Derby win! Lustenau extend league lead against Hohenems - Sharks defeat ATSE

The big Vorarlberg derby, which is also a district derby, was celebrated in the Division West on the holiday between SC Samina Hohenems and EHC Lustenau at the Eisstadion Hohenems in front of more than 1.500 fans. Both teams made a flying start and engaged in an open exchange, with Lustenau's Stefan Hrdina drilling the puck against the post from long range.

Shortly afterwards, the league leaders went ahead: Lucas Haberl scored from the slot for 1:0 (6.). There was then rarely five-on-five hockey on the ice for the remainder of the first period. Neither team was able to capitalise on their power plays, as Hohenems netminder Karlo Škec and EHC goaltender Felix Beck both stood firm.

The derby remained a fast and intense affair in the second period. Neither team gave an inch, in the expected showpiece contest between the two dominant Division West sides. The Lions extended their lead on the power play: Dominic Haberl scored from close range following a scramble to make it 2:0 (27.).

Lustenau then had another power-play opportunity, but were unable to turn it into another goal. Towards the end, Hohenems carried a power play into the final period but could not find a goal to pull one back. Lustenau controlled the game, but did not make the most of another power play to put the result beyond doubt. In the end, Hohenems pulled goaltender Škec, but Lustenau did not concede and extended their league lead with a derby shutout by netminder Felix Beck.

Wattens Penguins surprise EHC Kundl away from home

The EHC Kundl welcomed the WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins for the Unterinntal derby on Monday, at the end of the extended ice hockey weekend in the Division West. The home side took the lead after exactly 31 seconds: Michal Kluka set up Sebastian Schild after a quick break, and he scored with a precise shot to make it 1:0 (1.).

The Penguins quickly equalised: after a fine combination, Daniel Frischmann fired in from a tight angle on the left to make it 1:1 (4.). Barely a minute later, Kundl were ahead again: Matko Pavetić broke clear in front of the Wattens net and beat netminder Jakob Sprachmann to make it 2:1 (5.). Following a Penguins counter-attack, the puck came to Luca Muigg, who netted to make it 2:2 (12.).

Once again, the joy of equalising was short-lived: Sebastian Schild skated around in front of the Wattens net, rounded netminder Sprachmann and lifted the puck into the net just 19 seconds later to make it 3:2 (12.). The visitors equalised for the third time on their first power play, with Mikus Mintautiskis scoring from the slot to make it 3:3 (15.).

Kundl had a power play at the start of the second period, but Daniel Frischmann suddenly broke clear in front of netminder Johann Bauer on a relieving attack and gave Wattens the lead for the first time at 4:3, a textbook shorthanded goal (22.). The visitors then had a power play, but the narrow one-goal lead remained. The Penguins struck on the following power play: Luca Muigg converted a cross-ice pass with a one-timer to make it 5:3 (35.).

Kundl had another power play in the final period, but Wattens scored their second shorthanded goal of the evening: Sebastian Weidacher spectacularly scored while falling to make it 6:3 (46.). The Penguins were not finished yet: Fabian Nußbaumer hammered the puck into the net from just behind the blue line to make it 7:3 (52.). Kundl could only add a consolation, with Lion Ramoser scoring on the power play five seconds from the end to make it 4:7 (60.).

HC Kufstein leave nothing to chance against Dornbirner Bulldogs

The Dornbirner EC Bulldogs faced the HC Kufstein. The Tyroleans took the lead after just under three minutes, 1:0: Patrick Hager shot from a tight angle and Bulldogs netminder Fabian Pozzera deflected the puck into his own net (4th min.).

The Dragons continued to hold the upper hand, with Dornbirn keeper Pozzera making several saves. The hosts also had their first good chances on the first power play, but HCK goaltender Patrick Fuchs kept a clean sheet. Following a quick attack involving Stefan Reiter and a save by Pozzera, Florian Eder converted the rebound to make it 2:0 to Kufstein (15th min.).

In the second period, Kufstein patiently waited for their opportunity on the power play, with Valentin Hammerle superbly feeding Aleksi Airaksinen across the ice, who fired home to make it 3:0 (26th min.). The Bulldogs battled to gain a foothold in the game, while the visitors controlled play. The new Finnish Dragons goal-getter Aleksi Airaksinen broke in alone on the Dornbirn goal and made it 4:0 (36th min.).

Towards the end of the middle period, several players forgot that it is the festive season and engaged in top-class boxfights. Penalties rained down, and Dornbirn capitalised on the ensuing power play: Niklas Gesson pulled one back to 1:4 with a fine shot 50 seconds before the end of the period (40th min.).

In the final period, the team in third place left nothing to chance; quite the opposite: Valentin Hammerle struck on the power play to make it 5:1 (54th min.). Further skirmishes followed, and by the end the referees had handed out more than 170 penalty minutes. Kufstein ultimately celebrated a comfortable away win and consolidated third place in the standings.

Division East:

Third win of the season for Sharks Gmunden against ATSE Graz

League leaders and reigning champions UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden faced ATSE Graz. The Sharks struck quickly: Ian Motil gave them a 1:0 lead after exactly nine seconds (1st min.).

The hosts then failed to extend their advantage on their first power play. As in the first two head-to-head meetings, an exciting, close contest developed. At least over the first two periods.

Little changed in the middle period, with both netminders – Tobias Windhofer for the Sharks and Florian Zeugswetter for ATSE – initially preventing any further goals. Graz then had their first power play, but were unable to equalise with the man advantage. Instead, Bastian Szieber made it 2:0 for the Upper Austrians with a shorthanded goal (38th min.).

