Release from 29.12.2017
The last six games of the year 2017 are on the schedule in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga on Saturday.
Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, round 34:
Sat, 30.12.2017: HCB Südtirol Alperia vs. HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (16:00)
Referees: GAMPER, STOLC, Bärnthaler, Pardatscher.
Sat, 30.12.2017: KHL Medvescak Zagreb vs. EC-KAC (17:30, HRT live)
Referees: KELLNER, SMETANA, Kaspar, Rakovic.
Sat, 30.12.2017: Fehervar AV19 – HC Orli Znojmo (17:45, M4 live)
Referees: BABIC, SIEGEL, Nemeth, Soos.
Sat, 30.12.2017: Vienna Capitals – EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (19:15)
Referees: BULOVEC, ZRNIC, Kontschieder, Seewald.
Sat, 30.12.2017: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC VSV (19:15)
Referees: FICHTNER, PIRAGIC, Nagy, Zgonc.
Sat, 30.12.2017: Dornbirn Bulldogs – EC Red Bull Salzburg (19:15)
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, URBAN, Schauer, Sparer.
Sat, 30.12.2017: HCB Südtirol Alperia vs. HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ (16:00)
Referees: GAMPER, STOLC, Bärnthaler, Pardatscher.
>HCB Südtirol Alperia and HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ will face twice within the next three days: On Saturday the two clubs will face at Bozen and then on Monday at Innsbruck.
>The last eight Tyrolean derbys were won by the home-club. Innsbruck even is without a win at Bozen in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, they lost all eleven games there.
>HCI is sixth and would be qualified in this moment for the Playoffs already after 44 rounds. HCB on the other side is on the bottom. The Foxes are already ten points behind the Austrians. This means: The Italians need nearly six points out of this two derbys to keep their chances alive to catch up the North Tyroleans.
>Both teams try to get back on the winning-street after defeats: HCB lost on Thursday at Salzburg 1:2 and HCI at home vs. Dornbirn Bullldogs with the same result.
>Last season Bozen won their last game of the year 2016, Innsbruck on the other side lost last season their last game of the year 2016.
Quotes:
Kai Suikkanen, Headcoach HCB: „I'm proud of my guys. They are giving their 100%, but we have to solve some mistakes we do when we have te puck. We're playing very good defensively, but against Salzburg we were not able to score more than one goal. Now we have two very important games against Innsbruck."
Florian Pedevilla, player HCI: „All games are close right now. We expect the same at Bozen. We will fight again and hopefully we will be successful.“
Sat, 30.12.2017: KHL Medvescak Zagreb vs. EC-KAC (17:30, HRT live)
Referees: KELLNER, SMETANA, Kaspar, Rakovic.
>KHL Medvescak Zagreb and EC-KAC will face twice in the next three days. On Saturday the two teams will meet at Zagreb and then on Monday at Klagenfurt.
>The first two season-clashes ended with clear home-wins for Medvescak (5:1) and Klagenfurt (4:1). All in all even the last seven meetings of this two teams – including some friendly games – ended with home-wins. The Austrians got their last victory in Croatia on January 4th 2013 or 1.820 days ago.
>Both teams picked up some confidence lately: EC-KAC won their last three games, the Bears earned two wins since changing their Head Coach. Lately both clubs beat with EC VSV and Moser Medical Graz99ers the same two opponents.
>Last season Medvescak won their last game of the year 2016 at home, while Klagenfurt lost last season their last game of the year 2016 on the road.
>Tyler Morley of KHL Medvescak Zagreb is Erste Bank Eishockey Liga’s leading Topscorer. The Forward scored already 41 points (18G/23A, Plus-Minus: +17) from 32 games.
Quotes:
Doug Bradley, Headcoach MZA: „It feels really good to be back here, I met a lot of old, really old friends and I have a lot of happy memories from Zagreb. I'm satisfied with thr roster and the hitting power we possess, we have to play hard on every puck, this is the key. I'm here to make the playoffs and I'm positive we can achieve that. KAC has one of the best records in the last 15 games, I didn't get a chance to see them, it will be a hard battle, we'll have to stick to our plan and make them feel uncomfortable here!“
Philipp Kreuzer, Youngster KAC: „It is an intense hockey-time right now. But we played all season long with four lines and this helps us now. Zagreb has much quality in their offense, but we showed already that we can beat them.“
Sat, 30.12.2017: Fehervar AV19 – HC Orli Znojmo (17:45, M4 live)
Referees: BABIC, SIEGEL, Nemeth, Soos.
>HC Orli Znojmo will be the last guest at Szekesfehervar in the year 2017. Then on Monday the Hungarians will visit Znojmo.
>The two International clubs try to stay intouch with the Top 6. Fehervar AV19, that is ranked on place 8, is missing six points for the direct Qualification after round 44 in this moment. Znojmo is tenth and misses even eight points.
