Twelve games until Boxing Day

Win2day ICE Hockey League | 22.12.2022 | Schedule:
Thu, 22.12.2022, 7.15 pm: EC Red Bull Salzburg – HK SZ Olimpija
Referees: SCHAUER, STERNAT, Seewald, Wimmler. | 
On Thursday, EC Red Bull Salzburg and HK SZ Olimpija will meet for the first time this season. While the reigning champions were match-free on Tuesday, last year's quarter-finalists suffered their fourth defeat in a row a day ago, in the last three defeats, Ljubljana always conceded more than four goals. Especially on the road, the "Dragons" are struggling with their form, as the last away win (3:2 SO @G99) was exactly two months ago. There have been seven road defeats in a row. In Salzburg the Slovenians won both duels in the past season, and in fact three of the four comparisons with the eventual champions ended victoriously. While the "Dragons" still have problems in PP and shorthanded situations, the "Red Bulls" are still top in PK (88%) league-wide and also in the top-3 in PP. Salzburg, which is in fifth place, needs a win even though it has played two and three games less, respectively, compared to the top-4 to keep contact with the top group. Ljubljana is in danger of falling out of the top-10 if it loses, and Salzburg is still without convalescents Ty Loney, Troy Bourke and Paul Huber.

Thu, 22.12.2022, 7.45 pm: HC Pustertal Wölfe – EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV
Referees: GROZNIK, PIRAGIC, Hribar, Pardatscher. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The two opponents in Thursday’s second game played a derby on Tuesday and lost. While EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV dominated the 345th Kärntner Derby until the final minutes, then lost 3:4, HC Pustertal Wölfe suffered a clear 1:4 defeat. Villach had to admit defeat again after five wins in a row, the team from Bruneck lost its last three games in a row. With a win, the "Wolves", they last played four times in a row on the road, have the chance to climb back to a pre-playoff spot for the first time since November 26th. The two previous encounters of the season were won by the home team. Pustertal could already count on Filip Ahl again in the derby, so the South Tyroleans seem to be able to play with their best lineup against Villach as well, only the long-term injured Julian Payr and Elias Wallenta are missing.

Win2day ICE Hockey League | 23.12.2022 | Schedule:
Fri, 23.12.2022, 7.15 pm: spusu Vienna Capitals – Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Referees: SIEGEL, STERNAT, Durmis, Jedlicka.
The spusu Vienna Capitals play their second home game within three days: After the clash with Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey on Wednesday, the Viennese host Hydro Fehérvár AV19 one day before Christmas. The Hungarians have lost some form recently and also had to give up their place in the top-6 again. The last three games, against the top-3 of the win2day ICE Hockey League, the vice-champion lost. After picking up three shutouts in a row before the losing streak, Kevin Constantine's side have conceded an average of 4.6 goals in their last three defeats. The Hungarians have won both of their previous two meetings this season 2:1, once after shootouts - but always after trailing 0:1 after the first period. Whether some of the players Niklas Würschl (sick), Christof Kromp, Chad Krys, Alexander Maxa, Yannic Pilloni, Rafael Rotter and James Sheppard (all injured) who were absent last weekend in Vorarlberg will return will probably be decided on gameday.

Fri, 23.12.2022, 7.15 pm: EC-KAC – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: RENCZ, ZRNIC, Muzsik, Puff. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The EC-KAC gained a big portion of self-confidence on Tuesday, as the "Rotjacken" after some recent games with a short line-up started again with four full lines and won the Kärntner Derby, despite trailing three times. With their fourth win out of the last five games, the EC-KAC secured a place in the top-6 for the first time since November 19th. In ninth place, ten points behind Klagenfurt, are the Moser Medical Graz99ers, which are game-wise on a rollercoaster ride: In addition to strong performances, for example against Salzburg or Vienna, the Styrians also showed weak play again - they have lost four of their last five games. There have already been two meetings between the two teams this year, with the "Rotjacken" winning twice. Mike Zalewski will play against his former club Graz for the first time after his league transfer. Graz continues to struggle on the offensive end, as it is the second weakest value in the win2day ICE Hockey League. Sebastian Dahm (#1 KAC) and Christian Engstrand (#3 G99) are two of the three league goalies with the most ice time so far.

