Release from 09.01.2025

Linz vs. Villach and West Derby on Friday

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Friday's 40th round of the win2day ICE Hockey League includes a match between seventh placed Steinbach Black Wings Linz and sixth-placed EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV. Both teams have 61 points. The fourth West Derby of the season between HC TIWAG Innsbruck and the Pioneers Vorarlberg is also on the agenda, and the EC-KAC will be looking to record its tenth league win in a row at HC Pustertal.

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Steinbach Black Wings Linz - EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV
After the clear 0:8 defeat in the derby at EC-KAC, Villach has to play in Linz on Friday. It is a match about important points in the battle for the Top-6. VSV currently hold the last direct play-off place, followed by Linz, who have just as many points as the “Eagles”. The Black Wings have had the upper hand in the direct comparison both times so far (6:4, 5:4/OT). The Upper Austrians won 4:3/OT against Vienna on Wednesday. It was their first win after five consecutive defeats.

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Pioneers Vorarlberg
In the fourth and, for the time being, last West Derby of the season, twelfth-placed Innsbruck welcomes the eleventh-placed Pioneers. The Vorarlberg team is currently five points ahead of the Tyroleans in the table and seven points behind the tenth-placed Capitals. While the Pioneers were without a game on Wednesday, Innsbruck clearly won 9:2 in Asiago. It was their first win after seven consecutive defeats. The Pioneers are currently in much better form, with five wins from their last six games. They have impressed on the road recently with three wins in Bolzano, Salzburg and Asiago. In the head-to-head with Innsbruck, however, the Pioneers have been beaten twice so far this season.

HC Pustertal - EC-KAC
The EC-KAC is seemingly invincible at the moment. On Wednesday, they dispatched Villach 8:0 in the derby and celebrated their ninth win in a row. They are now in second place in the table, just one point behind leaders Fehérvár. Pustertal have been beaten in their last two games and are in ninth place, seven points ahead of the eleventh-placed Pioneers. The South Tyroleans will face Klagenfurt for the third time this season on Friday. In their first encounter, the “Wolves” came out on top at home 6:3, before losing 4:6 in Carinthia. Last season, the two teams met in the semi-finals. At that time, the KAC clearly had the upper hand in the series with 4:0.

Moser Medical Graz99ers - Hydro Fehérvár AV19
League leaders Fehérvár face a difficult away game at fourth-placed Graz. The Styrians are currently nine points behind the Hungarians. Fehérvár lost 1:4 in Salzburg on Wednesday, leaving them just one point ahead of their closest rivals EC-KAC. For AVS it was one of two defeats in the last five games. The 99ers held the upper hand against Bolzano 2:1 and celebrated their second win in a row. Fehérvár and Graz last faced each other on December 30. Back then, the home side from Hungary won 3:0. The team from Székesfehérvár were also victorious in their other two encounters this season (6:2, 5:4). In total, they have won the last five games against Graz.

spusu Vienna Capitals – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
For Vienna, important points in the battle for the Top-10 are at stake against Asiago. The Capitals are currently in tenth place in the table, seven points ahead of the eleventh-placed Pioneers. Asiago are only at the bottom of the table and are already 14 points behind the Capitals. The Italians have failed to win any of their last 14 games, losing at home to Innsbruck 2:9 on Wednesday. Vienna have been beaten in their last two encounters, but managed to pick up a point in Linz on Wednesday despite being 0:3 down in the meantime. The Capitals have narrowly held the upper hand in both of their season duels with Asiago so far (3:2, 2:1).

Olimpija Ljubljana - EC Red Bull Salzburg
The 40th round also sees a clash between eighth-placed Ljubljana and fifth-placed Salzburg. The home side from Slovenia are currently in impressive form, with seven wins from their last eight games. In their last encounter, they narrowly defeated Pustertal 2:1 at home, their fourth home win in a row. In their first home game against Salzburg, Olimpija narrowly won 2:1/SO. In Salzburg they were clearly defeated 2:6. The Red Bulls were victorious 4:1 against Fehérvár on Wednesday. The highlight of the game was a goal by Atte Tolvanen. It was one of three wins from the last five games for the Red Bulls.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Friday, 10.01.2024:
18:30: Moser Medical Graz99ers – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: SIEGEL, STERNAT, Hribar, Riecken. | >> live.ice.hockey <<

19:15: spusu Vienna Capitals – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: FICHTNER, KAINBERGER, Gatol-Schafranek, Moidl. | >> live.ice.hockey <<

19:15: Steinbach Black Wings Linz – EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV

Referees: HUBER A., SMETANA, Weiss, Wimmler. | >> live.ice.hockey <<

19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck – Pioneers Vorarlberg
Referees: NIKOLIC K., NIKOLIC M., Pardatscher, Zacherl. | >> live.ice.hockey <<

19:15: Olimpija Ljubljana – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: GROZNIK, OFNER, Muzsik, Vaczi. | >> live.ice.hockey <<

19:45: HC Pustertal – EC-KAC
Referees: PIRAGIC, SCHAUER, Mantovani, Zgonc. | >> live.ice.hockey <<