Release from 18.03.2025

Thomas Raffl: “You can expect great hockey”

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Seven-time champion Thomas Raffl starts with EC Red Bull Salzburg in the semi-final series against HCB Südtirol Alperia tonight. The Red Bull captain is expecting great hockey and is naturally hoping for an opening win.

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“We're looking forward to getting started. There are only the best four teams left in the competition, so you can expect great hockey. We want to be ready from the start in our first game at home on Tuesday and implement our game. Then we know that we have the potential to beat Bolzano. Every win is important and of course we want to start the series with a win at home,” said Thomas Raffl ahead of the semi-final opener against Bolzano.

Raffl with the second most league appearances
The 38-year-old's numbers in the win2day ICE are impressive: With 957 games, Thomas Raffl is in second place in the all-time rankings, recording 714 points (336 goals | 378 assists). Only Thomas Koch has played more league games (1,163). In the quarterfinal series against Fehérvár, the forward drew level with Vienna Capitals legend Philippe Lakos, but this Tuesday he will become the sole runner-up with his 958th league appearance.

Raffl has been on the ice 193 times in the playoffs so far - that means third place in the all-time rankings. Only Thomas Koch (203 games) and Dominique Heinrich (196) are ahead of him. In the postseason, the Red Bulls' captain has 119 points (59 goals | 60 assists) so far.

Fifth playoff duel with Bolzano
Salzburg and Thomas Raffl have faced Bolzano four times in the playoffs so far - and each series has gone the full distance. Salzburg prevailed in the last two duels (final 2023, semi-final 2024), while Bolzano won the final series in 2014 and 2018.

Interestingly, the Red Bulls have lost the first game in all four previous series - three times in Salzburg, once in Bolzano. However, the current season speaks in favor of the Red Bulls: they have won three of the four head-to-head duels, including two clear victories on home ice.

The semi-final opener is available live on PULS 24 and JOYN from 19:05 on Tuesday. For Italian fans, DAZN Italia will broadcast the game in a free livestream.