Release from 23.02.2024

Pairings for the pre-playoff 2024 are set

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The two pairings for the third pre-playoff in the win2day ICE Hockey League have been finalised as of Friday evening: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie (#7) decided on BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg (#10), HC Pustertal Wölfe (#8) will face HK SZ Olimpija (#9). From Sunday, these four teams will battle it out in a best-of-3 format for the last two remaining places in the quarter-finals.

This follows the decision of the win2day ICE Hockey League's justice commission to award a 5:0 victory to the Tyroleans in the match between HC TIWAG Innsbruck and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey on Friday, 23 February 2024, which was not played. Innsbruck thus finished the regular season in seventh place and earned the right to pick for the pre-playoffs.

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The pre-playoffs start on Sunday, 25 February. The game in Innsbruck will be broadcast live on PULS24 from 5.05 pm. The match in Bruneck starts at 6.00 pm and will be available as a PPV live stream on www.live.ice.hockey. The second matchday of this series is scheduled for Tuesday, 27 February. A possible third game is then scheduled for Thursday (29 February).

The 2023/24 season of the win2day ICE Hockey League is over for the spusu Vienna Capitals, Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey and the Moser Medical Graz99ers. The remaining six teams have already qualified for the quarter-finals.

The first comments on the pre-playoff pick:
Max Steinacher (Sports Manager HCI): "The season duels so far were decisive for our decision. We've never lost to the Pioneers in front of our crowd, so home advantage is hugely important. We are looking forward to a full arena on Sunday".

Christian Gross (Manager BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg): "We've already achieved a lot in our second year by reaching the pre-playoffs. The team has performed well throughout the season and now we want to improve our record against Innsbruck. I reckon the chances are 50:50".

Jochen Schenk (Manager HC Pustertal): "We were already expecting this duel, the previous games count for nothing now. We have the home advantage on our side and will prepare as best we can for the first game on Sunday".

Anže Ulčar (Manager HK SŽ Olimpija): "We were very consistent for long stretches of the regular season. In a best-of-3 series, the first game is of course very important, but you still need two wins to go through."

The pre-playoffs in detail:

HC TIWAG Innsbruck - BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg

  • Season duels: 3:1 HCI
  • Head-2-Head: 7:1 HCI
  • HCI is still unbeaten in home games against PIV
  • PIV has qualified for the postseason for the first time

HC Pustertal - HK SZ Olimpija

  • Season duels: 3:1 HKO
  • Head-2-Head: 6:6
  • both teams play again in the postseason after a one-year break


Match dates:
Sunday, 25 February 2024
HC TIWAG Innsbruck - BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg | 5.30 p.m. | LIVE ON PULS 24
HC Pustertal Wölfe - HK SZ Olimpija | 6.00 pm | live.ice.hockey (PPV)
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg - HC TIWAG Innsbruck | 7.30 pm
HK SZ Olimpija - HC Pustertal Wölfe | 7:15 pm
Thursday, 29 February 2024*

*) if necessary