Ninth Intermediate Round on Friday

 

 

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 9. Pick Round:
Fri, 08.03.2019: HCB Südtirol Alperia vs. spusu Vienna Capitals (19:15)
Referees: KELLNER, STOLC, Basso, Pardatscher.
• spusu Vienna Capitals have the chance to fix place 1 in the Pick Round with a win in Bozen on Friday. Then, the Caps would have the first Pick Right, when picking their opponent for the Playoff Quarterfinals on Sunday and home-advantage until a possible final.
• HCB Südtirol Alperia is still in the race for place 4 and home-advantage in the Quarterfinals. But, therefore, the Champion must earn four points more than EC Red Bull Salzburg out of the last two Intermediate Rounds played on Friday and Sunday.
• The two teams have shown different faces lately: While spusu Vienna Capitals have been successful in nine straight games, the Italians have been defeated in three consecutive matches lately.
• spusu Vienna Capitals are hunting for their 200th season-goal in Bozen on Friday. The Austrians have already netted 197 goals during this season. Already 35 goals, the Leader has potted out of eight matches in the Pick Round!
• With the spusu Vienna Capitals will arrive with Peter Schneider the League’s best scorer and goalscorer in Bozen. The Austrian forward has already scored 69 points (35G/34A) this season. 
Quotes:

Matti Kuparinen, forward HCB Südtirol Alperia: „The game against Vienna will be a good challenge for us. We have to skate hard, we have to fight and our Special Teams have to work too.“
Andreas Nödl, Captain spusu Vienna Capitals: „Bozen is strong at home, has a good defense and plays intense too. We expect a hard game there. We have to continue playing as we did lately!“

 

• EC Red Bull Salzburg vs. EC-KAC is the meeting of the best offense with the best defense: While the Red Bulls have scored most goals (199), Klagenfurt has allowed fewest goals so far (115). Besides, EC-KAC goalie Lars Haugen (Save%: 92.8 and GAA: 1.83) is leading the goalie-statistics.
• EC-KAC, that has already fixed home-ice-advantage in the Quarterfinals, has the chance to fix place 3 with a win in Salzburg too. On the other hand, the Red Bulls could fix home-ice-advantage with three points and stay in the race for place 3. The Austrian clash is broadcasted live by SKY Sport HD on Friday.
• The two clubs had the same run (D/W/W/D) during the last four rounds. Each team has been defeated in their last game and scored only one goal.
• EC Red Bull Salzburg is the best team in Penalty Killing (PK%: 86.4).  
• Salzburgs John Hughes (60 points – 19G/41A) and Klagenfurts Nicholas Petersen (62 points – 24G/38A) are their teams best scorers.
Quotes:
Dario Winkler, forward EC Red Bull Salzburg: „We are on a good way. We have be ready again and keep on going.“ 
Johannes Bischofberger, forward EC-KAC: „Salzburg started well under their new Head Coach, but, we will be ready. We have to play compact defense, fight and keep on going.“

 

• Fehervar AV19 and Moser Medical Graz99ers will be facing each other for the very first time in the Pick Round in Szekesfehervar on Friday.
• Each team has the chance to move up in the ranking in the last two rounds, but can not fall down. Fehervar AV19, that is ranked on sixth place, has still a chance to move up to place 4 and get home-ice-advantage in the first Playoff Round, while the Moser Medical Graz99ers, that are ranked on place 2, have still a little chance to win the Pick Round. Therefore, each team has to be successful in their last two games and needs help from other clubs too.
• Fehervar AV19 and Moser Medical Graz99ers had the same run in March so far (D/D/W).
• Fehervar AV19 will welcome 99ers with good memories: The Hungarians have earned points out of their last five home-games against the Styrians (four wins).
• The Moser Medical Graz99ers are hunting for their 200th season-goal in Szekesfehervar on Friday. The Mur Citizens have already potted 195 goals during this season. Besides, the 99ers have the best Power Play (PP%: 26,6%), while the Devils have the best scoring%: 12,57%.

Quotes:
Hannu Järvenpää, Headcoach Fehervar AV19: „The 99ers have a strong team, the are a finals-candidat and have already qualified for the CHL. The Styrians have much offensiv-power too. We have to stay focussed and out of the Penalty Box!“
Oliver Setzinger, Captain Moser Medical Graz99ers: „We want to win the last two games of the Pick Round. We have the quality to beat strong clubs, even when we are not complete. Each player knows, what’s his job.“

 

Fri, 08.03.2019: EC Panaceo VSV vs. HC Orli Znojmo (19:15)
Referees: OFNER, SMETANA, Rezek, Zgonc.
• EC Panaceo VSV will play against HC Orli Znojmo their last home-game of the season on Friday. The Austrians are already out of the Playoff race.
• HC Orli Znojmo, that is already qualified for the Playoffs, needs only one point out of the game in Villach to win the Qualification Round.
• The „Eagles-clash“ is the meeting of the best offense of the Qualification Round with the best defense of the Qualification Round: While Znojmo has already potted 32 goals, Villach has allowed just 12 goals so far.
• The two teams have been convincing lately: While Villach has won five straight home-games, allowing just ten goals, the Czechs have won four straight road-matches, scoring 30 goals. Besides, the two teams - Villach (681 PIM) and Znojmo (577 PIM) - have collected most PIM as well.
• Znojmo’s Nicolas Hlava (2G/9A), David Bartos (2G/9A) and Allan McPherson (6G/5A) have scored most points (11) in the Intermediate Round so far!
Quotes:
Yann Sauve, defenseman EC Panaceo VSV: „We want to play a good game infront of our fans, defend well and earn the win.“ 
Jiri Beroun, Assistant Coach HC Orli Znojmo: „We are very happy we have managed to secure the playoffs with two games to go. It has been our primary target the entire seasons and although we have had ups and downs, especially at the beginning of the season, we have kept believing the team has quality to achieve that goal. This has now proved to be true. Our goal for the last two games is to get in the game rhythm for the quarterfinals. The qualification round wasn´t great in this because sometimes we played many games in short space of time, sometimes we had a 6-day break. We also hope there will be no injuries.“

 

Referees: BERNEKER, GRUBER, Schauer, Tschrepitsch.
• Dornbirn Bulldogs will finish their season in Innsbruck on Friday, while HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ will play their last home-game. Each team is already out of the Playoff race.
• HCI would leave the last place, when earning three points in the west-derby.
• The two teams have faced each in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga 17 times in Innsbruck so far. The Sharks left the ice as the winner eleven times.
• With Dornbirn’s Brendan O’Donnell and Innsbruck’s Andrew Yogan the Leagues second best goalscorers will be in action in Tyrol on Friday. Both forwards have already scored 33 goals 2018/19.
• Innsbrucks Andrew Clark has scored most Assists (48) in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.
Quotes:
Rob Pallin, Headcoach HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“: „Nobody wants to be defeated in his last game. We will give 100% again!“
Dave MacQueen, Headcoach Dornbirn Bulldogs: „We will have some changes in the Line-up and some players from Bregenzerwald will get their chance. All are motivated to win the west-derby!“