Release from 08.02.2024

League players on national team duty

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The regular season of the win2day ICE Hockey League will be completed in the next two weeks. Before the exciting decisions in the league are on the programme, many players are still in action with their respective national teams. While Hungary is organising an Olympic qualifying tournament, Italy and Slovenia are playing two test matches against each other. Austria will also be taking part in a tournament in France.

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From Thursday to Saturday, Hungary will be organising a tournament for the third qualifying round for the 2026 Winter Olympics, with the hosts in Budapest opening the tournament against the heavy underdogs from Spain. With six players from Hydro Fehérvár AV19 in the squad, Head Coach Don MacAdam's team will face Lithuania and Japan in the other two games. The winner of the tournament will advance to the final qualifying round.

Information: Italy is qualified as hosts for the upcoming Winter Games. Slovenia and Austria are seeded for the fourth and final qualifying round starting at the end of August - see here.

Olympic Qualification Round 3:
Thu. 8.2.2024, 18:30: Hungary - Spain
Fri 9.2.2024, 20:00: Hungary - Lithuania
Sat. 10.2.2024, 20:00: Hungary - Japan

Two test matches between Italy and Slovenia
Just under two and a half months before Italy hosts the Division I, Group A World Championship in Bolzano, the "Blue Team" will play two tests on home ice against Slovenia on Thursday (in Bolzano) and Friday (in Val Gardena/Gröden). Head coach Mike Keenan's team includes 17 cracks from the win2day ICE Hockey League. The Slovenians also have 16 league players in their line-up.

Test matches:
Thu. 8.2.2024, 19.45: Italy - Slovenia (to the livestream)
Fri. 9.2.2024, 20.30: Italy - Slovenia (to the livestream)

Austria takes part in tournament in France
The four-nation tournament in Epinal, France, is on the programme for the Austrian national team. On Friday, the 20 ICE players of the ÖEHV team will face the hosts, followed by a placement game against Denmark or Norway on Saturday. In addition to numerous players with World Championship experience, team manager Roger Bader has called up Julian Metzler from the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg for the first time. Goalkeeper Thomas Höneckl from Steinbach Black Wings Linz is also taking part for the first time since 2018.

Four Nations Tournament in Epinal (FRA)
Fri. 9.2.2024, 20:00: France - Austria (live on ORF SPORT +)
Sat. 10.2.2024: Austria - Denmark/Norway (live on ORF SPORT +)