>The first two season-clashes were both won by the road-team. The Czechs won at Szekesfehervar 2:1 and the Devils at Znojmo 3:2/OT.
>With Fehervar AV19, that scored so far 78 goals, and HC Orli Znojmo, that scored so far 85 goals, will face the two teams, that scored so far the fewest number of goals. Lately both teams were defeated: The Hungarians lost at Vienna 2:5 and the „Red Eagles“ at Linz 1:2. For the Czechs it meaned the third defeat in a row, in which they had trouble to score: The Red Eagles were successful just two times in the last 180 minutes. The defense works.
>Last season Fehervar AV19 won their last game of the year 2016, HC Orli Znojmo on the other side lost last season their last game of the year 2016.
Quotes:
Hannu Järvenpää, Headcoach AVS: „We expect a fight against Znojmo. We are not allowed to make the same mistakes as we did in Vienna and to make our job more difficult with penalties, then it should work with the points and happy faces.“
Tomas Jakes, Assistant Coach HC Orli Znojmo: „There is no other way for us than to keep working hard and fighting. We are not scoring goals at the moment which is a problem. At the same time, it is difficult to train this in any way, guys have to believe in themselves. We hope we will start scoring more goals and turn games in our favour very soon.“
Sat, 30.12.2017: Vienna Capitals – EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz (19:15)
Referees: BULOVEC, ZRNIC, Kontschieder, Seewald.
>Serge Aubin will leave Vienna after this season and become Head Coach at ZSC Lions Zürich.
>The Vienna Capitals won the last three meetings with EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz with one goal difference.
>In the last three meetings there was no goals scored in the first 24 minutes.
>The best road-team (Vienna) faces the best home-team (Linz).
>With Brian Lebler (BWL) and Rafael Rotter (VIC) two Austrians are the best Scorer- and goalscorers in their team. Brian Lebler scored so far 25 goals and 12 Assists, Rotter made already 17 goals and 17 Assists.
Quotes:
Serge Aubin, Headcoach Vienna: „I am happy about the chance to work at Zürich. But now my focus is stil on Vienna. We think from game to game and when we reached one aim, we start thinking about the next. We want to stay on the top and start perfect into the Playoffs then.“
Christian Perthaler, Manager BWL: „In this time of the year these teams, who also win the close games, are successful.“
Sat, 30.12.2017: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC VSV (19:15)
Referees: FICHTNER, PIRAGIC, Nagy, Zgonc.
>Moser Medical Graz99ers and EC VSV will meet twice within the next three days. On Saturday the two clubs face at Graz and then on Monday at Villach.
>With Moser Medical Graz99ers and EC VSV the two weakest teams of the last 15 rounds will face on Saturday at Graz. The Styrians got 17 points (six wins) in this period, Villach only 14 points (four wins).
>The Moser Medical Graz99ers lost their last four games, EC VSV stayed without points lately twice.
>The Mur Citizens had big problems to score lately, in the last 240 minutes the 99ers scored just three goals.
>One of this four clubs - VSV, G99, ZNO, HCB - will finish the year 2017 on the bottom of the table. This is the ranking right now: 9. VSV (40 points), 10. ZNO (40), 11. G99 (40) and 12. HCB (38)
Quotes:
Doug Mason, Headcoach G99: „We'll have to find the back of the net in order to take advantage..“
Markus Peintner, Headcoach VSV: „The team showed much fighting-spirit and gave 100% in the derby, no blame to anybody. In Graz everybody must fight again.“
Sat, 30.12.2017: Dornbirn Bulldogs – EC Red Bull Salzburg (19:15)
Referees: K. NIKOLIC, URBAN, Schauer, Sparer.
>Dornbirn Bulldogs and EC Red Bull Salzburg will face twice within the next three days. On Saturday the two Austrians will fight for points at Dornbirn and on Monday at Salzburg. The first two season-clashes were won by the Vorarlberger (4:3, 5:3).
>Dornbirn Bulldogs and EC Red Bull Salzburg are neighbours in the standing. The Mozart Citizens are ranked Fourth, the Vorarlberger Fifth.
>Dornbirn Bulldogs had an up and down in the last nine rounds, a win and a lost always rotated. Lately the Vorarlberger won at Innsbruck. If this series continues then the Bulldogs must lose their last game 2017 and win the first game of the year 2018…
>EC Red Bull Salzburg has the best offense, the Red Bulls scored already 112 times from 33 games.
>>The Dornbirn Bulldogs are the best team in Penalty Killing (Effiziency: 86,2%)
Quotes:
Ryan Duncan, Forward RBS: „We have a good rhythm right now. All four lines play well and our goalie makes a good job. At Dornbirn we want to convince again and win.“
Raphael Wolf, Youngster DEC: „We expect two difficult games against Salzburg. We need 100% from all players. We want to collect as many points as possible and stay in the Top 6.“