Release from 04.03.2021

Villach, Linz and Graz in the fight for the last playoff spot

Short text 544 CharactersPlain text

On the second last matchday of the intermediate round in the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League, further decisions can be made in both the Pick Round and the Qualification Round. Should the EC GRAND Immo VSV have at least a three-point lead over the Steinbach Black Wings 1992 and at least a four-point lead over the Moser Medical Graz99ers after Friday's match, they would be in the Playoffs for sure. In addition, the EC-KAC can fix the Champions Hockey League ticket in the Pick Round. For this, the Klagenfurt team needs a maximum of two points.

Press release 7648 CharactersPlain text

BET-AT-HOME ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE:
PICK ROUND:
FRI, 05.03.2021, 19:15: HYDRO FEHÉRVÁR AV19 – EC RED BULL SALZBURG
REFEREES: FICHTNER, ZRNIC, HRIBAR, RIECKEN. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<>> DIGI SPORT <<

  • For the EC Red Bull Salzburg the away game at Hydro Fehérvár AV19 is the last game in the Pick Round. The third-placed team in the table has to win at the Hungarians and at the same time hope that EC-KAC picks up a maximum of one point in its remaining two games in order to still move past the KAC in the standings and punch the second ticket for the Champions Hockey League.
  • Fehérvár is currently fourth in the table, tied on points with the spusu Vienna Capitals. Both teams still have two games to play. AVS plays at the EC-KAC on Sunday, VIC has to play at the HCB Südtirol Alperia. Should they maintain the fourth place, AVS would have home right in the quarterfinals.
  • The current form clearly speaks for Salzburg. The Red Bulls prevailed in four of the last five games. Fehérvár ended a four-game losing streak last Sunday, in a 6:1 away win in Vienna.
  • In the previous five season duels, the home team always prevailed.
  • In total, the two teams have met 77 times so far. The Red Bulls lead in the H2H with 46:31.
  • For the EC Red Bull Salzburg, all players are fit to play except Taylor Chorney and Paul Huber. Defenseman Alexander Urbom has returned to the lineup.
  • For all Hungarian fans the game will be broadcasted on DIGI SPORT.

FRI, 05.03.2021, 19:15: SPUSU VIENNA CAPITALS – EC-KAC
REFEREES: HRONSKY, SOOS, Konc, Muzsik. >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

  • In the second game of the Pick Round, the spusu Vienna Capitals will meet the EC-KAC. While the hosts are fighting for the fourth place with Hydro Fehérvár AV19 and thus the home right in the quarterfinals, the guests have the Champions Hockey League ticket within their grasp. For this, the KAC need a maximum of two points from the last two games. Should Salzburg not win after regular playing time on Friday, even one point will be enough for the Klagenfurt team.
  • In the previous two season encounters at the Erste Bank Arena, the KAC celebrated a narrow victory in each case (0:1 & 2:3). Overall, they have scored points in each of the recent 14 games in Vienna (ten wins, four losses).
  • The duel of the Capitals against the KAC has already taken place 138 times. The Klagenfurt team is ahead with 73 wins, compared to Vienna's 65 wins.
  • Ty Loney (VIC) is not only second in the scoring charts with 25 goals, but even at the top in the plus-minus statistics (+31). Alex Wall, a second Caps player, follows in second place (+26). But the EC-KAC is also top in this statistic. No less than five players are in the Top-11.
  • At the EC-KAC another defender is missing in addition to David Fischer, Paul Postma and Christoph Tialler. Martin Schumnig suffered several injuries in the game at the HCB Südtirol Alperia on Tuesday.

