Release from 12.09.2019

New season kicks off on Friday

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On Friday, September 13th at 7.15 pm, the new season in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga kicks off with four games scheduled. Reigning champion EC-KAC takes on Hydro Fehérvár AV19 in its home opener, while the two other Champions Hockey League participants Moser Medical Graz99ers and spusu Vienna Capitals met each other, broadcasted live on Sky Sport Austria 1 HD. Further, the first “West-Derby” will be played and the HCB Südtirol Alperia hosts the EC Red Bull Salzburg. 

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6 facts ahead of the first round:

  • The new season kicks off exactly 142 days after the last game on April 24th.
  • 81 games were played since the 2003-04 season on first game days, with 37 wins taking from the home team.
  • Only onece all opening games were won by the home teams (2007-08) resp. by the road teams (2004-05).
  • Concerning the 200-year-anniversary of main sponsor Erste Bank all our referees will wear special jerseys till October 6th.
  • Rule changes in the new season:
    • As the league and teams are very comfortable with the play within Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, there are very few changes to the rules for this upcoming season. The only major rule change is that there will be assessed a 2 minute minor for all boarding infractions (instead of 2+2 for boarding last season). It's also new that players can be fined without a suspension.
    • The only other change that is being made is in the format of overtime in the playoffs. There will be a difference in the structure of overtime between elimination games and non-elimination games. In elimination games all overtime periods will be played with 5 players on each side, until one team scores the winning goal. In non-elimination games the 1st period of overtime will be played with 5 players on each side. The 2nd overtime period, and all subsequent OT periods, will be played with 3 skaters on each side.


Fr, 13. September, 7.15 pm: HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ – Dornbirn Bulldogs
Referees: NIKOLIC M., SMETANA, Basso, Nothegger

  • The HC TWK Innsbruck “Die Haie“ and the Dornbirn Bulldogs contests in the 37th “West-Derby”, with Innsbruck taking 17 wins in the past and Dornbirn 19.
  • The Tyrolese won 67% of their past home games against the Vorarlberg side, as the Bulldogs got only two road wins in the last twelve meetings at Innsbruck. They opened past season with a 4:3 overtime road win at Innsbruck, which was Dornbirn’s last victory in Tyrol.
  • With three wins each these two teams met six times past season.
  • Preseason: While Innsbruck won three out of six preparatory games, the Bulldogs celebrated two victories out of seven scrimmages.
  • While Sam Antonitsch moved from Innsbruck to Dornbirn, Joel Broda and Thomas Vallant took the other direction during off-season.


Fr, 13. September, 7.15 pm: EC-KAC – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: FICHTNER, NIKOLIC K., Gatol, Schauer

  • Reigning champions EC-KAC hosts Hydro Fehérvár AV19 in their home opener.
  • It is the 63rd meeting of these two teams, as the Carinthians took 34 wins in the past.
  • Since 2003-04 Klagenfurt lost all season opener after winning a title the season before.
  • On December 3rd 2017 the EC-KAC grabbed its last home win against Fehérvár, celebrating a 4:0 shutout, following by three losses.
  • For the last time in 2016-17 both teams met on the first game day, with Klagenfurt winning 5:0.
  • The Hungarians, which won five of six duels past season, was the last team taking a road win in Klagenfurt, as the “Rotjacken” currently hold a home winning streak of eleven.
  • Preseason: While the EC-KAC remains unbeaten in the preseason and took three wins in Champions Hockey League too, last year’s quarterfinalist won five out of eight during the preseason campaign.
  • On Friday, Patrick Harand will play his 800th game in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, while Thomas Koch heads into his 700th and Manuel Geier in his 500th regular season game.
  • Due to injuries Niki Kraus and Lukas Haudum (both KAC) will miss the season opener.


Fr, 13. September, 7.15 pm: Moser Medical Graz99ers – spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Seewald, Zgonc

  • The game between the Moser Medical Graz99ers and the spusu Vienna Capitals will be broadcasted live on Sky Sport Austria 1 HD (6.45 pm).
  • Both teams met each other for the 93rd time, with Vienna taking 61 wins in the past.
  • The Caps overall scored 322 goals against the Styrian, against no other team the 99ers scored that much.
  • Graz only won 39% of its home games against the Viennese.
  • Both teams participated in Champions Hockey League during the past two weekends, as each celebrated a huge win. While Vienna grabbed three points at Djurgarden Stockholm, Graz beat reigning CHL champion Frölunda Indians on the road after shootout.
  • In the past season the teams met six times with three wins each.
  • Preseason: The Caps played only three friendlies, getting two wins, while Graz won two out of four preparatory games.
  • Right in the first round Ty Loney faces his last team, as he scored 54 points (28G | 26A) in 62 games for the 99ers past season.
  • Colton Yellow Horn and Sebastian Collberg are out due to injuries, while Graz has new arrival David Aslin available. Vienna misses Rafael Rotter and Dominic Hackl.


Fr, 13. September, 7.45 pm: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: BERNEKER, STOLC, Pardatscher, Sparer

  • With HCB Südtirol Alperia facing EC Red Bull Salzburg the first game day closes at 7.45 pm.
  • Salzburg won 21 games out of 32 meetings ever with Bolzano.
  • On January 3rd (4:3) the “foxes” celebrated their lone home win against the Red Bulls.
  • Salzburg won five of six meetings past season.
  • Preseason: While Bolzano remained unbeaten in the preseason, Salzburg won the past two scrimmages after four losses at the beginning.
  • Salzburg is missing defender Brendan Mikkelson due to an injury.



Fotocredit: (c) EC-KAC/Kuess