Four games – including two derbies – to round off the year in the Division West

The Division West rounds off 2023 in the Ö Eishockey Liga with four games, including two derbies. HC Kufstein face VEU Feldkirch on Boxing Day. EHC Crocodiles Kundl host Dornbirner EC. Friday sees the eagerly anticipated Kufstein district derby between EHC Crocodiles Kundl and HC Kufstein. The final match of the year will see SC Hohenems take on Dornbirner EC on the penultimate day of the year.

25 December 20233 min read

HC Kufstein vs. VEU Feldkirch

Tue, 26 December 2023, 17:30, Eisarena Kufstein

HC KufsteinHC Kufstein face VEU Feldkirch for the fourth and penultimate time in the Division West regular season. The Tyroleans have produced a flawless record against their opponents from Vorarlberg so far. Three games, three wins after 60 minutes is the Dragons' record this season.

The last meeting in Kufstein at the end of November in particular had plenty to offer. Kufstein led 5:0 and 6:3, VEU battled back into the game twice, but the fortress town side eventually secured a narrow 6:5 victory. Following the clash with Feldkirch, Kufstein travel to face EHC Crocodiles Kundl in the derby on Friday.

HC Kufstein Head Coach Ivo Novotny knows that important points are up for grabs: "Between Christmas and New Year, we first face VEU Feldkirch and then EHC Kundl. Both are very important games if we are to maintain contact with league leaders Hohenems. We know Feldkirch's strength, as they only beat EHC Kundl in the last round. We will certainly face a different team in Kundl than in the last derby. We have to stick strictly to the game plan, then we will pick up points in both games."

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. Dornbirner EC

Tue, 26 December 2023, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. HC Kufstein

Fri, 29 December 2023, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl

EHC Crocodiles KundlEHC Crocodiles Kundl round off 2023 with two home games. The Lower Inn Valley side first host Dornbirner EC on Boxing Day. The Crocodiles have won all three previous games against the young players from the trade fair city. Kundl are battling VEU Feldkirch from afar for third place in the Division West standings. Dornbirn are fighting hard for their first win in the Ö Eishockey Liga.

Friday sees the eagerly anticipated district derby against HC Kufstein at Eisarena Kundl. The Dragons have won all previous local derbies. Above all, the 1:8 defeat on home ice in mid-November was hard to take for the Crocodiles, and it is still weighing heavily on the Kundl players.

Gerhard Maier, chairman of EHC Crocodiles Kundl, is looking for a positive end to the year: "Our aim now is to secure third place in the table, so three points against Dornbirn are a must! And in Friday's fourth derby, we want to claim our first win and will go into the game with 100% commitment!"

SC Samina Hohenems vs. Dornbirner EC

Sat, 30 December 2023, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

League leaders SC Samina Hohenems will bring 2023 to a close in the Ö Eishockey Liga against Dornbirner EC. The Vorarlberg derbies against the young Bulldogs have been a straightforward affair for the Steinböcke so far, with the skating club recording three wins from three games.

Thomas Sticha, head coach of SC Hohenems, has the necessary respect for the Bulldogs but wants to end the year with a win: "Naturally, we want to finish the year with a win, but we have been warned by the Bulldogs. Dornbirn played their best game in our last meeting, so we are on our guard. Every game starts again at 0:0, and we will therefore not allow any complacency to creep in during the final game of the year."