Trio can qualify for the Pre-Playoffs

Alps Hockey League | 16.02.2022:
Master Round:
Thu, 16.02.2023, 20:30: Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - Rittner Buam SkyAlps
Referees: BENVEGNU, LAZZERI, Bedana, De Zordo. | >> PPV LIVESTREAM <<
The Hockey Unterland Cavaliers are not in good shape since the Master Round started. The league newcomer won only one of their five games so far and are only in fifth and last place in the standings. Across all competitions, they have been waiting for a win for six games. They also conceded three defeats at the Serie A final tournament, last week. The Rittner Buam SkyAlps are just ahead of Unterland in the standings, winning three of their five games and holding a three-point lead over HCU. The Buam finished the Serie A final tournament in second place. In the deciding game, they were narrowly lost with 1:2 against tournament winner Cortina. Against Unterland they kept the upper hand with 4:3. Ritten also won the first leg of the Master Round with 4:1.

Thu, 16.02.2023, 20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: MOSCHEN, STEFENELLI, Brondi, Cristeli. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
For the 17th time already, S.G Cortina Hafro crowned themselves Serie A champions. The Italians won all three games of the final tournament. Also in the Alps Hockey League it went well for the Italians recently. With three wins from four games, they are only one point behind Thursday's opponent and league leader, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. Moreover, they have played one game less than the Slovenians. In the first head-to-head duel in the Master Round, Cortina narrowly prevailed 3:2/OT. The other two duels of the season were won by Jesenice (2:0 & 4:0). Last year's finalist from Slovenia was not in action last week. Before that, they could only win two out of five games in the Master Round.

Qualification Round A:
Thu, 16.02.2023, 20:30: SHC Fassa Falcons - Steinbach Steel Wings Linz
Referees: LEGA, PINIE, Fleischmann, Pace. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The SHC Fassa Falcons are currently sitting on the hot seat in Qualification Round A, as third in the table, but only with a two point lead over fourth-placed Gherdeina. On Thursday, the Italians will face last-placed Steinbach Steel Wings Linz, who are already nine points behind the third place with just three games remaining. The Falcons are playing an impressive Qualification Round so far, with four wins from four games, two of them after regular playing time. They prevailed 3:2/OT against the Steel Wings in the first meeting. In Regular Season Phase 1, both teams won one game each.

Thu, 16.02.2023, 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: EGGER, GIACOMOZZI, Eisl, Rinker. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The reigning Austrian AHL champion EK Die Zeller Eisbären can fix their ticket for the Pre-Playoffs on Thursday. As the leader of Qualification Round A, the team from Pinzgau currently has a eight-point lead over fourth-placed HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. If the Polar Bears get at least one point in Gherdeina on Thursday, they are fix in the Pre-Playoffs. The South Tyroleans, on the other hand, urgently need a win in order not to lose touch with third-placed Fassa and second-placed Vipiteno. Currently, the Furie are two points behind the third place and four points behind the second place. In the first duel in the intermediate round, Zell am See prevailed with 4:2. The Polar Bears also decided the other two duels of the season in their favor (4:3 & 3:2).

Qualification Round B:
Thu, 16.02.2023, 19:00: EC-KAC Future Team - EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: HLAVATY, REZEK, Bergant, Legat. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitbühel can take another big step towards the Pre-Playoffs on Thursday, or even fix them, should Meran fail to win in Lustenau. The leaders of Qualification Round B are currently nine points ahead of the fourth place and already twelve points ahead of fifth placed EC-KAC Future Team. Klagenfurt, on the other hand, are already ten points behind the third place and thus have no longer a chance to reach the Pre-Playoffs. In the Qualification Round, they have not managed a win so far, but twice they lost only after overtime or shootout, including in Kitzbühel (2:3/OT). Last Saturday, the Eagles lost to Bregenzerwald with 1:2. It was the only AHL game of the past week. Before that, they celebrated two wins in a row.

Thu, 16.02.2023, 19:30: EHC Lustenau - HC Meran/o Pircher
Referees: BRUNNER, LEHNER, Matthey, Spiegel. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
With a win after regular playing time on Thursday against the HC Meran/o Pircher, the EHC Lustenau would fix the Pre-Playoffs. The third-placed team from Qualification Round B currently has a seven-point lead over fourth-placed Merano, but the South Tyroleans have yet played a game less than the Vorarlberg team. The EHC has lost only one of its five games in the intermediate round, while Meran/o has yet won once. Against Lustenau, the Eagles lost clearly with 2:6. In Regular Season Phase 1, both teams were able to win one game each. Last week, Meran/o was in action at the Serie A final tournament. With one win out of three games, they finished the tournament in third place.