In the final period, Bastian Szieber again set the Sharks on course for victory by making it 3:0 (46th min.). The Styrians were unable to turn the game around, and Elias Koller made it 4:0 on a power play to seal the win for Gmunden (56th min.). The reigning champions then comfortably saw out their eighth win in eight games.

Ö Eishockey Liga – Division West:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Lustenau 0:2 (0:1,0:1,0:0)
Mon, 08 December 2025, 18:00, Eisstadion Hohenems
EHC Lustenau goalscorers: Lucas Haberl (05:47 min.), Dominic Haberl (26:53 min./PP1)

EHC Kundl vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 4:7 (3:3,0:2,1:2)
Mon, 08 December 2025, 19:00, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Kundl goalscorers: Sebastian Schild (00:31 min., 11:37 min.), Matko Pavetić (04:56 min.), Lion Ramoser (59:55 min./PP1)
Wattens Penguins scorers: Daniel Frischmann (03:42 min., 21:26 min./SH1), Luca Muigg (11:18 min., 34:34 min./PP1), Mikus Mintautiskis (14:00 min./PP1), Sebastian Weidacher (45:34 min./SH1), Fabian Nußbaumer (51:16 min.)

Dornbirner EC Bulldogs vs. HC Kufstein 1:5 (0:2,1:2,0:1)
Mon, 08 December 2025, 15:00, Messestadion Dornbirn
Dornbirner EC Bulldogs scorer: Niklas Gesson (39:10 min./PP1)
HC Kufstein scorers: Patrick Hager (03:13 min.), Florian Eder (14:30 min.), Aleksi Airaksinen (25:08 min./PP1, 35:04 min.), Valentin Hammerle (53:27 min./PP1)

EHC Lustenau vs. Dornbirner EC Bulldogs 11:1 (5:0,3:0,3:1)
Sat, 06 December 2025, 17:30, Rheinhalle Lustenau
EHC Lustenau scorers: Timo Demuth (05:40 min.), Thomas Auer (06:11 min., 23:41 min./PP1), Josef Kutzer (08:25 min.), Jonas Kutzer (11:19 min.), Christopher D’Alvise (17:35 min.), Manuel Metzler (27:20 min.), Ricardo Bell (28:07 min.), Dominic Haberl (42:22 min., 51:58 min.), Riku Tiainen (48:47 min.)
Dornbirner EC Bulldogs scorer: Mathias Hofer (56:16 min.)

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Kundl 7:2 (2:1,2:0,3:1)
Fri, 05 December 2025, 19:00, Eisstadion Hohenems
SC Hohenems scorers: Benjamin Kyllönen (09:49 min., 51:10 min.), Lukas Fritz (10:54 min.), Christian Haidinger (26:48 min./PP1, 29:28 min.), Ricards Purins (54:16 min.), Julian Payr (60 min./PP1)
EHC Kundl scorers: Michal Kluka (05:20 min./PP1, 53:43 min.)

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. HC Kufstein 1:6 (0:2,1:1,0:3)
Fri, 05 December 2025, 19:30, Alpenstadion Wattens
Wattens Penguins scorer: Daniel Frischmann (at 21:23)
HC Kufstein scorers: Herbert Steiner (at 00:25), Stefan Reiter (at 08:46/PP1, at 30:37), Aleksi Airaksinen (at 40:47), Manuel Eder (at 51:39/PP1), Patrick Hager (at 59:03/PP1)

Ö Eishockey Liga - EAST Division:

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. ATSE Graz 4:0 (1:0,1:0,2:0)
Mon, 08 December 2025, 18:30, muki Arena Gmunden
Sharks Gmunden scorers: Ian Motil (at 00:09), Bastian Szieber (at 37:44/SH1, at 45:46), Elias Koller (at 55:02/PP1)

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. HDK Maribor 7:1 (1:0,5:1,1:0)
Sat, 06 December 2025, 19:00, WEV Arena, Heumarkt
Wiener Eislauf-Verein scorers: Stephan Rossmann (at 03:27), Lukas Kaider (at 31:26/PP1), Patrick Bolterle (at 32:41/PP1, at 35:55), Xaver Emslander (at 34:06), Lukas Pohl (at 36:10), Rupert Fichtinger (at 48:50)
HDK Maribor scorer: Jan Bizjak (at 37:03/PP1)

Ö Eishockey Liga format 2025/2026

The Ö Eishockey Liga began the new season with the first matchday on 4 October 2025. In its fifth year, the format will see a change in Phase 1 across the two divisions: West, with six teams, and East, with five teams. In the East Division, the coming season will feature two and a half home-and-away rounds, resulting in 20 games per team. In the West Division, as in the previous season, two home-and-away rounds will be played, likewise resulting in 20 games per team.

After Phase 1, there will once again be an inter-regional play-off, beginning with the quarter-finals on 07 February 2026. The coming season will again feature a play-off pick after the regular season to provide additional excitement. The highest-placed team in each of the West and East Divisions may select their quarter-final opponent from the third- or fourth-placed team in the other division. From the quarter-finals through the semi-finals to the final, the play-off match-ups will be decided in best-of-three series (H/A/H) from the coming season onwards.

All Ö Eishockey Liga tables, statistics and fixtures in the Gamecenter

Follow the Ö Eishockey Liga on Instagram and Facebook!