Wins for the Top Duo

Graz and KAC Strengthen Their Top Positions
The Moser Medical Graz99ers celebrated a 4–1 home win against HC Falkensteiner Pustertal in front of a sold-out crowd, securing their second place in the standings. Despite several absences, the hosts controlled the game for long stretches and shut things down in the final period. Graz got off to a perfect start, taking the lead after just 44 seconds on the power play through Nick Bailen. Pustertal soon had the chance to equalise via a penalty shot but failed to convert. Shortly afterwards, the visitors nevertheless tied the game shorthanded before the 99ers struck back before the first intermission, with Kilian Zündel scoring his first goal of the season to make it 2–1. In the middle frame, the hosts remained in control and extended their lead. Following the injury-related exit of goaltender Maxime Lagacé, Nico Wieser took over between the pipes and settled in seamlessly. Marcus Vela made it 3–1 in the 30th minute with a well-placed shot. Graz also dictated play in the final period. Pustertal struggled to find offensive solutions, while the 99ers remained solid defensively. In the closing stages, Michael Schiechl sealed the 4–1 final score with an empty-net goal.

EC-KAC remain the clear league leaders after a 3–1 win over the Vienna Capitals. The Caps, however, put up a strong fight for much of the game. The early opening goal was also a premier goal in the win2day ICE Hockey League: 17-year-old Klagenfurt native Johannes Dobrovolny reacted quickest after a failed clearing attempt by Vienna and made it 1–0. In the middle period, the Klagenfurters proved far more efficient and took a decisive step with two goals. Matt Fraser and Simeon Schwinger were on target. Simon Bourque reduced the deficit shortly after the 0–3, but KAC allowed no further goals in the final period. KAC therefore remain six points ahead of their closest challengers from Graz, having played one more game.

Bozen Extend VSV’s Losing Streak
HCB Südtirol Alperia claimed a 4–1 road win against EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV, picking up their first three-point victory of the season against the Carinthians. In Villach, the visitors overturned a deficit and decided the game in the final period. After a scoreless opening frame, Villach took the lead in the middle period on the power play. Bozen responded before the second intermission, with Brad McClure netting the equaliser in the 38th minute.

In the final period, the Foxes increasingly took control and capitalised on their chances. McClure scored again in the 56th minute with a long-range shot to give Bozen their first lead of the night. In the closing stages, the visitors added two empty-net goals to seal the 4–1 final score. Goaltender Sam Harvey delivered a strong performance, stopping 34 of 35 shots. While Bozen defended their fifth place in the standings, VSV suffered their sixth consecutive defeat and now sit just two points above eleventh place.

Black Wings Return to the Win Column
The Steinbach Black Wings Linz defeated HC TIWAG Innsbruck 4–1 in front of 4,865 spectators at the Linz Ice Arena, ending a four-game winless streak. In a largely even contest, three goals in the final period secured a clear home win for the Upper Austrians. The hosts made the better start and opened the scoring in the first period through Christoph Tialler, who netted his first goal of the 2025 calendar year (13th minute). Innsbruck improved in the middle frame, kept the game close and were rewarded with the equaliser by Patrick Kudla just before the second intermission (39.).

In the final period, Linz gradually took control. Patrick Söllinger restored the lead with a long-range shot (46.), before Yohann Auvitu decided the game with two goals within two minutes (52., 54.). Innsbruck failed to score again in the final period, allowing Linz to close out the win comfortably. With the victory, the Black Wings climbed back into the top 10.

Convincing Wins for Salzburg and Olimpija
EC Red Bull Salzburg celebrated a commanding 5–1 home win against FTC-Telekom Budapest, extending their winning streak to seven games. In front of a near sell-out crowd, Salzburg controlled the game for long stretches and set the course for victory in the second period. The hosts applied early pressure and took the lead through Benjamin Nissner (7.). Budapest managed to equalise in the opening period, with Tyler Coulter scoring on the power play four seconds before the buzzer (20.). After the break, Salzburg once again took full control. Connor Corcoran restored the lead (24.), before Peter Schneider (37.) and Mario Huber (39.) extended the advantage to 4–1 before the second intermission. In the final frame, Schneider scored his second goal of the night for the final score (42.), marking his first two-goal game of the season. Salzburg allowed very few chances defensively and comfortably saw out the convincing home win. In the standings, the Red Bulls remain in sixth place.

Olimpija Ljubljana recorded a 5–0 shutout win over Hydro Fehérvár AV19 to move back into third place. The hosts were clearly superior in the opening period, with Marcel Mahkovec scoring twice by the 18th minute to give Olimpija a 2–0 lead. Fehérvár created more chances in the middle frame, but it was again the Slovenians who found the net, extending the lead to 4–0. Nick Simsic capped off the scoring with the fifth goal in the 51st minute. Olimpija goaltender Lukáš Horák celebrated his first shutout of the season.

win2day ICE Hockey League – 28 December 2025

Steinbach Black Wings Linz – HC TIWAG Innsbruck – Die Haie 4–1 (1–0, 0–1, 3–0)
Goals BWL: Tialler (13.), Söllinger (47.), Auvitu (52., 54.)
Goals HCI: Kudla (39.)

EC Red Bull Salzburg – FTC-Telekom Budapest 5–1 (1–1, 3–0, 1–0)
Goals RBS: Nissner (7.), Corcoran (24.), Schneider (37., 42.), Huber (39.)
Goals FTC: Coulter (20./pp)

EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – HCB Südtirol Alperia 1–4 (0–0, 1–1, 0–3)
Goals VSV: Hancock (25./pp)
Goals HCB: McClure (38., 55.), Gazley (58.), Bradley (60.)

Olimpija Ljubljana – Hydro Fehérvár AV19 5–0 (2–0, 2–0, 1–0)
Goals OLL: Mahkovec (9., 18.), Meyer (21.), Polei (21.), Simsic (51.)

Moser Medical Graz99ers – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal 4–1 (2–1, 1–0, 1–0)
Goals G99: Bailen (3./pp), Zündel (18.), Vela (35.), Schiechl (58./sh)
Goals HCP: Lauridsen (13./sh)

Vienna Capitals – EC-KAC 1–3 (0–1, 1–2, 0–0)
Goals VIC: Bourque (32./pp)
Goals KAC: Dobrovolny (4.), Fraser (24.), Schwinger (30.)