Start of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League season

For the fans, the KAC is once again the favourite
According to a championship poll on the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League social media channels, 29% of fans believe the EC-KAC will defend their title. With 17 and 16 percent of the votes, EC Red Bull Salzburg and HCB Südtirol Alperia are among the main rivals of the Klagenfurt side.



Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:15: Steinbach Black Wings Linz - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: GROZNIK, PIRAGIC, Miklic, Riecken

In Rafael Rotter's first appearance in the Black Wings jersey, Salzburg are guests in Linz. The Red Bulls already showed early form with four wins in the Champions Hockey League - head coach Matt McIlvane's team also advanced early to the CHL Round of 16. The Upper Austrians, on the other hand, celebrated three victories in six preseason games. In the last five league duels, the away team always won (3:2 for Salzburg).

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:15: Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - EC GRAND Immo VSV
Referees: RENCZ, SMETANA, Kis-Kiraly, Vaczi | >> PPV-STREAM <<

Fehervar remained unbeaten in the preseason with five wins from five games. Neo-head coach Kevin Constantine's team never conceded more than two goals in the process. Villach - with returnee John Hughes - celebrated got two wins against HC Pustertal last week. In the last five direct duels, the away team won four times (3:2 for Fehervar).

Fehervar opens the new season with a "home double", as league newcomer Pustertal comes to Hungary on Saturday.

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:15: HC TIWAG Innsbruck - HK SZ Olimpija
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, ZRNIC, Martin, Nothegger | >> PPV-STREAM <<

Innsbruck and Ljubljana, back on the league map this season, faced each other last weekend in their respective final preseason games. Michael Huntebrinker scored twice in HCI's 4:0 win. The 29-year-old new arrival, who is playing in Europe for the first time, always cracked the 20-goal mark in his last four seasons. By winning the Slovenian Cup, Olimpija gained confidence before their debut in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League.

Just 24 hours later, the Tyroleans take on the champions in Klagenfurt.

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:15: Moser Medical Graz99ers - Dornbirn Bulldogs
Referees: FICHTNER, OFNER, Gatol, Hribar

While the Graz team, after a good start to the preseason, recently suffered four defeats, Dornbirn only got going at the beginning of September with three wins. With David Madlener and Lukas Herzog, the DEC relies on an Austrian netminder duo this season. In addition, fans can marvel at a couple of new import players on both sides. The Vorarlberg team won four of the last five direct duels. Zintis Zusevics will definitely be missing for the 99ers.

For the Bulldogs it continues on Saturday with an away game in Bratislava.

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:15: iClinic Bratislava Capitals - HC Pustertal
Referees: HRONSKY, SOOS, Durmis, Muzsik | >> PPV-STREAM <<

HC Pustertal will play their first game in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League in Slovakia. There, the iClinic Bratislava Capitals, who won three of six preseason games, with ex-NHL player Nikolai Zherdev are waiting. The HCP showed up a few times in preparation and won the traditional Tatra Cup, among other things. While Brad Morrison will certainly be missing, the appearances of Hanna, Althuber and I. Deluca will only be decided on game day.

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:30: EC-KAC - spusu Vienna Capitals
Referees: BULOVEC, TRILAR, Racicot, Zgonc | >> Free Livestream on PULS 24 (available worldwide) <<

In the first PULS 24 game of the season, champions EC-KAC welcome the spusu Vienna Capitals. While the Klagenfurt team proved their great quality early in the season with four CHL victories, the Viennese team's preseason did not quite go according to plan. In the last five league duels, there was only one home win, the KAC won four of these games.

The referee team for this game includes linesman Pierre Racicot. With the experience of over 2,100 NHL games, the 54-year-old Canadian will assist the league referees both on and off the ice in the coming weeks.

Fri, 17.09.2021, 19:45: HCB Südtirol Alperia - HC Orli Znojmo
Referees: BERNEKER, M. NIKOLIC, Basso, Pardatscher

In its last league appearances, HC Orli Znojmo dueled HCB Südtirol Alperia in the 2020 playoffs - which were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now the Czechs will play the HCB again on their return to the league. The Bolzano side has already qualified for the round of 16 in the Champions Hockey League. The Foxes also won a tournament in the preseason. Znojmo played eight test matches in the last few weeks, winning three of them.

More games on Saturday:
Sat, 18.09.2021, 17:00: iClinic Bratislava Capitals - Dornbirn Bulldogs
Referees: OFNER, RENCZ, Kis-Kiraly, Konc

Sat, 18.09.2021, 17:30: Hydro Fehervar AV 19 - HC Pustertal
Referees: BULOVEC, NAGY, Bärnthaler, Riecken

Sat, 18.09.2021, 19:15: EC-KAC - HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: FICHTNER, STERNAT, Puff, Seewald