Fri, 23.12.2022, 7.30 pm: BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberger – HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: BERNEKER, SCHAUER, Martin, Sparer. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
A duel between the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg and the HCB Südtirol Alperia will take place in Feldkirch. The two teams have different form at hand: while the home team has lost its last three games, the guests have been victorious for three. Vorarlberg's home record is sobering: out of the last eleven games in front of their home crowd, the Pioneers only won against Salzburg (after shootout). The last win for the league newcomers came on October 2nd, against HCB Südtirol Alperia. The Vorarlberg team won 4:3, Marcel Zitz scored the game-winner in the 58th minute. This also made up for the 0:3 defeat in the first duel of the season. Bolzano is still second and already has a six-point advantage over third place.

Fri, 23.12.2022, 7.45 pm: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey – HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie
Referees: REZEK, TRILAR, Rigoni, Zgonc. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey will play their third game in five days and this time the league leader will be at Stadio Odegar. The Italians have been weak on home ice so far, picking up only eleven points from ten games, only the "Pioneers" have picked up fewer points at home. With its fifth home win over HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie, the league newcomer has the opportunity to clinch a pre-playoff spot for the first time since September 22nd, the fourth game of the season and avert the preliminary season sweep. The Tyrolean team won the previous three duels of the season, scoring at least five goals per game. And the "Haie" are currently in form: The leaders have celebrated three wins in a row, all three of them in the final third - despite a few retirements.

Win2day ICE Hockey League | 22.12.2022 | Schedule:
Mon, 26.12.2022, 4.30 pm: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie
Referees: OFNER, RENCZ, Hribar, Zgonc. | >> LIVE auf PULS24 <<
Boxing Day starts with a duel between two teams from the top-6: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV receives HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie - before the games on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the two teams were within the top-3. Both teams impress this year with their offensive strength: The "Adler" hold with 102 goals as of December 21s, the "Haie" scored with the same number of games 115 goals. The fact that there are many goals between these two teams was already shown in the two previous encounters this season, both times Villach won: First, VSV triumphed 6:5 after overtime, then 4:3 at home. In the last four home games against Innsbruck, Villach has always scored.

Mon, 26.12.2022, 5.30 pm: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – Moser Medical Graz99ers
Referees: NAGY, ZRNIC, Durmis, Jedlicka. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
For the third time this season the duel between Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and the Moser Medical Graz99ers will take place. Both matches were won by the 99ers: 2:1 after overtime in Hungary, 1:0 after shootout in Styria. Goalie Christian Engstrand excelled in both games, making a total of 74 saves and conceding only one goal. The Swede is still the best goalkeeper in the league in terms of save percentage (92.6%) and currently probably the most important cornerstone in the game of Graz. The Hungarians, on the other hand, are extremely strong defensively at home: they have conceded only five goals in their last six home games (four of which they won).

Mon, 26.12.2022, 5.30 pm: Steinbach Black Wings Linz – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: FICHTNER, SMETANA, Bedynek, Riecken. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The second duel of teams from the top-6 is Steinbach Black Wings Linz against EC Red Bull Salzburg. The reigning champions have very good memories of their road games in Upper Austria: they have won their last eight games in Linz, only conceding a point on November 3rd, 2019 (3:2 SO). The last Black Wings home win over the "Red Bulls" was more than four years ago, on November 16th, 2018, Brian Lebler, who scored a hat trick, prevailed 4:2. The last comparison this season, on November 27th in Salzburg, Linz clearly won 6:2. Linz was without a match since December 20, while Salzburg met Ljubljana on December 22nd.

Mon, 26.12.2022, 5.30 pm: HK SZ Olimpija – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey
Referees: PIRAGIC, SOOS, Muzsik, Snoj. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HK SZ Olimpija and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey duel for important points in the fight for a place in the pre-playoffs. The Italians, which currently have the better form available, have won the first two meetings this season against the Slovenians.

Mon, 26.12.2022, 6.00 pm: HCB Südtirol Alperia – EC-KAC
Referees: NIKOLIC K., STERNAT, Pardatscher, Weiss. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
HCB Südtirol Alperia welcomes EC-KAC. Bolzano is the best home team in the win2day ICE Hockey League, as the "Foxes" have won 13 of their 15 home games this season. Currently, they are without defeat in the Sparkasse Arena for three games. The South Tyroleans are also undefeated against the "Rotjacken" this season, both previous duels were won.

Mon, 26.12.2022, 6.00 pm: HC Pustertal Wölfe – BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg
Referees: NIKOLIC M., PINIE, Eisl, Martin. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
Another duel in the fight for a position in the top-10 takes place in Bruneck: HC Pustertal Wölfe hosts BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg. For the third time the two table stragglers play against each other. The "Wolves" have clearly won both meetings so far.

Fotocredit: Ivan Foppa PUS