Salzburg expects first derby of the season!
Six games are scheduled in the Alps Hockey League over the next two days. Among other things, on Thursday there will be the first Salzburg derby of the season between the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and EK Die Zeller Eisbären. On Friday, EHC Lustenau will be a guest at second-placed HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. League leaders SG Cortina Hafro will face SHC Fassa Falcons away from home. The Rittner Buam were active on the transfer market and committed the Finn Janne Tavi.
EC-KAC Future Team – EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
After six defeats in a row, the EC-KAC Future Team returned to winning ways on Tuesday with a 5-2 away win in Vipiteno. EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel has won all three of the past three games. In the table, the Tyroleans are in eighth place with 14 points. The Future Team is eleventh in the table with ten points. In a direct comparison, the “Adler” from Tyrol are clearly in the lead with 12:4. The last meeting in February was decided by the Klagenfurt sovereign with 6:0.
Red Bull Hockey Juniors – EK The Zeller Eisbären
For the first time this season there will be a Salzburg derby between the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and EK Die Zeller Eisbären. Last season, both teams faced each other in the pre-playoffs, which the “Eisbären” won 2-0. This season, both teams are currently on course for direct playoff qualification. The juniors are third with 21 points. Zell am See follows in fourth place with 18 points, but has played two games fewer. The team from Pinzgau currently has a winning streak of three games. The Young Bulls have prevailed in three of their last four games.
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan each suffered two defeats in a row. On Thursday, both teams will meet in the Alps Hockey League for the first time this calendar year. Last November, Val Gardena won the last direct duel. It was her fourth straight victory over the Broncos. In the Val Gardena table that won five out of ten games of the season, in seventh place just outside the top five. Vipiteno is new in the table.
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers – Rittner Buam SkyAlps
After six wins at the start, league newcomers Hockey Unterland Cavaliers recently suffered three defeats in a row and slipped from the top of the table to fifth place. With 18 points, they have a six-point lead over the Rittner Buam SkyAlps, against whom Unterland had already won 4-2 in pre-season. The “Buam” are currently on the upswing, with two wins in a row after previously failing to win three games in the series. Manuel Öhler, among others, is currently in great shape with the Buam. The 20-year-old scored his first hat-trick against Red Bull Hockey Juniors last week and was also named Alps Hockey League Top Performer of the Week. A new signing was also promised on the part of Ritten. After the departure of Derek Gentile, the South Tyrolean Janne Tavi signed. The 33-year-old Finn comes from the Swedish HockeyAllsvenkan and will whirl in the Rittner Sturm for the rest of the season.
SHC Fassa Falcons – SG Cortina Hafro
After seven wins in a row, Cortina had to admit defeat for the first time last Sunday. In the 2:3/SO defeat against Ritten they got their 22nd point this season. Cortina is currently in first place in the table. SHC Fassa Falcons is twelfth in the standings with eight points. Last Saturday they won for the first time after three defeats in a row. In a direct comparison with Cortina, they were unable to win any of the four previous encounters.
HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – EHC Lustenau
HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice meets EHC Lustenau in the only game on Friday. The second in the table from Slovenia was not in action in the AHL last week, but in the Continental Cup. They finished second in the group behind host Asiago. Lustenau had their first major sense of achievement on Saturday. The 4:2 away win in Val Gardena was their first success this season after regular playing time. The Vorarlbergers hold six points in the table and are thirteenth in the table. In front of a home crowd, Jesenice hasn’t lost a point this season. Lustenau has been waiting for a win at last year’s finalists since February 23, 2019.
Photo: EKZ