Release from 17.02.2020

Second leg of intermediate round starts on Tuesday

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On Tuesday, the teams of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga head into the second leg of the intermediate round, with leader EC Red Bull Salzburg tries to fasten top-2 in the Pick Round and spusu Vienna Capitals hosting HCB Südtirol Alperia in a race for a ticket for next season in the Champions Hockey League.

With a win in Qualification Round’s top-clash the EC Panaceo VSV can reach the playoffs.

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Five facts ahead of the 6th intermediate round:

  • Qualification Round’s top-clash EC Panaceo VSV against EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz will be covered live on Sky Sport Austria 3 HD.
  • With a win Villach can reach the playoffs.
  • With any victory Salzburg can pin down home advantage until a possible semifinal series.
  • Linz misses one more win to record 500th victory in a regular season game in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (since 03/04).
  • The Moser Medical Graz99ers are free of play.


Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 6. Pick Round:
Tu, 17.02.2020, 7.15 pm: spusu Vienna Capitals – HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: OFNER, SIEGEL, Bärnthaler, Kaspar.

  • With three wins in a row, the HCB Südtirol Alperia took second place in the Pick Round.
  • The third-placed spusu Vienna Capitals lost their last three games in the intermediate round.
  • The last duel between these two teams - on February 11th in Bolzano - was won by the "Foxes" with a score of 5:2, and all four encounters in the first phase of the Regular Season were won by the "Caps".
  • In all three of the Bolzano side's most recent victories, the back-up goalie was Justin Fazio, as Leland Irving was ill. Fazio impressed during this period with a save percentage of 95.5% and only allowed four goals against.
  • The South Tyrolean are the team with the fewest goals conceded in the Pick Round (6), while Vienna have already scored 14 goals conceded (#2).
  • The "Foxes" last won on October 30th 2018 in Vienna (4:1), after that the "Caps" won all four games in the Erste Bank Arena.
  • The two teams are competing in the 47th duel against each other, Vienna has won 29 games so far.
  • In memory of the recently deceased former junior player of the Viennese Marco Weissenböck, a moment of mourning will be held before the game.
Pregame Statement: Lukas Piff (VIC)


Tu, 17.02.2020, 7.15 pm: EC-KAC – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Hribar, Rezek.

  • The EC-KAC and the EC Red Bull Salzburg will play their sixth duel against each other two days after the last encounter.
  • On Sunday, leader Salzburg won 3:2, making them the only team to remain unbeaten in the intermediate round. With this victory, the "Red Bulls" have set a 3:2 record for the season.
  • Salzburg can fix the home advantage in a possible semi-final series with a victory on Tuesday - even after OT or SO.
  • The leader of the table has only suffered one defeat after regulation in 2020 (2:3 vs. Graz on January 14th). In the remaining thirteen matches the leader has always grabbed points, only losing twice after shootout.
  • Salzburg has been undefeated on the road for six games.
  • The EC-KAC has the best penalty killing in the league (86.6%), Salzburg has the best powerplay (23.9%).
  • Since the 2003/04 season there have been 137 games between these two teams, 75 of them were won by the "Red Bulls".
  • For the first time, the defending champion will be able to draw on his newcomer Jhonas Enroth. Steven Strong, Marco Richter and Philipp Kreuzer have been deregistered for him.
  • The EC-KAC will have to play without Nick Petersen and Lukas Haudum (both injured and only in light ice training) in the return game against the EC Red Bull Salzburg. David Fischer, Thomas Hundertpfund and Niki Kraus also had to skip the practise session on Monday.
  • Salzburg will still have to do without convalescents Yannic Pilloni, Alexander Rauchenwald and Florian Baltram. Peter Hochkofler is ready for action again after his suspension.
Pregame Statement: Patrick Harand (KAC)

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 6. Qualification Round:
Tu, 17.02.2020, 6.30 pm: HC Orli Znojmo – HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“
Referees: PEARCE (CAN), SMETANA, Gatol, Nagy.

  • On Sunday, in the latest duel between these two teams, HC Orli Znojmo celebrated a 4:2 victory at HC TWK Innsbruck "Die Haie".
  • With this the Czechs have also won their fifth duel of the season against the Tyrolese.
  • For five games they are undefeated against the “sharks". Their last victory in the Czech Republic was on March 10th 2019 (5:3).
  • The two teams will probably fight with Hydro Fehérvár AV19 for the remaining playoff ticket. Innsbruck is fourth five games before the end of the Regular Season (10 points), Znojmo fifth (9 points).
  • Znojmo has lost both home games in the qualification round so far.
  • 37 duels fought the two teams against each other, Znojmo won 24 of them.
  • The "eagles" are the weakest team in the league in powerplay (11,5%).


Tu, 17.02.2020, 7.15 pm: EC Panaceo VSV – EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz (live auf Sky Sport Austria 3 HD)
Referees: GRUBER, NIKOLIC M., Nedeljkovic, Schauer.

  • Their duel on Sunday was won 4:1 by EC Panaceo VSV, thus securing the fourth consecutive win against EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz.
  • Villach already has the chance to qualify for the playoffs 2020 in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with a win as sixth team.
  • Of the 130 games played so far since the 2003/04 season, the victories are fairly divided 65:65.
  • Linz is still missing one win on their 500th success in a game of the Regular Season in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (since 03/04).
  • The VSV grabbed points in every home game in 2020. Only once he had to admit a defeat (0:1 SO vs. DEC).
  • Linz has won only one away game in 2020 (6:2 @DEC).
  • It is the duel of two of the three best teams on powerplay (BWL 23,5% #2 | VSV 22,5% #3).
  • Villach is still undefeated under head coach Rob Daum.
  • Christof Wappis could return to VSV’s line-up.
Pregame Statement: Christof Wappis (VSV) | Marco Brucker (BWL)


Tu, 17.02.2020, 7.15 pm: Dornbirn Bulldogs – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: NIKOLIC K., STOLC, Sparer, Tschrepitsch.

  • Hydro Fehérvár AV19 is looking to confirm their provisional playooff spot in the away game with the Dornbirn Bulldogs.
  • The Hungarians are third in the Quaification Round, level on points with fourth Innsbruck and one point ahead of fifth Znojmo.
  • On Sunday Fehérvár declassified Dornbirn 9:1 and celebrated its fourth win of the season over the Vorarlberg side.
  • Dornbirn lost the last three games and conceded 21 goals (7 per game).
  • Fehérvár has won nine of the last ten games against Dornbirn. They won 23 of a total of 41 matches.
  • The Hungarians have announced the contract extension with Tim Campbell prior to this game. The 29-year-old defender also signed for the coming season. In the current season, the Canadian scored 8 goals and 22 assists.
  • Dornbirn will miss Keaton Ellerby for the rest of the season due to injury. Matias Sointo will probably be absent for the next two weeks.
Pregame Statement: Simeon Schwinger (DEC) | Antti Karhula (AVS)