Seven games to start the weekend

Fri, 08.10.2021, 18:30: HC Orli Znojmo - iClinic Bratislava Capitals
Referees: SIEGEL, ZRNIC, Bedynek, Hribar | >> PPV-Livestream <<

After Bratislava had to take a break last time, the Slovaks are visiting Znojmo for the first time in their league history on Friday. The Czechs have won all three of their home games so far (most recently a spectacular 9:3 win over Graz), but have not picked up a point in three away matches. Bratislava have won three of their five games and are currently two places behind Znojmo in eighth position.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:15: EC Red Bull Salzburg - EC GRAND Immo VSV
Referees: HUBER, STERNAT, Nothegger, Seewald

Although the Salzburg side was defeated by Bolzano at home in the CHL on Tuesday, the Red Bulls have celebrated three wins in a row in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. The third-placed team will be without a total of seven players for the clash against Villach - but TJ Brennan, who has already scored five goals this season, will hit the ice. On the Villach side, Rick Schofield, Maximilian Rebernig, John Hughes, Yannic Pilloni and Derek Joslin, five former Salzburg players, will return to the Eisarena. VSV are currently in the bottom third of the table after two wins and three defeats, but had a big 6:1 home win against Znojmo on Sunday. With only 12 goals against, Villach has so far conceded the fewest goals of all ICE teams.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:15: Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: HRONSKY, PIRAGIC, Durmis, Zgonc | >> PPV-Livestream <<

After five wins, Fehervar suffered their first defeat of the season in Salzburg on Saturday. In front of their home crowd, the league leaders won all three games so far with a score of 13:5 goals. Captain János Hári has been a mainstay of the team again this season and leads the league-wide plus/minus statistics with +8. The 29-year-old Hungarian national team player has averaged over one point per game in 183 league matches so far. Graz climbed to tenth place with a 2:0 win over Linz - their second win of the season. The Styrians have lost their last three meetings with Fehervar. There could be some additions to the 99ers' line-up: Joey Martin, Daniel Oberkofler, Zintis Zusevics, Kilian Rappold and also Michael Boivin were already back on the ice, a final decision about their possible appearances will only be made at tomorrow's final training.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:15: Dornbirn Bulldogs - spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, M. NIKOLIC, Martin, Pardatscher | >> PPV-Livestream <<

For the spusu Vienna Capitals the first road trip of the season started on Thursday morning. Austria's capital club will face the Dornbirn Bulldogs away on Friday before visiting the Sharks in Innsbruck the very next day. For the Caps, who are currently 13th in the table with six points from six games, new signing Joel Lowry is set to make his debut. For the ninth-placed Vorarlberg side, there was only one point in the two games last weekend (away in Bruneck). Dornbirn have always struggled against Vienna in league history - the last six encounters at the Messestadion have all gone to the Caps. In total, the Bulldogs have won six of their 19 games.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:30: EC-KAC - Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: NAGY , OFNER, Bärnthaler, Vaczi | >> LIVE ON PULS 24 (available worldwide) <<

KAC secured their ticket to the knockout stages of the Champions Hockey League with an away win over Donetsk on Wednesday. The champions continue their campaign in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League with a home game against Linz on Friday. With ten points from six games, the Carinthians are currently in fifth place. Now comes Linz, a team against which the Klagenfurt side has had problems in the recent past: of the last six home games, only one - the last one played at the end of January (3:2) - was won. This season, however, the Black Wings - as the only team - are still waiting for their first win. Three times the Upper Austrians even remained without scoring a goal.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia - HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: GROZNIK, SMETANA, Racicot, Riecken

In addition to their last two league games, Bolzano also won at Salzburg in the CHL on Tuesday. With four wins from five games, head coach Doug Mason's team is in fifth place in the championship. For the derby against Innsbruck, the statistics are once again in favour of HCB, who have won the past seven duels with HCI. Mitch O'Keefe's team has alternated between success and failure in the last five games. On Sunday, the Tyroleans were beaten 3:6 at home by the KAC and slipped down to eleventh place. Innsbruck conceded the most goals (27) of all teams so far.

Fri, 08.10.2021, 19:45: HK SZ Olimpija - HC Pustertal 
Referees: FICHTNER, TRILAR, Gatol, Miklic | >> PPV-Livestream <<

The duel of the league newcomers is also a game of two positive surprises of the still young season. The two teams already know each other well from the Alps Hockey League and are now contesting their first ICE match-up. With 13 points from six games, Olimpija is currently in second place. Among others, forward Guillaume Leclerc has played a big part in their success. The Frenchman leads the league-wide scorer ranking with 13 points. Seventh-placed HC Pustertal won three of its six games, including victories at Bratislava and Villach. The best special teams face each other: While HCP has the best powerplay (36.84%), Ljubljana has the best penalty killing (95.45%).

Sat, 09.10.2021, 17:30: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: SCHAUER, SMETANA, Racicot, Riecken | >> PPV-Livestream <<

Not even 24 hours after their respective appearances on Friday, Innsbruck and Vienna face each other in the only Saturday match. The Capitals won ten of the last eleven direct comparisons.

Photo: EC-KAC/Kuess