Release from 25.11.2017
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, Round 23:
Sun, 26.11.2017: Moser Medical Graz99ers – Dornbirn Bulldogs (16:00)
Referees: GOGA, SMETANA, Angerer, Orolin.
- 6th placed 99ers, who are the most efficient team of the league, have earned points in every game after the international break, celebrating an ot win in Bolzano lately
- Dornbirn won the last three games. After Friday's win in Villach, the team hit the road again for Graz before they end their road trip in Zagreb on Monday
- In the previous two season meeting each team earned an away win the Bulldogs winning the last game in Graz 3:2 at the beginning of November
- After the last two wins against Villach (5:2) and Vienna (3:2), the 99ers are the fourth best home team of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga
- Daniel Oberkofler scored one goal in each of the two season meeting with Dornbirn, DEC forward Matt Fraser even found the back of the net three times and had one additional assist
Doug Mason (Coach Moser Medical Graz99ers): „It was not our best game in Bolzano but goalie Hannu Toivonen played very solid. Hegave us the chance to win the game. I'm confident for the next challenge against Dornbirn.“
Kevin Macierzynski (Dornbirn Bulldogs): „We have to play our game as we did in Villach lately. We have to get shots goalwards, play solid defensively and focus on the details. We won the last game in Graz, it will be a tight game again.“
Sun, 26.11.2017: EC-KAC – HCB Südtirol Alperia (17:30, video33.it live)
Referees: GAMPER, TRILAR, Nothegger, Schauer.
- KAC is the only unbeaten team after the IIHF break. On Friday the Carinthians climbed to second place thanks to a 4:2 road win in Innsbruck
- Bottom-placed club has never had such a bad EBEL start with seven wins and 15 defeats
- The two teams have met 22 times in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with each side winning eleven. Klagenfurt won the last four, though
- Klagenfurt won both season meeting by one goal (2:1 in Klagenfurt, 5:4 in Bolzano)
- HCB is one of the most efficient teams on PP: The foxes have scored in their last 16 of 20 games with pp occasions but failed to score against KAC twice
Patrick Harand (EC-KAC): „We are happy with our latest results but we have to keep that level. It's always tough against Bolzano, they are much better than heir current ranking. I hope for a crowded arena and another win.“
Absentees KAC: Richie Regehr, Matthew Neal, Christoph Duller and Manuel Geier
Absentees HCB: Austin Smith, Anton Bernard, Matt Climie, Mat Clark
Sun, 26.11.2017: KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (17:30)
Referees: GRUBER, LEMELIN, Ettlmayr, Hribar.
- Lately Medvescak gained two comfortable wins against Salzburg and Fehervar, while third-placed Black Wings lost four of their last five matches
- Zagreb is the best home team, having gained at least a point in all matches. The Upper Austrians are waiting for a road win for more than a month
- The Black Wings won both season meetings with Zagreb (5:4 after penalties on the road, 8:1 blowout win at home)
- Zagreb's Tyler Morley leads Erste Bank Eishockey Liga's scoring charts with 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists), Linz forward Brian Lebler has found the back of the net most often (15 times)
- Despite Zagreb having received fourth most penalties (91 times shorthanded), they have the best PK available (only 12 goals against)
Connor Cameron (Coach Medvescak Zagreb): „We had a lot of problem in the beginning of the season with being discipline, and we have worked a lot on it. Every time we can win on the road is a great thing, and we could also could score the first two goals in powerplay. Hopefully we can continue to build on this success“.
Jake Dowell (LIWEST Black Wings Linz): „We have to stay positive and focused, trying to do things better. Every team has a weaker period during a season but now we have to stop it. We are preparing for the Zagreb game as we always do. We have to be focused and ready.“
Absentee: Andreas Kristler
Doubtful: Philipp Lukas
Sun, 26.11.2017: EC VSV – Fehervar AV119 (17:30)
Referees: GRUMSEN, M. NIKOLIC, Haurum, Verworner.
- While Fehervar suffered two clear-cut defeats against KAC and Zagreb, Villach even lost their last four games
- Both teams try to keep in touch with the upper half of the table as tenth-placed VSV is only one point ahead of the Hungarians
- Fehervar won both season meetings with the Carinthians: After a 3:0 home win the devils also decided last week's meeting in Villach after penalties to their favour
- It looks like the Hungarians are with strong nerves as they won all of their last six games by only one goal
- Fehervar's special teams have not worked well this season: Their powerplay (12,6 %) and the PK (73 %) are both bottom of the league
Markus Peintner (Co-Trainer EC VSV): „We had some good talks with players and coaches after yesterday's defeat against Dornbirn. We stay positive and look forward, being focused for the Fehervar game.“
Benoit Laporte (Coach Fehervar AV19): „We can try to find excuses, but we are just not scoring enough goals lately, one goal per game is the average, and it is not enough in this league. The first period is always the key in these games on the road. It’s a long trip, we leave in the morning. We have to let them be impatient and make mistakes.“
Sun, 26.11.2017: HC Orli Znojmo – HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (17:30)
Referees: PIRAGIC, SIEGEL, Gatol, Zgonc.
- Innsbruck has a downtrend with six defeats in their last seven games - on Friday they lost to KAC 4:2 at home
- Wins and losses have alternated in Znojmo's last five games, suffering a 5:2 defeat in Salzburg on Friday
- It's a clash of two opponents for a pick round spot with only one point seperating ninth-placed Czechs and Innsbruck (place 7)
- While Znojmo won their last two home games, the sharks lost their last four road games
- In the previous two season meetings the home side took the points with Colton Yellow Horn (Znojmo) and Tyler Spurgeon (Innsbruck) scoring in both games
Michal Plutnar (HC Orli Znojmo): „The fans in Znojmo are great. It was important that we won our home game against Villach last Tuesday. My goal in the first game was great. Now we have to build on this performance.“
Absentee: Antonin Bořuta
Doubtful: Radek Číp
Jeremie Blain (HC TWK Innsbruck): „We are working hard but we don't perform on the ice. We have to keep calm and focus on the Znojmo game. It will be tough but we have to find a way to end our losing streak.“
Absentee: Clemens Paulweber
Referees: STOLC, ZRNIC, Pardatscher, Rakovic.
- Vienna and Salzburg both won their last game but the Red Bulls have had the better results after the IIHF break (RBS 3 wins, 1 defeat - VIC 2 wins, 2 defeats)
- In the previous two season meetings the road team took the points - the Caps earned a 4:0 win at Volksgarten, Salzburg had a 2:1 win one month ago
- Riley Holzapfel has scored in the last three home games against Salzburg
- Salzburg has received the most penalty minutes (301 – around 14 per game) and have to take care with Vienna having the best pp available (29,1%)
- JP Lamoureux leads goalie statistics with a 94.3 save percentage
Rafael Rotter (Vienna Capitals): „We want to settle an outstanding score. We We handed over control in only five minutes. This time we have to be ready until the final buzzer.“
Absentees: Patrick Peter, Jérome Samson, Ryan McKiernan
Thomas Raffl (EC Red Bull Salzburg): „We want to play as we did against Znojmo. It's always tough in Vienna and we have to hit the ice well-prepared.“
Absentees: Matt Generous, Dominique Heinrich, Manuel Latusa, Raphael Herburger und Peter Hochkofler