Release from 24.02.2021
No less than seven games are scheduled in the Alps Hockey League on Thursday. Except for the EC Bregenzerwald and the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, all teams are in action. Among the top games are VEU Feldkirch against Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey or HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice against the Rittner Buam. League leader HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana is challenged for the second time this week against the EC-KAC II. On Tuesday they celebrated a 7:1 victory. The HC Pustertal Wölfe are clear favorites against the Steel Wings Linz and aim for their third shutout in a row. All games are available via livestream.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 19:15: Red Bull Hockey Juniors - SHC Fassa Falcons
Referees: DURCHNER, HLAVATY, Legat, Weiss. I >> FREE-LIVESTREAM <<
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the SHC Fassa Falcons kick off a packed day of games. Both teams meet for the second time this season. On January 23rd, the Young Bulls celebrated a 7:4 away win. It was their tenth success in the eleventh AHL duel with the "Falcons". Not only because of the clear superiority in the H2H, but also because of the current form, RBJ goes into the game as favorites. Although the team from Salzburg have lost two of the last three games, they celebrated five victories from the last seven encounters. In the standings RBJ occupies the fifth place. Fassa occupies the thirteenth place in the table and is currently outside the pre-playoff places. However, the gap to the twelfth in the table, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, is only one point.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 19:30: EHC Lustenau - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it
Referees: HUBER, RUETZ, Eisl, Huber. I >>PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The HC Gherdeina valgardena.it is currently twelfth in the table and have the last pre-playoff spot. Opponent EHC Lustenau is seventh in the standings. Last weekend, the Vorarlberg team was able to end a downward slide. After four defeats in a row, they celebrated a narrow 3:2 home win against the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. Gherdeina, on the other hand, is getting better and better. Of the past six games, they celebrated four victories. So far this season, the two teams have played against each other one. The EHC celebrated a 4:3 away win at the South Tyroleans. It was the second win in a row and the ninth win overall in the Alps Hockey League over GHE.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 19:30: VEU Feldkirch - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: BRUNNER, LEHNER, Martin, Matthey. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
In the duel VEU Feldkirch against Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey with VEU a team with weak form meets one of the teams with the strongest form (ASH). Because Feldkirch could only get two wins and a total of seven points from the past ten games. That means 15th place in the form standings. Asiago won eight of the last ten games (24 points - 3rd place). Last week, the team from Vorarlberg were in action twice against the HC Pustertal Wölfe. In both games they lost each time without a goal scored. Therefore, the VEU has already been waiting for 122 minutes and 21 seconds for a goal scored. Asiago conceded a 2:3 home defeat against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors in their last appearance. Before that, they were victorious six times in a row. As fourth in the standings, they currently hold the last place directly eligible for the quarterfinals.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 20:00: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice - Rittner Buam
Referees: BAJT, FAJDIGA, Arlic, Bergant. I >> FREE-LIVESTREAM <<
A sensational final period against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors saw HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice return to winning ways in the Alps Hockey League on Tuesday, after earlier conceding their first defeat after twelve straight wins against S.G. Cortina Hafro. The Slovenians are in second place in the standings. The Rittner Buam are also in good form. They were able to win all of their last three games. In the standings, the "Buam" are on course for the pre-playoffs. With 37 points, the South Tyroleans currently have a seven-point lead over the thirteenth-placed team in the standings. However, extending the winning streak at Jesenice will be a very difficult task for Ritten. Because JES has not lost a single home game this season and has scored 32 out of possible 36 points.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 20:00: HC Pustertal Wölfe - Steel Wings Linz
Referees: BENVEGNU, EGGER, Bedana, Mantovani. I >> PPV LIVESTREAM <<
The HC Pustertal Wölfe are the clear favorite in the home game against Steel Wings Linz. The third in the table won all games against SWL so far. Last week they were victorious against the VEU Feldkirch with 4:0 and with 3:0. PUS goalkeeper Colin Furlong thus celebrated a shutout in both games. In total, the 2020 Alps Hockey League MVP saved all 58 shots on his goal. The Canadian was therefore also named Top-Performer of the week. The Steel Wings Linz are at the bottom of the table with two points and have been waiting for a point for 19 games.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 20:15. HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana - EC-KAC II
Referees: LESNIAK, PAHOR, Javornik, Pagon. I >> FREE-LIVESTREAM <<
For the second time this week HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana and the EC-KAC II will meet. On Tuesday, the leader from Slovenia clearly prevailed with 7:1 in Klagenfurt. On HKO's side, six different players scored. Only Ziga Pesut scored twice. It was already the third win of the season for the "Dragons" over the KA2. Overall, they extended their lead in the H2H to 11:2. Klagenfurt meanwhile has been waiting for a win for five games. In the standings they occupy the 15th place. The gap to a pre-playoff spot is already nine points. One of the big strengths in Ljubljana's game is the penalty killing. With 88.7%, they are at the top of this statistic. However, the 2019 AHL champions conceded the only goal on Tuesday when they were shorthanded.
Thu, 25.02.2021, 20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro - EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: MOSCHEN, VIRTA, Cristeli, Rigoni. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The final game on Thursday will be played by S.G. Cortina Hafro and the EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel. Both teams duel for the second time this season. In the only duel of the season, Cortina prevailed with 3:0 in Kitzbühel. Phil Pietroniro and league top scorer Mike Cazzola scored the goals. The Canadian Cazzola already scored 52 points this season (16G/36A) and he has an active scoring streak of thirteen games. Remy Giftopoulos is another player from SGC who ranks in the top-3 of the scoring charts. In the last match, the Italians managed a 2:1 home win against HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. It was already the third win in a row and the fourth win from the past five games. Kitzbühel, on the other hand, conceded two defeats last week and won only two of their last 18 games. In the standings it comes to the duel of the sixth (SGC) with the 14th (KEC). While Cortina is still aiming towards the top-4, the gap is currently four points, Kitzbühel is still hoping to qualify for the pre-playoffs. Currently the gap to twelfth placed team is eight points.
Copyright: Max Pattis