Release from 16.03.2023

KAC with chance to advance to semifinals | Duels for first match puck in North and South Tyrol

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EC Red Bull Salzburg became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the win2day ICE Hockey League Playoffs 2023 on Tuesday. On Friday, EC-KAC could now follow suit - EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV will play in front of their home crowd against the season-ending . In North and South Tyrol, meanwhile, there are duels for the first match puck in the fifth quarterfinal. Both the series between HCB Südtirol Alperia against Steinbach Black Wings Linz and HC TIWAG Innsbruck against spusu Vienna Capitals are tied after four games.

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Fri, 17.03.2023, 19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - The Sharks - spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: HRONSKY, PIRAGIC, Jedlicka, Seewald| >> PPV-Livestream <<
Standings in the "best-of-7" series: 2:2

In all four games so far, HC TWAG Innsbruck captured the lead. Twice the spusu Vienna Capitals managed to turn the game around. Last Tuesday, the Tyroleans had the better end for themselves. For the first time a game of this series went into "endless overtime". There the only 20 year old Senna Peeters provided for the decision and the series equalization. For him it was already the third goal in this series. On Friday in Innsbruck it is about which team will have the chance to enter the semifinals on Sunday in Vienna. So far in this series, there have only been victories for the away team. The last playoff home victory of the Sharks dates from 16.03.2018 - against Vienna.

Fri, 17.03.2023, 19:30: EC iDM Heat Pumps VSV - EC-KAC
Referees: FICHTNER, SIEGEL, Durmis, Konc | LIVE on PULS 24 and in Free Stream
Standings in the "best-of-7" series: 1:3

EC-KAC could become the second team to secure a spot in the semifinals as early as Friday in Villach. The Klagenfurt team won 3:1 on Tuesday to take the first match puck. Historically, the KAC is in a very good starting position: In each of the 14 cases in which Klagenfurt has had a 3:1 lead in the "best-of-seven" format, they have won the series, 13 of them in a row in the fifth game. EC VSV is facing a 1:3 deficit in a "best-of-seven" series for the eleventh time in its club history. The Eagles have never managed a turnaround from this position, in eight cases the respective playoff confrontation ended after game five. While EC-VSV #1 goalie J.P. Lamoureux remains suspended - Alexander Schmidt was brought back to the team in his place - the EC-KAC must do without Matt Fraser in addition to the absences of Kele Steffler, Maximilian Preiml, Thomas Koch and Johannes Bischofberger. Tuesday's scorer suffered a serious lower-body injury in the final stages of game four and will not return to the ice this season.

Game five of the derby series will be broadcast live on PULS 24 and on the TV partner's free stream.

Fri, 17.03.2023, 19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, OFNER, Hribar, Snoj, | >> PPV-Livestream <<
Standings in the "best-of-7" series: 2:2

After the Steinbach Black Wings could surprise HCB Südtirol Alperia twice in a row and took the series lead in the meantime, the superior winner of the Regular Season struck back clearly last Tuesday. With a clear 5:1 victory the 2:2 series equalization was achieved. Dustin Gazley was particularly convincing with a brace. The penalty minutes were also decisive for the clear success. The Black Wings lost the chance to come back into the game at the end of the second period and at the beginning of the third period due to several penalties. The series had to be ended early by Emilio Romig, who was still a "difference-maker" in the first games of the quarterfinals. He is suspended for the rest of the series due to a sticking penalty. Also, Shawn St-Amant is unavailable to head coach Phil Lukas due to a lower body injury. In return, Daine Todd returns to the Linz defense and Michael Haga also joined the Linz bus on Thursday. His use on Friday, will be decided at short notice.

Information on the further playoff schedule: If all quarterfinal series are completed after six games, the semifinal series will be moved forward to Tuesday, March 21, as planned. The flexible playoff schedule was created to ensure sufficient time between the last possible final game and national team activities.