QUALIFICATION ROUND:
FRI, 05.03.2021, 19:15: HC TIWAG INNSBRUCK – DIE HAIE – MOSER MEDICAL GRAZ99ers
REFEREES: BERNEKER, SIEGEL, Nothegger, Seewald. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

  • The HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie is the only team so far that no longer has a chance to qualify for the playoffs. Opponents Moser Medical Graz99ers are one place ahead of the Tyroleans in the standings and are currently three points behind third-place EC GRAND Immo VSV.
  • In order to stay in the race for a playoff spot, Graz may have a maximum of three points less than the VSV after Friday's game.
  • In the first duel of the Qualification Round, Graz managed a narrow 3:2 home victory over the "Sharks". It was their third win in the fifth duel of the season.
  • In the H2H, the duel is completely balanced. Both teams have won 52 of the 104 encounters.
  • Both teams have been waiting for a win for three games. In addition, both teams have a home and away weakness, respectively. Whilethe HCI was victorious in only one of the last five home matches, G99 managed only one win out of the last five matches away from home.
  • One oft he weaknesses of Graz are the special teams. The Styrians rank only eleventh and last in both the Power Play (15.7%) and the Penalty Killing (77.7%). Innsbruck is only marginally better in both statistics (PP - 17.3% & PK - 78.6%).
  • With Daniel Ciampini, the "Sharks" have the second best goal scorer (25G) in their ranks. The 30-years-old Canadian has a significant share in the high scoring efficiency of the Tyroleans. With 10.79%, they are in second place in this statistic.
  • On the side of the 99ers, Daniel Oberkofler and Dominik Grafenthin are still missing.

FRI, 05.03.2021, 19:15: EC GRAND IMMO VSV – ICLINIC BRATISLAVA CAPITALS
REFEREES: SMETANA, STERNAT, Bedynek, Gatol. I >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<

  • Right in their premiere season the iClinic Bratislava Capitals made it to the playoffs. The 3:2 away win at Graz on Tuesday secured the post-season for the Slovaks. The EC GRAND Immo VSV still has to fight for it. Tuesday's 5:3 home loss to the Steinbach Black Wings 1992 means the lead over the Upper Austrians is now just two points.
  • Villach would then fix their playoff spot if they are at least three points ahead of the Black Wings and four points ahead of Graz after Friday's game.
  • For Villach, the loss to Linz was their first after previously winning two games. Bratislava was able to win the last two games.
  • In the five meetings so far, the Capitals have had the upper hand four times. Only in the first duel of the Pick Round the "Eagles" could prevail (5:3).
  • In terms of scoring efficiency, VSV is only in eleventh and last place with 7.87%. Nevertheless, they the team with the most scored goals in the Qualification Round (29).
  • Villach is now also without Renars Krastenbergs and Benedikt Wohlfahrt (both upper body injuries) for the upcoming games, in addition to the long-term injured Benjamin Lanzinger, Daniel Wachter, Patrick Bjorkstrand, Philipp Kreuzer and Christof Wappis.
FRI, 05.03.2021, 19:15: STEINBACH BLACK WINGS 1992 – DORNBIRN BULLDOGS
REFEREES: OFNER, PIRAGIC, Bärnthaler, Kontschieder. I >> SKY SPORT AUSTRIA <<
  • The Sky Sport Austria live match on Friday will be between the Steinbach Black Wings 1992 and the Dornbirn Bulldogs. While the Black Wings need a win to stay in the race for the last playoff spot, the Bulldogs are already qualified for the post-season.
  • Dornbirn is currently leading in the the Qualification Round, tied on points with the iClinic Bratislava Capitals. Linz is in fourth place. The gap to the third-placed EC GRAND Immo VSV and thus the last playoff spot is two points.
  • The Black Wings will stay in the race for the playoffs if they are within two points to the VSV after Friday's game.
  • In the first meeting in the Qualification Round, the Black Wings kept the upper hand with 4:1. It was the second win in a row in Vorarlberg. Both season games in the „Keine Sorgen Eisarena“ in Linz were won by Dornbirn.
  • Currently, both teams are in good form. BWI won three of the last five games, DEC could decide the last three games all for themselves.
  • In their home arena the Upper Austrians are a power at the moment. Five wins from the past five games speak for themselves.
  • In the H2H BWI is clearly the better team. Of the 43 meetings so far, the Black Wings have won 29.
  • With Brian Lebler, Linz has the league's top scorer in its ranks. With a hat trick in the last game, the 32-year-old has already 31 goals scored this season. The right winge thus became the first player to have more than 30 goals scored this season. In four of the past five seasons, the Austrian international always scored at least 30 goals.