Release from 31.12.2021

Start of the new year with four games

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On Sunday, 2 January 2022, the new year in the Alps Hockey League will open with four matches. The games between the Rittner Buam and EC Bregenzerwald as well as HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and EHC Lustenau will be direct duels of top eight teams. In Monday's lone game, the sixth-placed Fassa Falcons will host league leader HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice.

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Su, 02.01.2022, 18:00: EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: HUBER, OREL, Pötscher, Spiegel | PPV-Stream

Both Kitzbühel and Zell am See had to admit defeat in their last game of the year. For the Tyroleans it was already the fifth defeat in a row, in these games they conceded an average of 5.8 goals - the penultimate-placed KEC also has the second-weakest defence in the league. The tenth-placed Salzburg team, on the other hand, can still hope for a top-six finish, but they will have to collect points again, especially away from home. After Zell am See had been very strong on the road at the beginning of the season, they lost their last six away games. Kitzbühel decided the first derby of the season with 7:6 after a brilliant comeback to their favour, but Zell am See have won nine of their 15 AHL duels so far.

Su, 02.01.2022, 18:00: Rittner Buam - EC Bregenzerwald
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, KUMMER, Cristeli, Holzer | PPV-Stream

Ritten lost the top match against Asiago on Thursday and thus conceded the second defeat in a row. The first AHL champions, currently in third place, will host EC Bregenzerwald in their opening game of the new year. The Vorarlberg side was beaten by Fassa on Wednesday in their first game after an enforced break of over a month. The eighth-placed Austrians have already shown their strength this season with road wins at Asiago and Cortina. The ECB, however, have not won in Klobenstein, with Ritten leading in the AHL history 9:1.

Su, 02.01.2022, 20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro - Steel Wings Linz
Referees: EGGER, SORAPERRA, Bedana, Piras | PPV-Stream

Cortina recently celebrated three wins in a row and are in ninth place in the fiercely contested midfield of the table. The Italians have been convincing so far with a strong defensive performance and conceded the fourth fewest goals of all teams. The Steel Wings Linz equalised twice against Sterzing on Thursday, but earned just one point in the end. Most recently, the Upper Austrians, who are ranked 14th, suffered four consecutive defeats away from home. In October 2019, the Steel Wings celebrated their first ever AHL victory with a home win over Cortina, but the following three duels went to the Italians.

Su, 02.01.2022, 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - EHC Lustenau
Referees: MOSCHEN, PINIE, De Zordo, Pace | PPV-Stream

In the race for the Masterround places, both Val Gardena and Lustenau have recently suffered some setbacks. The South Tyroleans in seventh place won only one of their last six games. Lustenau, currently in fourth place, lost four in a row - on Thursday, the Lions conceded a 3:0 home defeat in the derby against Feldkirch. In the last four games, the Vorarlberg team scored only three goals, and twice they did not score at all. While Val Gardena are one of the best away teams in the league, they have struggled at home with only four wins in eleven games. In their AHL history, the "Fury" had to admit defeat in six of seven home games against Lustenau. Overall, the EHC, who also won the first duel of the season, leads with 10:5 victories.

Mon, 03.01.2022, 20:45: SHC Fassa Falcons - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: BAJT, BENVEGNU, Cristeli, Snoj | PPV-Stream

In Monday's clash between Fassa and Jesenice, two of the league's most in-form teams face each other. The Italians celebrated their eighth win in a row with a 3:1 win at Bregenzerwald on Wednesday, setting a new club record in the AHL. The sixth-placed Falcons were particularly convincing defensively in these games - they kept a clean sheet three times and conceded only one goal in two other games. In eleven duels with Jesenice, however, Fassa have only won twice so far. In the first duel of the season they suffered a clear 2:8 road defeat. The leaders from Slovenia have won seven times in a row. Both teams have scored over 100 goals so far this season.

Photo: Hockey 24/7