Red Bull Salzburg meets Pioneers Vorarlberg for the first time
© Sports report
EC Red Bull Salzburg will start the first week after the international break tomorrow, Friday, with the home game of the win2day ICE Hockey League against the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg (7:15 p.m., Ladies Night – free entry for all women). Salzburg were still at the start in the CHL on Tuesday and celebrated a much-noticed 3-1 victory over defending champions Rögle BK. But now it’s time to focus fully on the domestic championship again.
It’s an intense ice hockey season for the Red Bulls right now. After the CHL home game against Rögle BK last Tuesday, the ICE Hockey League home game against the BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg follows tomorrow, followed by the away game against the Moser Medical Graz99ers on Sunday. On Monday, the Austrian champions travel straight on to Ängelholm, Sweden, for the CHL round of 16 second leg against Rögle (November 22), followed by the away game against Vienna (November 25) and the home game against Linz (November 27).
But the Red Bulls put one foot in front of the other and are looking forward to meeting the Vorarlberg Pioneers, especially since it is the first meeting with the team that was newly formed in the summer. The star of the team from Salzburg’s point of view is Alexander Pallestrang, who previously played for the Red Bulls for 12 years and won four championship titles. Tomorrow in Salzburg, however, the 32-year-old defender is not in the squad. “I would have liked to have played in Salzburg, but I still need a week before my comeback,” says the native of Vorarlberg.
In principle, the newly formed Pioneers team first has to earn its place in the ICE Hockey League. After 16 games there are only three wins, which puts the Feldkirch-based club at the bottom of the table. Alexander Pallestrang: “We knew from the start that we first had to prove ourselves in the league. Our big goal remains the video game of the playoffs.”
The well-known faces and at the same time important Austrian leaders alongside the ex-Salzburg player are Patrick Spannring and Kevin Macierzynski. The top line with Hampus Eriksson, Tyler Sandhu and Jack Jacome, which is responsible for half of all goals scored so far (29) with 15 goals, deserves special attention. There is also a reunion with defender Layne Viveiros, who played for the Red Bulls from 2016 to 2021, and with former Academy player Marcel Zitz.
The Pioneers’ head coach is Marc Habscheid, a 59-year-old Canadian with an NHL past as a player. After many years in the WHL and at times also as head coach for Team Canada, he is working as head coach in Europe for the first time this season.
The Red Bulls want to take the momentum from the recent CHL win against Rögle BK and don’t want to be surprised, says striker Paul Huber: “We’re all ready for the next game in the domestic league. We analyzed the Pioneers and want to get a win at home. The fact that they are bottom of the table doesn’t change anything for us. We want to play our game. If we defend like we did last time and are just as compact, it should be difficult for Vorarlberg in Salzburg.”
Of course, the spectators should help again; On Friday, the Red Bulls are looking forward to an extra large number of spectators, who will have free admission to Ladies Night. The convalescents Ty Loney, Troy Bourke and Lucas Thaler also have to watch, albeit involuntarily.
win2day ICE Hockey League
EC Red Bull Salzburg – BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg
Fri, 11/18/2022; Salzburg Ice Arena, 7:15 p.m
Media info win2day ICE Hockey League
11/17/2022