Release from 17.02.2022

Third consecutive gameday for Pustertal | Koch comes back after injury

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On Friday, HC Pustertal Wölfe will play its third road game within 72 hours, as the South Tyroleans take on HC TESLA Orli Znojmo, a direct competitor for the top-6. In the fight for direct qualification for the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League postseason, EC-KAC gets reinforcement from veteran Thomas Koch, who returns after an injury layoff. HCB Südtirol Alperia now welcomes the second-placed team from Villach after the duel with the leader on Wednesday. EC Red Bull Salzburg will face last-place Steinbach Black Wings Linz.

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bet-at-home ICE Hockey League | 18.02.2022 | Schedule:
Fr, 18.02.2022, 6.30 pm: HC Tesla Orli Znojmo – HC Pustertal Wölfe
Referees: FICHTNER, HRONSKY, Durmis, Konc. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HC Tesla Orli Znojmo will host HC Pustertal Wölfe on Friday, currently the hottest team in the league. The South Tyrolean team continued the current highlight of their five-game winning streak with a 6-2 road win at EC Grand Immo VSV on Wednesday and climbed up to fifth place in the table. The Wolves could further improve their current position as early as Thursday in Ljubljana before concluding a grueling road trip with three games within three days on Friday stopping by in the Czech Republic. Znojmo recently brought itself back into the race for the top-6 with a commanding win over Steinbach Black Wings Linz - and hoped to stay within striking distance with its home strength, 17 home wins are a league best, especially since the South Tyroleans are one of the main competitors for direct playoff qualification. The two teams are particularly convincing on the power play, where Pustertal (26.17%) and Znojmo (25.95%) are league leaders. It is the first duel of the two teams in the Czech Republic. In the two previous games in Bruneck, the "Adler" won once and the "Wölfe" once.

Fr, 18.02.2022, 7.15 pm: EC-KAC – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: BERNEKER, PIRAGIC, Martin, Wimmler. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The currently sixth-placed EC-KAC welcomes third-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19 on Friday. The "Rotjacken" - for whom this is already the fourth-last game of regular season - are threatened with a temporary farewell from the top-6 in case of a defeat. First, the reigning champions lost a game they thought they had won against HC Pustertal in the final period, and then they were beaten by HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana without scoring a goal. However, the Hungarians are also looking for upward tren, but have been able to gather strength in a game-free week for the final phase of the regular season. They recently suffered four defeats in a row. Now the Hungarians want to show up again, but they have to massively improve their penalty killing compared to the last five games and take a big step towards direct playoff qualification with a success against the KAC. In the three duels so far this season, the Klagenfurt team has taken six of a possible nine points - two encounters were only decided in overtime or in a penalty shootout. Thomas Koch will make his comeback for the EC-KAC after the longest midseason injury break of his entire professional career, but the “Rotjacken” will still be without Sebastian Dahm (national team), Jakob Holzer, Niklas Würschl, Nick Petersen, Dennis Sticha and Johannes Bischofberger (all injured).

Fr, 18.02.2022, 7.15 pm: EC Red Bull Salzburg – Steinbach Black Wings Linz
Referees: GROZNIK, REZEK, Riecken, Seewald. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
EC Red Bull Salzburg once again showed its dominance in a 3-0 win in Bolzano on Wednesday, was clearly the better team for long stretches of the match and with this victory also secured its fixed participation in the quarterfinals. The top team is the clear favorite against last-place Steinbach Black Wings Linz, who have loaned goalie Thomas Höneckl to DEL2 club ESV Kaufbeuren. Mario Huber is out for the next few weeks with Salzburg due to injury, as the forward broke his forearm and needs surgery. Convalescents Ali Wukovits, Lucas Thaler, Vincent LoVerde, Florian Baltram and Lukas Schreier are still missing. Linz, which has lost all three of its matches so far this season and recently suffered five defeats in a row, is still without defender Chris Rumble.

Fr, 18.02.2022, 7.45 pm: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EC GRAND Immo VSV
Referees: NIKOLIC K., OFNER, Pardatscher, Sparer. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HCB Südtirol Alperia receives only 48 hours after its unsuccessful back-to-back return for the "Foxes”, with defeats in Innsbruck and against Salzburg, after COVID break the second-reanked EC GRAND Immo VSV. The “Adler” suffered a 2:6 defeat against HC Pustertal the Carinthians had to admit defeat for the first time after previously eight wins in a row. On the road, VSV won five straight, as five goals were scored per game. Bolzano is not the best defensive team in the league anyway, must try to break through the offensive power of the "Adler". Renars Krastenbergs (Olympia) and the two injured Yannic Pilloni, Anton Karlsson are not available to Villach. All three previous season duels were decided only after overtime or shootout. VSV won twice.