Release from 25.05.2021

The premiere season of iClinic Bratislava Capitals

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The iClinic Bratislava Capitals were the third international team in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League last season. The first Slovakian participant promptly made it into the playoffs in its premiere season and even took a temporary lead in the quarterfinals against regular season dominator Bolzano.

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The tradition-rich hockey city of Bratislava has a new chapter since September 27, 2020. On this day, for the first time, a team from Slovakia played a game in the multinational bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. While the first two games of the league newcomer were clearly lost against Vienna and Salzburg, the first success in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League was already achieved in the third game, against Innsbruck. The Sharks turned out to be the Slovaks' favorite opponents as the season progressed. Bratislava followed up with two more wins immediately afterwards. The Slovaks settled between seventh and tenth place in the standings during the rest of the regular season Phase 1.

In December, the iClinic Bratislava Capitals made a coaching change. After parting ways with Rostislav Chada, the iClinic Bratislava Capitals found a new head coach in Peter Draisaitl, father of NHL MVP Leon Draisaitl. With the neo-head coach, the Slovaks developed more and more into a playoff aspirant. At the end of the first phase of the basic round, a three-way battle with the Moser Medical Graz99ers and HC TIWAG Innsbruck for seventh place in the table came to a head. Above all, the flawless 4-0 record against the Sharks was decisive in the end for the newcomer to start the Qualification Round from seventh (or second) place.

In the Qualification Round, the league newcomers even posed a threat to the pole position Dornbirn Bulldogs. In the end, only the better ranking in the first phase made the difference. With the second place in the Qualification Round the playoff entry in the premiere season was perfect.

Bratislava was promptly selected in the quarterfinals with the first pick right from the regular season winner HCB Südtirol Alperia. The omens in this quarterfinal seemed to be clearly in favor of Bolzano. However, the league newcomer landed the big surprise right away in the first quarterfinal game and defeated the big title favorites with 2:1. In the second quarterfinal game, the later runner-up managed to take clear revenge. After that, every other game remained hard-fought. The South Tyroleans even won game three in overtime. The two other quarter-final games were also won by the Foxes with only a one-goal difference.

The most successful player in the Capitals' premiere season was Mitchell Hults, who scored 23 goals and 46 assists. He was one of the league's top 10 scorers in the regular season.