Release from 15.09.2023
After months of preparation, the eighth season of the Alps Hockey League starts on Saturday. There will be a Slovenian duel between champion Jesenice and league newcomer Celje. While in South Tyrol the derby between Ritten and Gröden is on the program, championship favorite Zell am See opens the new campaign with a home match against Lustenau. All games are available on the AHL streaming platform.
Alps Hockey League, all games in the stream on valcome.tv:
Sat, 16.09.2023, 18:00: Rittner Buam SkyAlps - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it
Referees: BENVEGNU, RICCO, Abeltino, De Zordo
The Rittner Buam SkyAlps meet HC Gherdëina valgardena.it in the first South Tyrolean derby of the new season at home. Thereby Neo-Ritten-Goalie Colin Furlong meets his former team on the very first matchday. In the last four league duels between the two teams, the away team always prevailed. Tray Tuomie took over as coach of the first AHL champion in the summer, and he will have the entire team at his disposal for the opening game. Gardena head coach John Miner also makes his league debut.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 18:00: Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - EC-KAC Future Team
Referees: KAINBERGER, PIRAS, Cusin, A. Rivis
Both Unterland and Klagenfurt, which has a new coach in Harri Laurila, prepared for the new season in the Alps Hockey League with resounding victories at the end of the preseason. The past regular season in ALps Hockey League could not have been more different: while the South Tyroleans achieved second place in their league debut, the Future Team ended up in last place. The two direct duels went to the Cavaliers, with the home game in Egna being a very clear 6:1 victory.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 18:00: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - Steel Wings LINZ AG
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, F. RIVIS, Matthey, Vignolo
The Broncos have to do without René Deluca and Alex Brunner due to injuries. The team led by head coach Johan Sjöquist and assistant coach Áron Kecskeméti has shown good performances in the preseason. The Upper Austrians have strong imports in the lineup with veteran Marc-André Dorion, William Persson and Mikael Saha. After nine wins, Sterzing had to admit defeat to Linz for the first time last season.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 19:00: EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - HC Meran/o Pircher
Referees: OREL, WENUSCH, Moidl, Schonaklener
Due to the injury of Henrick Hochfilzer, newcomer Rafael Rotter will captain the KEC team in the first game of the season. The opponents from Meran also recorded a transfer coup in the summer: The club of neo-coach Jarrod Skalde signed goalie Andrei Markarov, who has plenty of experience from the NHL, AHL and KHL. After the disappointing last season - in which both games against Kitzbühel were also lost - the South Tyroleans want to get back on track. The Kitzbühel side, on the other hand, tries to get their second playoff qualification.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 19:00: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice - HK RST Pellet Celje
Referees: LESNIAK, MILOVANOVIC, Bergant, Markizeti
After a break of two years, two Slovenian clubs are again represented in the Alps Hockey League. The first game will be a duel between champion Jesenice and league newcomer Celje. Jesenice showed a strong offense in the last two preseason games against Budapest, scoring five goals each. Celje showed good performances in the preseason, but the team of head coach Gal Koren could not win a game.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 19:30: EK Die Zeller Eisbären - EHC Lustenau
Referees: BROCK, MEIXNER, Wendner, Zacherl
Zell am See faces the team that ended their last two seasons prematurely - EHC Lustenau. In a fan poll, the Salzburg side, who won six of their seven test matches, was considered the biggest championship favorite. With Mario Altmann, Tyler Cuma, Bernhard Fechtig, Nick Huard, Adis Alagic and Alexander Lahoda they signed some experienced players. The Lustenau conceded a lot of goals in the preseason and want to present themselves defensively improved for the start of the season.
Sat, 16.09.2023, 19:30: EC Bregenzerwald - Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: HOLZER, LEGA, Martin, Pace
On Saturday evening, a new chapter in the Alps Hockey League will also begin at the Messestadion Dornbirn. EC Bregenzerwald welcomes Red Bull Hockey Juniors for the season opener. A good week after the last successful test game and a good preseason, the team of head coach Jussi Tupamäki starts the new league campaign. Back in 2021, they also opened their season against the Juniors - back then in Salzburg. Although the Vorarlberg side was able to come back from a two-goal deficit, they still lost 4:3. The Salzburgers are once again a young and talented team. In the preseason they won the Summer Heat Challenge'23 in Tampere.
All games live on valcome.tv
As in previous years, all matches will be available in the livestream this season. What is new, however, is that with valcome.tv there is now only one platform for all games. In addition to the single match for €7.50, all fans have the option of buying a Follow your Team subscription for €99. With this it is possible to watch all home and away matches of one team.
Photo: Max Pattis