Release from 29.08.2018

League trio starts into Champions Hockey League

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Three Erste Bank Eishockey Liga teams open up their Champions Hockey League campaign on Thursday and Friday. While Vienna Capitals welcome the Swedish top team Frölunda Indians, EC Red Bull Salzburg plays at Cardiff against the Devils. On Friday reigning Erste Bank Eishockey Liga champion HCB Südtirol Alperia faces Skellefteå at home.

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On Thursday the Champions Hockey League starts his fifth season so far. JYP Jyväskylä from Finland is last years and first non-Swedish winner. It’s the second season based on the new qualification format where teams only can enter the competition by outstanding performance in their national leagues in the previous season. The 2018/19 field of participants consists of 19 teams from last season, 10 returning teams and three “newbies” (Aalborg Pirates/DEN, GKS Tychy/POL, Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers/GER). The Austrians Vienna Capitals and EC Red Bull Salzburg have always been represented. Both teams will open up their Champions Hockey League campaign on Thursday.

Caps-Game live on ORF Sport+
The Viennese welcome two-time CHL-champion Frölunda Indians in the first game of the group stage (20.20 o’clock, live on ORF Sport+). The Swedish side played EC-KAC last season twice and celebrated two close wins. Surprisingly they failed in the round of sixteen, losing to Czech side Liberec. The Vienna Capitals played four games in their preseason so far. After winning against MAC Budapest and HC O5 Banská Bystrica, the team of Dave Cameron was defeated by DEL-clubs Nürnberg and Straubing twice. “For sure, it will be a tough game. Every time you face a Swedish team, it is a big challenge. They have high technical and skating skills. We have to be wide awake away from the starting bully”, says Caps-Forward Riley Holzapfel. Besides CHL-newcomer Aalborg from Denmark, who will be Caps-opponent on Saturday, ZSC Zürich, trained by former Caps-coach Serge Aubin, will be the fourth participant in the group stage.

Salzburg travels to Wales
EC Red Bull Salzburg, who advanced to the CHL-playoffs every single year, starts the group stage with an away game at Cardiff. Salzburg shows a good performance in the preseason, finishing second at Red Bulls Salute. But the team of head coach Greg Poss knows very well who they are dealing with: The Cardiff Devils are the best team of England. They won the Elite Ice Hockey League the past two years. “Cardiff has many talents in their roster and several players, who played in the best leagues worldwide so far. In addition, they are greatly supported by their fans. This game will be a big challenge for as,” Ryan Duncan reports on the first opponent. Further the Red Bulls will face SC Bern (SUI) again and will play Växjö Lakers (SWE) on Saturday. 

Bozen starts with a home game on Friday
Reigning champion HCB Südtirol Alperia starts his second participation in the Champions Hockey League with a home game against Swedish side Skellefteå AIK on Friday. The three-time Swedish champion is lead by 38-year old club veteran Jimmie Ericsson, who won the World Cup back in 2013. Bozen had five preseason games so far. They faced DEL-clubs four times and KHL-team Vityaz Podolsk. Before the foxes start their CHL-action, they face AHL-participant HC Pustertal tonight. “We have only be together since three weeks and it is still too early to make any predictions. According to the Champions League, we need to be realistic. We expect very tough games and face European top teams like Skellefteå or Helsinki. We will try everything to be successful, especially at home and in front of our fans”, so head coach Kai Suikkanen.  

Champions Hockey League:

Thu, 30.08.2018: Vienna Capitals – HC Frölunda / SWE (20:20, ORF Sport+ live)
Thu, 30.08.2018: Cardiff Devils / GBR – EC Red Bull Salzburg (20:30 Uhr, Livestream on www.championshockeyleague.com)
Fri, 31.08.2018: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Skellefteå AIK / SWE (19:45 Uhr, Livestream on www.championshockeyleague.com)