioneers were beaten by the Black Wings on Tuesday, they still clinched their first ticket to the post-season ahead of time. While the Vorarlbergers will be looking for the best possible preparation for the pre-playoffs in the remaining games, Innsbruck want to avoid them by finishing in the top six. The previous West derbies have all gone to Innsbruck. Even in the previous season, the newly founded club never managed to gain a point.
HCB/Vanna Antonello