Release from 27.12.2020
The next game day of the Alps Hockey League will take place on Monday. Hafro Cortina Hockey and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey will meet for the fourth time within a few weeks. While the two bottom-clubs EC-KAC II and Steel Wings Linz face each other, the VEU Feldkirch, the Rittner Buam and HC Pustertal are the favourites away from home.
With Fassa against leader Ljubljana, a sixth game is also scheduled. Due to the weather forecast with heavy snowfall and Covid 19-related travel regulations, the league organisation is in close consultation with both clubs. It is being evaluated whether a safe arrival and departure of Olimpija is possible in order to allow the match to take place.
Mon, 28.12.2020 , 19:00: EC-KAC II - Steel Wings Linz
Referees: OREL, WIDMANN, Holzer, Schweighofer
After a break of more than three weeks, EC-KAC II returns to competition - as some games had to be postponed due to medical precautions in connection with Covid-19. The Carinthians celebrated two wins in the R2P games against Linz at the start of the season, but then suffered ten defeats as the championship progressed. The Steel Wings picked up their only two points so far in November with an overtime win in Kitzbühel. With a win after regulation time, the Upper Austrians could hand over the last place. Both teams are fielding players for the Austrian national team at the U20 World Championship in Canada. While Fabian Hochegger, Finn van Ee and Maximilian Theirich are in the squad from the KAC, Julian Pauschenwein from Linz is also part of Team Austria.
Mon, 28.12.2020, 19:30: SHC Fassa Falcons - HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana
Referees: BENVEGNU, GIACOMOZZI, Bedana, Slaviero
Fassa claimed a 2-1 win at Cortina on St. Stephen's Day and climbed to eleventh in the standings. With two games less, the Italians are only nine points behind fourth place. But in order to move further up the table, the Liberatore team must improve, especially at home - the Falcons have only won two of their seven home games this season. This time they will be hosting league leaders Ljubljana, who after three AHL victories yesterday suffered a defeat in Asiago. It was the second defeat in a row away from home, as the Slovenians were also beaten in Pustertal. Olimpija still has the best offence and defence. With Anze Ropret and Miha Zajc (both 24 points) two players are among the top-5 scorers.
Due to the weather forecast with heavy snowfall and Covid 19-related travel regulations, the league organisation is in close consultation with both clubs. It is being evaluated whether a safe arrival and departure of Olimpija is possible in order to allow the match to take place.
Mon, 28.12.2020 , 19:30: EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - VEU Feldkirch
Referees: DURCHNER, HLAVATY, Schonaklener, Voican
From the point of view of Kitzbühel and Feldkirch, the first matchday after Christmas was extremely unpleasant. The Tyroleans conceded a 0:9 at home against Lustenau and suffered their second high defeat in a row after the 2:9 at Ljubljana. In the last eight games, the KEC could only win against the two bottom-clubs Klagenfurt and Linz and thus slipped down to 13th place. VEU, on the other hand, had to concede a clear 1:5 defeat to Bregenzerwald in yesterday's home derby - the only goal was scored by Jakob Stukel, who leads the scorers' standings with 31 points. Feldkirch thus fell behind both Vorarlberg rivals, at least temporarily. In the R2P games between Kitzbühel and Feldkirch there were home wins in each case, with VEU prevailing thanks to only one goal and securing the points.
Mon, 28.12.2020, 20:00: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - Rittner Buam
Referees: LEGA, MOSCHEN, Fleischmann, Mantovani
Sterzing did not find their way back to success in their first game after Christmas and suffered their ninth defeat in a row with 3:6 against Gröden. The Rittner Buam, on the other hand, put an exclamation mark on their performance with a win after penalty shootout against Pustertal. Just a fortnight ago, the team from Klobenstein also celebrated a 6:3 home victory against the Broncos, who, on the other hand, decided the R2P games in their favour. Sterzing (14th, 64 goals conceded) and Ritten (12th, 67 goals conceded) are the third and second weakest defensive teams in the league.
Mon, 28.12.2020 , 20:15: S.G. Cortina Hafro - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: EGGER, PINIE, De Zordo, Piras
Cortina, with a brief exception in mid-November, cannot find any consistency, mostly alternating between victory and defeat. On St. Stephen's Day, they had to admit defeat against Fassa. Now the ninth-placed team in the standings faces Asiago for the fourth time in just over a month. The red-yellow team is on the upswing and recently defeated league leader Ljubljana. The last time they were beaten was on 26 November, when they lost 5-6 to Cortina. Since then, Asiago have collected six wins and climbed to fourth place. With five away wins, the Mattila squad is also one of the best road teams in the league.
Mon, 28.12.2020 , 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - HC Pustertal
Referees: LAZZERI, STEFENELLI, Cristeli, Weiss
With a 6:3 victory in Sterzing yesterday, Val Gardena celebrated their first success in December. Brad McGowan (2 goals, one assist yesterday) and Matt Wilkins (four assists yesterday) are among the top three scorers in the league. The tenth-placed "Furie" is also one of the best away teams in the league with five wins away from home. However, out of seven home games, they could only win the R2P encounters with Cortina and Fassa. The other five games were all lost. HC Pustertal is currently the third strongest team in the league. The "Wolves" had to admit defeat in a shootout yesterday at Ritten, but won the four games before that. In the only duel of the season, Bruneck celebrated a clear 6:0 victory at home.
Foto: Serena Fantini