Release from 25.12.2018
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, Round 31:
Wed, 26.12.2018: HC TWK Innsbruck 'Die Haie' - EC Red Bull Salzburg (17:30)
Referees: KOPETZ, K. NIKOLIC, Schauer, Sparer
- With only winning one of their last six games the Tirolese dropped to 10th place - on Saturday they even suffered a 1:8 defeat in Fehervar
- The Red Bulls are also looking for a win as they lost the last three
- Innsbruck won both season meetings with Salzburg - on home ice they got a 6:5 OT win and a 3:2 at Volksgarten
- HCI forward Andrew Yogan scored in both season meetings with Salzburg
- Innsbruck defender Fabian Nussbaumer is out for the season due to injury - while the Red Bulls miss Dustin Gazley on Wednesday, Captain Matthias Trattnig returns from suspension
Rob Pallin (Head coach HC TWK Innsbruck): „We'll give everything to win the game. We have to play better and with more intensity. It's a matter of honour now.“
Brant Harris (EC Red Bull Salzburg): „We could not fulfil our expectations in the last few games. We have lots of talent in our team and I'm sure that we'll score the necessary goals.“
Wed, 26.12.2018: HC Orli Znojmo - Fehervar AV 19 (17:30)
Referees: BERNEKER, STOLC, Pardatscher, Soos
- 8th-placed Znojmo has a four-point deficit to the Pick Round places, while Fehervar is only two points behind sixth place
- While Znojmo found back to winning ways with a road win at Volksgarten, the Hungarians even won their last five games
- In this season's two meeting the home side each got the win
- In these games one period was crucial as four of six ended tied
- Janos Hari has a nine-game scoring streak, being the league's second best scorer at the moment (13 goals and 16 assists)
Vladimír Oščádal (HC Orli Znojmo): „I was waiting for a chance and I'm glad I got it. It’s a tough schedule but we have to collect points now.“
Hannu Järvenpää (Head coach Fehervar AV19): „I’m happy about how we played lately. We had some strong periods and it’s good to see that we find the net.“
Wed, 26.12.2018: EC Panaceo VSV - KHL Medvescak Zagreb (17:30)
Referees: M. NIKOLIC, STERNAT, Bärnthaler, Nothegger
- The two bottom-placed teams meet in Villach when the lately upcoming hosts face Zagreb
- For Yann Sauvé it's a quick reencounter with his former club - in his first three games with VSV the Canadian got one goal and two assists
- On game day 2 the Carinthians earned a 3:2 overtime home win against Zagreb with Villach's top scorer netting a brace
- In Erste Bank Eishockey Liga Villach won 11 of 14 home games against Zagreb
- In their first four games the newly formed Zagreb team struggled on the offensive with on average scoring only one goal per game
Yann Sauvé (EC Panaceo VSV): „We had some good games after the international break, even if we lost the last one in Dornbirn. We have to go one better against Zagreb and take three points.“
Tadija Miric (Medvescak Zagreb): „Our goalie kept us in the game lately. We have weaker goals and try our best in every single game.“
Wed, 26.12.2018: spusu Vienna Capitals - EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz (17:30)
Referees: BALUSKA, SMETANA, Gatol, Kaspar
- After winning the last six, the Caps chase their own season record of 12 wins in a row
- After getting six wins on their own, the Black Wings lost the last four and dropped the 6th place again
- The leaders from Vienna won the first two season meetings with Linz (3:2 after shootout on the road and 5:2 at home)
- Vienna's Niki Hartl scored in the last three against Linz while Black Wings forward Brian Lebler even scored in the last four against the Caps
- The hosts still miss Dominic Hackl, Patrick Mullen and Jamie Arniel
Marc-André Dorion (spusu Vienna Capitals): „It's special to play against my former club. We have to build on Sunday's performance, put them under pressure and get shots goalwards.“
Troy Ward (Head coach Liwest Black Wings Linz): „We played a nice game against Graz and would have deserved more. We should not let these games slip away and learn from that.“
Wed, 26.12.2018: HCB Südtirol Alperia - Dornbirn Bulldogs (18:00)
Referees: BULOVEC, TRILAR, Kontschieder, Seewald
- Dornbirn Bulldogs won the last three games before christmas with playing a solid defense (only three goals against in the past 180 minutes)
- Bolzano also has three consecutive wins - the foxes did it offensively-minded with scoring 18 goals in these games (11 different scorers)
- The champion won the previous three home games in December with Alex Petan scoring in every game (3 goals, 4 assists)
- Bolzano won both season meetings as well as the previous four home games against Dornbirn
- Dornbirn's assistant captain Stefan Häußle has played his best EBEL season so far (3 goals, 6 assists)
Brett Findlay (HCB Südtirol Alperia): „We want to continue our positive series. The last three victories have given us confidence, but Dornbirn is a team in good shape in the last period: they too come from three consecutive wins. But we play in front of our fans and the three points are the only possible result for us.“
Stefan Häußle (Dornbirn Bulldogs): „The IIHF break was important for us, now we are ready and focussed. I expect a really tough game. We'll give everything and try to get points.“
Wed, 26.12.2018: Moser Medical Graz99ers - EC-KAC (19:15, Sky Sport HD live)
Referees: KINCSES, PIRAGIC, Nagy, Zgonc
- On Sunday the 99ers found back to winning ways after a great comeback in Linz
- 3rd-placed KAC suffered a home defeat against leader Vienna and is one point ahead of Graz in the standings
- The 99ers won both season meetings with the Carinthians - 3:2 after OT in Klagenfurt and 6:3 (after being 0:3 down) at home
- While Klagenfurt lost the last two away games, the Styrians are the league's second-best home team
- Graz forward Ken Ograjensek is out for weeks - Travis Oleksuk and Erik Kirchschläger could return to the lineup
Ty Loney (Moser Medical Graz99ers): „It's always tough against KAC, they have a good team and play hard. I'm looking forward to the great support of our fans as the arena will be sold out.“
Robin Gartner (EC-KAC): „We want to take revenge. In the previous games against Graz we did not stick to our game play for 60 minutes. We have to find the right balance and then we'll be successful.“