Release from 07.01.2026

Three games on Thursday: Zell am See vs. Kitzbühel as the highlight

Short text 597 CharactersPlain text

The Christmas game days in the Alps Hockey League are over and the league now returns to its regular rhythm. Three games are on the schedule on Thursday, with the derby between EK Die Zeller Eisbären and Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel standing out as the highlight. Zell am See can take over the top spot in the standings if they collect three points and, in the parallel game, KHL Sisak fails to win in regulation time against HC Meran/o Pircher. Current league leaders Red Bull Hockey Juniors are not in action. The third game of the day features HDD Jesenice against the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers.

Press release 2603 CharactersPlain text

It is already the third derby of the season. The first two encounters were won by EK Die Zeller Eisbären (4–1, 3–2). The third-placed team from the Pinzgau region is in strong form, with two consecutive wins and four victories from their last five games. The reigning champions have closed the gap to idle leaders Red Bull Hockey Juniors to just two points. With a regulation-time win against Kitzbühel and no full success by Sisak in Merano, the Polar Bears would move to the top of the table. Kitzbühel are also in good form, having recorded three wins from their last five games. Despite a 5–4 shootout home win over Merano on Tuesday, the Tyroleans slipped out of the top five and now trail fifth-placed Ritten by one point.

Sisak visit Meran
KHL Sisak have played only once so far in 2026, suffering a 0–3 defeat in Jesenice. HC Meran/o Pircher, meanwhile, have already played three games this calendar year, picking up points in all of them but managing just one win. Should Sisak claim a regulation-time victory and Zell am See fail to win in 60 minutes, the Croatians would regain the league lead. Merano currently sit in 11th place and no longer have a chance of reaching the top five. The two previous head-to-head meetings this season were both clearly won by the home teams (4–1 SIS, 4–0 HCM).

Battle at the bottom of the table
HDD Jesenice, in 12th place, and the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers, who are bottom of the table, currently form the rear of the Alps Hockey League standings, with Jesenice holding a 14-point advantage over the South Tyroleans. However, the most recent head-to-head clash was won by Unterland 5–2, while the first meeting of the season saw Jesenice claim a clear 7–2 home victory. The Slovenians have failed to win their last two games, losing by a single-goal margin to both Gherdeina and Vipiteno. Unterland suffered a 1–4 home defeat against Asiago on Tuesday, but prior to that secured a 4–3 road win against Cortina. There has also been a change behind the bench in Jesenice: head coach Nik Zupančič was relieved of his duties, with Gal Koren taking over until the end of the season.

Alps Hockey League:
Thu, 08.01.2026:
19:00: HDD Jesenice – Hockey Unterland Cavaliers
Referees: METZINGER, SNOJ, Murnik, Wucherer

19:30: EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: BULOVEC, VOICAN, Jeram, Veselka

20:30: HC Meran/o Pircher – KHL Sisak
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, PINIE, Brondi, Cristeli

Watch all games live on Valcome.TV.  

Copyright: KEC_Schwaninger