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EC Red Bull Salzburg is going into the fifth group game in the Champions Hockey League tomorrow, Wednesday, and is expecting HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the Salzburg Eisarena (8:20 p.m., ORF Sport+). The Red Bulls can take a big step towards the playoff in the premier class with a win; after four games they are in second place behind the Swiss.
It’s the top duel in Group E when the Red Bulls (2nd) meet HC Fribourg-Gottéron (1st) tomorrow. And yet anything is possible in the group, with the Stavanger Oilers (3rd) and Ilves Tampere (4th) also within reach – all teams are only by two points each – and lurking for their chance in the fight for a playoff – Place in the premier class.
The Red Bulls are correspondingly tense or in pre-start fever, who want to score as many points as possible in the first game of the back-to-back – the second leg is on October 12 in Friborg – at home with their own fans behind them. The switch from the local win2day ICE Hockey League to the CHL is less of a problem, says veteran Dennis Robertson: “We always try to play the same way anyway. We are completely focused on our game and ready for tomorrow.”
The Canadian defender’s expectations of Fribourg-Gottéron: “It’s going to be a tough game. Fast, technically mature. You’ve already played excellently in the first four rounds of the CHL. We have to try everything to win against them.” The Red Bulls also want to use the knowledge gained from the recent ICE defeat against KAC: “I think that was a small wake-up call not to go into the next game too confidently. It brought us back to our roots and showed that we have to go our own way.”
Striker Benjamin Nissner also took lessons from the KAC game, but put it aside long ago: “We learned from it, but now it’s history. Tomorrow it’s already against Fribourg-Gottéron, it’s like playoffs for us. And we’re prepared for that.” And that means in concrete terms: “The Swiss are really good in the rush, so they’re good at switching quickly. We need to be good at the back and get shots on goal. Then anything is possible.” And the Red Bulls are “hot, very hot. We’re at home, we’re in the rhythm of the game and we’re very ready. And the spectators are our seventh man on the ice.”
The Red Bulls are also looking forward to the return of Dominique Heinrich, who has missed the last four games. The convalescents Lukas Schreier, Ty Loney and Troy Bourke are still not in action. It starts at 8:20 p.m. live on ORF Sport+.
Champions Hockey League
EC Red Bull Salzburg vs HC Fribourg-Gottéron
Wed, 05.10.2022; Salzburg Ice Arena, 8:20 p.m
ORF Sport+
www.redbulls.com, image: GEPA pictures/ Gintare Karpaviciute