The new Erste Bank Eishockey Liga season starts on Friday

>Fehervar AV19 and KHL Medvescak Zagreb will play the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga season-opener on Friday. The game will start in Szekesfehervar at 18:45.

>The game EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz vs. Vienna Capitals will be broadcasted live by SKY Sport on Friday.

>HCB Südtirol Alperia is starting the season as the reign Champion.

>The Vienna Capitals have earned the highest victory in a season-opener so far. The Austrians have been successful in Szekesfehervar 2017/18 9:1.

 

>Fehervar AV19 and KHL Medvescak Zagreb will play the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga season-opener on Friday. The game will start in Szekesfehervar at 18:45.

>The two teams have already faced each other in the Pre Season 2018. The Hungarians earned a 4:3-home-win on September 2nd.

>Three players will face their former team on Friday: Antonin Manavian went from Szekesfehervar to Zagreb this summer, while Harri Tikkanen and Tero Koskiranta switched from the Croatian Capital to Hungary.

>KHL Medvescak Zagreb has added forward Björn Svensson to their team. The Swede is known as a hard worker. 2017/18, the 32-year old forward went for goals and points for the Fischtown Penguins in the DEL, scoring 12 points (2G/10A) out of 42 games. Prior, Svensson played in Sweden, Switzerland and overseas.   

>Each club lost their last friendly game 2018 and has been defeated in their first Erste Bank Eishockey Liga game past season as well.

Hannu Järvenpää, Headcoach of Fehervar AV19: „We are already looking forward to the start of the season. We have a good mix of experienced and young players in our team. Medvescak has quality in their team and is well coached. 
Aaron Fox, Headcoach KHL Medvescak Zagreb: „Our aim is to make the Playoffs and to play good hockey at he right time. The players are focussed and ready.“

 

Referees: M. NIKOLIC, STERNAT, Kontschieder, Seewald.
>The game EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz vs. Vienna Capitals will be broadcasted live by SKY Sport on Friday. The match will start at 19:15.
>The two teams have shown different faces lately: The Vienna Capitals have been on fire in the Champions Hockey League, beating Aalborg (6:1) and Göteborg (4:1) on the road and earning the top-position in group A. The Upper Austrians have been defeated in four straight friendly games, scoring just seven goals.
>The Black Wings have won three consecutive meetings with the Caps (5:4/OT, 7:6/SO; 6:5), in which have been netted 33 goals in total. Besides, the last seven meetings have ended by just one goal difference.
>Canadian Marc Andre Dorion will return with the Vienna Capitals to Linz, where he played the last six seasons, on Friday. Aaron Brocklehurst went from Vienna to Linz during this summer and he will face his former team on Friday as well.
>The Vienna Capitals have earned the highest victory in a season-opener so far. The Austrians have been successful in Szekesfehervar 2017/18 9:1. The Black Wings lost their Pre Seaosn opener 2017/18.
Quotes:
Troy Ward, Headcoach EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz: „We have 14 new players on our team. This takes times. But, we are coming and we are alreay looking forward to the first game on Friday."

Dave Cameron, Headcoach Vienna Capitals: „We are looking forward to the competition. It’s a good League with good teams, players and coaches.“

 

>HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“ and Dornbirn Bulldogs will face each other in the west-derby on Friday.

>Each team has won 50% of their friendly games during this summer: The Tyroleans were successful in their last friendly game against Straubing Tigers (DEL) at home 4:0 and the Dornbirn Bulldogs have been defeated by Swiss NLA-Club (NLA) by just one goal (1:2). 
>Each club started the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with a victory past season.
>The last two west-derbies have been won by the road-team.
>HC TWK Innsbruck and Dornbirn Bulldogs are among the youngest teams in the Erste Bank Eishockey League: Each team is 25.22 years in average. HC Orli Znojmo is the only club, that has an even younger squad (24.37 years in average).

Tyler Spurgeon, Captain HC TWK Innsbruck „Die Haie“: „The west.derby will be a good test right away. We have a talented offense and we try to cut down our GA.“

Stefan Häussle, forward Dornbirn Bulldogs: „The Preparation camp was good. We found together as a team quickly. The first match will be hart fought, but we are  ready for Innsbruck.“

 

>EC-KAC will play their first seven games on the road, starting in Salzburg on Friday.
>The two teams showed different faces during the Pre Season: While EC Red Bull Salzburg rocked the Champions Hockey League, Klagenfurt earned their first win in their seventh friendly game in Zagreb on Sunday.
>EC Red Bull Salzburg has won six straight meetings with EC-KAC and four consecutive meetings with one goal difference.
>Each team stayed without points in the first round last season.
>EC Red Bull Salzburg is most experienced. The Mozart Citizens‘ team is 27.08 years in average, Klagenfurt 26,88 years.
Quotes:
Petri Matikainen, Head Coach EC-KAC: „Klagenfurt has already earned 30 titles. It is much work. Everybody is working and wants to win. It is a process. We getting better and better and we know what we have to do.“
Greg Poss, Head Coach EC Red Bull Salzburg: „We had a good preparation. Playing Champions Hockey League is a big advantage, because you play on a high level early in this season. We are already looking forward to the start of the Championship and a good fight against Klagenfurt.“

 

>EC Panaceo VSV and HC Orli Znojmo had a long summer break. Each team has failed to qualify for the Playoffs 2018.

>For the first time, EC Panaceo VSV and HC Orli Znojmo will face in the first round. The Czechs won their last friendly game against HKM Zvolen 9:4, while Villach has been defeated in four consecutive friendly games, scoring just six goals.

>Each team started the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with a win last season.

>The last two eagles-clashed have been won by the home-team.

>Corey Trivino will make his EBEL-debut for EC Panaceo VSV against his former team-mates on Friday. The Canadian played with the Czechs in the finals 2016.

Niki Petrik, Captain EC Panaceo VSV: „The team will give his best, to be on the top at the end of the season.“

C.J. Stretch, forward HC Orli Znojmo: „All teams are strong. We are looking forward to the season-start in Villach.“

 

>HCB Südtirol Alperia is starting the season as the reign Champion. The Foxes welcome Moser Medical Graz99ers, who failed to qualify the Playoffs past season. Bozen and Graz have already meet in the first round in the 2015/16-season. In those days. The Champion won in Graz 1:0, Bernard netted the game winner.
>Travis Oleksuk has won the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with the Foxes in April. On Friday, the forward will play his first game for the Moser Medical Graz99ers against his former team-mates in Bozen.
>HCB Südtirol Alperia has won two consecutive meetings with the Moser Medical Graz99er.
>Moser Medical Graz99ers started the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with a road-win last season, while Bozen was defeated.
>HCB Südtirol Alperia has already convinced in the Champions Hockey League during the last weeks, while the 99ers lost their last two friendly games.
Quotes:
Anton Bernard, Captain HCB Südtirol Alperia: „We had a good preparation: We had a complete team at the trainings camp and we have been required in the CHL. We found together as a team quickly. The favorites are other teams. But we have a strong team as well. Our aim is to make the Top 6.“
Oliver Setzinger, defenseman Moser Medical Graz99ers: „The resuts were not the best during the Pre Season, but ee are already playing good as a team. The plan is always to go on the ice and win the game!”