Release from 10.01.2020
With three teams already qualified for the playoffs in Alps Hockey League, the race for the remaining three spots in the pick round enters the next round. A total of nine games are scheduled on Saturday (7 games) and Sunday (2 games), including a couple of direct duels in the race for the top-6, as EHC Lustenau faces S.G. Cortina Hafro or Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey welcomes VEU Feldkirch. Leader HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana is free of play on the coming weekend.
Sa, 11.01.2020, 15:00 Uhr: EC-KAC II – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: BAJT, PODLESNIK, Holzer, Snoj.
The next gameday in Alps Hockey League opens in the afternoon, as EC-KAC II plays HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice at home. While the Slovenian side still fights for the top-6, arriving after five consecutive wins with three points trailing to sixth-ranked Fassa, the Austrians remain in the Qualification Round. To get one bonus point for the intermediate round, the EC-KAC II needs to finish regular season on 14th place. With six points trailing to that spot, the Carinthians need victories in the remaining games. But Jesenice’s formcurve points upwards, as past season’s semifinalist conceded only six goals against in the last five games, grabbing two shutouts. In Alps Hockey League’s history the Slovenian side won ten out of eleven games against Klagenfurt.
- Winning-Streak KA2: 1
- Winning-Streak JES: 5
- H2H AHL: 1:10 (JES)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 15:30 Uhr: Steel Wings Linz – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: BRUNNER, GAMPER, Kainberger, Wimmler.
In Saturday’s second afternoon game bottom-placed Steel Wings Linz hosts Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey. The former Alps Hockey League champion won the first season-encounter 3:0 to head into the second as favorite too. After a huge home-win past gameday against Sterzing, the Italians are ranked eighth with three points trailing to the top-6 and all chances for reaching playoffs through the pick round. Asiago struggled on PK so far, with 70,5% they are the second-last weakest team among all teams.
- Losing-Streak SWL: 24
- Winning-Streak ASH: 1
- H2H AHL: 0:1 (ASH)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 19:15 Uhr: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – SHC Fassa Falcons
Referees: LEHNER, LENDL, Riecken, Weiss.
With the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the SHC Fassa Falcons facing each other on Saturday, one winning streak will come to an end, as both teams won two straight lately. The Juniors have a huge home winning streak available too, succeeded in the past seven games in front of the home crowd. Moreover the Austrian side remained unbeaten in any home-games with the “falcons” and lost only one out of nine games (3:6 on November, 23rd). But the Italians remain hot, conceded only one goal in the last two games, winning against better ranked teams (Feldkirch, Pustertal).
- Winning-Streak RBJ: 2
- Winning-Streak SHC: 2
- H2H AHL: 1:8 (SHC)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 19:30 Uhr: EHC Lustenau – S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: LEGA, SCHAUER, Basso, Terragni.
In the duel for fourth place in standings the EHC Lustenau hosts S.G. Cortina Hafro. With one game less played, the Italian side sits on fourth spot, one point up to the Austrians. To step closer to the preliminary qualification for the playoffs, both teams need a win. While Lustenau lost the past four games, Cortina let slip away a 2:0 lead on Thursday against Jesenice, losing in overtime. The first season meeting was a high-scoring game, as the Vorarlberg side snatched up a 6:5 win on the road. Cortina has a winning-streak available on the road with four straight to be league’s fourth-best away.
- Losing-Streak EHC: 4
- Losing-Streak SGC: 1
- H2H AHL: 3:4 (SGC)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 19:30 Uhr: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: PINIE, RUETZ, Mantovani, Piras.
The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan and the EK Die Zeller Eisbären both trailing five points to the top-6 meet each other on Saturday in Alps Hockey League’s lone neighborhood battle. With four games left each of them need a win to remain in the fight for the pick round. The Broncos need to stop their losing streak, as they lost three straight lately, with conceding 17 goals in these games. The “polar bears” arrive after seven consecutive losses on the road, getting defeated 0:2 – due to too many sick and injured players – past gameday at Ritten. Sterzing won all past four home-games against Zell am See in the past. The Austrians won the first season meeting at home 5:3.
- Losing-Streak WSV: 3
- Losing-Streak EKZ: 1
- H2H AHL: 5:4 (WSV)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 20:00 Uhr: Rittner Buam – VEU Feldkirch
Referees: MOSCHEN, OREL, Puff, Slaviero.
After Friday’s game at Vienna, the VEU Feldkirch stops by at Rittner Buam to face a team which is already qualified for the playoffs. The Austrians dropped to seventh place past gameday, as they lost to Fassa 1:2. With five points gained in the last five games the VEU remains in the race for the top-6, as they have the most amount of games ahead in contrast to the other teams. However, it will be a tough battle at the former champions, which have a 7-game winning-streak against the Vorarlberg side and with 136 goals scored league’s best offensive-squad available. At the beginning of October, Ritten grabbed a 5:0 shutout-win with four goals scored on powerplay occasions. Ritten still has the best PP among all teams.
- Winning-Streak RIT: 3
- Losing-Streak VEU: 1
- H2H AHL: 8:1 (RIT)
Sa, 11.01.2020, 20:00 Uhr: HC Pustertal Wölfe – EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: LESNIAK, STEFENELLI, Cristeli, Javornik.
With having Brandon McNally, who started the season at Asiago (11 points), on the team, the HC Pustetal Wölfe hosts EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel. The “wolves” suffered the first loss on Thursday, after six wins in a row to drop to third place. However, they reached the playoffs. Kitzbühel will remain in the Qualification Round, lost the past three games. Both teams try to get the highest amount possible of bonus points for the intermediate round. Pustertal dominated the first season-encounter 7:2.
- Losing-Streak PUS: 1
- Losing-Streak KEC: 3
- H2H AHL: 7:2 (PUS)
So, 12.01.2020, 19.15 Uhr: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey – VEU Feldkirch
Referees: BAJT, BENVEGNU, Cristeli, Snoj.
The VEU Feldkirch ends weekend’s road trip at Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey, after stopping by at Vienna and Ritten on Friday and Saturday. Asiago heads into its second game this weekend, after Saturday’s road-game in Linz. Both teams are part of the top-6 chasing pack, needing any win they could get to remain hot in the thrilling race to the pick round. Feldkirch grabbed the first win over Asiago ever in Alps Hockey League history in the first season-meeting in November, as three unanswered goals in the first gave the Austrians a 4:3 victory in the end.
- Winning-Streak AHS: 1
- Losing-Streak VEU: 1
- H2H AHL: 11:1 (ASH)
So, 12.01.2020, 20:30 Uhr: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Vienna Capitals Silver
Referees: FAJDIGA, GIACOMOZZI F., Bedana, Bergant.
After Thursday’s huge 7:3 home-win against the Broncos, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it welcomes league’s newcomer Vienna Capitals Silver. The Viennese booked a 6:4 home-win in the first meeting, as the South Tyrolean look for revenge. With four wins in the remaining four games, Gherdeina still has a small chance to make the top-6. After Friday’s home-game against Feldkirch, the Austrians play the second game on the weekend.
- Winning-Streak GHE: 1
- Losing-Streak VCS: 1
- H2H AHL: 0:1 (VCS)
Fotocredit: (c) Doriano Brunel