Release from 20.01.2024

Linz wants to get back into the race for the top 6

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The 42nd round of the win2day ICE Hockey League will be concluded on Sunday with the three remaining games. The Steinbach Black Wings Linz, which did not play on Friday, are hoping for a turnaround at the in-form HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie, after seven defeats in their last eight games saw the former league leaders slip to seventh place. The game will be broadcast live on PULS 24 and JOYN from 5.10 pm.

At the same time, HK SZ Olimpija (#9) at bottom-of-the-table Graz and the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg (#10) against leaders Klagenfurt will be looking to secure their place in the pre-playoffs with victories. Both games are available on www.live.ice.hockey (PPV).

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win2day ICE Hockey League | 21.01.2024 | Schedule:
Sun, 21.01.2024, 5.00 pm: BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg – EC-KAC
Referees: BERNEKER, SCHAUER, Martin, Sparer. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
The BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg will host the leaders of the win2day ICE Hockey League on Sunday. The last time they met was nine days ago, when the EC-KAC came out on top with a clear 8-5 victory. This means that the third encounter of the season also went to the home team. Due to the Pioneers' young membership in the league, this encounter has only taken place three times in the Vorarlberghalle, with the "Rotjacken" achieving their only victory to date exactly one year ago (2-1 SO).

The team from Vorarlberg is one of the better home teams this season, having won six of its last eight games in front of a home crowd under ICE top scorer Steven Owre (28G|23A). On Friday, Dylan Stanley's team, which scores on 26.6% of its power plays (#1), celebrated a 3-2 overtime win over its direct rival for a spot in pre-playoff Vienna. The advantage in eleventh place is eight points, albeit with one more game. At the same time, the "Rotjacken" recorded the expected victory against Graz (3-1), but had to work hard for it - the decisive goal was only scored four minutes before the end. Klagenfurt want to get back on the road to success: Before their last defeat on the road in Salzburg (1-4), the Austrian record champions had picked up at least one point in twelve consecutive away games. The "Rotjacken" will also be without Luca Gomboc and Daniel Obersteiner in Vorarlberg.

Sun, 21.01.2024, 5.30 pm: Moser Medical Graz99ers – HK SZ Olimpija
Referees: PIRAGIC, SEEWALD E., Bedynek, Jedlicka. | >> live.ice.hockey <<
HK SZ Olimpija ist currently sitting comfortably in a pre-playoff spot. In ninth place, the Slovenians have a 13-point lead over eleventh-placed Vienna. Bottom-placed Graz, who recently let captain Taylor Matson go to Finland, should not be a stumbling block for the Slovenians: Even though only three lines were called up in Asiago on Friday, the "Dragons" made up for a 0-3 deficit and won 5-4 in the end. The "eternal record" also favors Ljubljana with 7-4. Trevor Gooch is still in top form: his point streak is now ten games long and he has 22 points. Graz, who lost in Klagenfurt on Friday, also had to withdraw a number of players: Grafenthin, Kirchschläger, Schira, Bauer and Viksten were all missing for the Styrians.

Sun, 21.01.2024, 5.30 pm: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie – Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: FICHTNER, SMETANA, Fleischmann, Riecken. | >> LIVE on PULS24 <<
The Steinbach Black Wings Linz are once again battling their slump in form on Sunday at the in-form HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie. The Tyroleans have only lost two games since the dismissal of MVP Brady Shaw, but have won eight. The current winning streak stands at three games, with Kevin Roy scoring four goals to knock champion EC Red Bull Salzburg off the ice on Friday. The "Haie", which will be missing Zach Magwood due to injury, have thus gained some breathing space in the battle for the top six for the time being, with a four-point advantage over seventh place. And that is exactly where Linz are, having lost their last four games in a row - and picking up just five points from their last eight games. The Upper Austrians had a break on Friday and need a win against the "Haie" - they have won two of their three encounters this season - to avoid being at a disadvantage in the tight race for direct play-off qualification. Marco Brucker from Linz was recently absent for personal reasons and will now play his 700th league game in Innsbruck. Shawn St-Amant, who was injured in training, will definitely miss out.

Fine for Kristof Nemeth
Kristof Nemeth of Hydro Fehérvár AV19 has been fined an automatic fine of € 250.00 for non-compliant protective equipment in Friday's road game in Bolzano. The officials will intervene if a player is not wearing his protective equipment on the ice in accordance with the rules (e.g. visor pushed up, face shield not properly attached, no mouth guard, U20 players not wearing neck protection, etc.).