Gmunden and Kapfen­berg battle for top spot – Kundl and Wattens in a long-distance playoff duel

KSV Kängurus vs. ATSE Graz
Fri, 09 January 2026, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

For the fifth and final time, the KSV Kängurus face ATSE Graz in the Styrian derby in the Division East regular season on Friday. Kapfenberg lead the head-to-head series 3:1. Following the surprise 1:2 overtime defeat in the opener at the end of September, the Mürztal side have recorded nothing but wins over the Eggenberg team: 5:2 at the beginning of November, 2:0 in Graz in mid-November and 11:2 in the Styrian capital in mid-December.

Most recently, Kapfenberg secured clear wins over Maribor in their home double-header at the weekend, while Sunday’s 2:1 overtime victory over defending champions Sharks Gmunden in front of almost 1.000 fans was a great advertisement for the Ö Eishockey Liga. ATSE secured their playoff place early with a narrow 2:1 win in Maribor on Epiphany.

Kapfenberg player-coach Kris Reinthaler expects a hard-fought game against Graz: "Of course, we have to get the job done against ATSE on Friday, and we know how dangerous ATSE can be. Apart from the one big win we had, we have always found it quite difficult. I also expect it to be a very close game on Friday!"

Kapfenberg president Franz Gärtner knows how important the upcoming weekend will be for his team: "We have started 2026 very well and, with two wins, extended our streak to ten consecutive victories. Friday brings the next home game against ATSE, and naturally we hope that the players who were injured will be back in the line-up. The even more important game is certainly on Saturday, when we travel to Gmunden. If we also win on Friday and arrive with eleven wins under our belts, we could make it a full dozen in Gmunden on Saturday, which would be great for the club. The team would certainly deserve it after what we went through with the ice facility in November. It was not easy, but we really pulled together. I am looking very positively towards the weekend and the rest of the regular season."

Markus Losch, head coach of ATSE Graz, wants his side to attack from a solid defensive base in Kapfenberg: "The team's ups and downs have been very clear over the last two games. In Friday's match against Kapfenberg, it will be very important for us to be solid defensively and give Kapfenberg little space in attack. From a secure defensive set-up, we want to move the puck forward quickly and create plenty of traffic in front of goal so that we can get on the scoresheet. If we manage that, it can certainly be an interesting game!"

HDK Maribor vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein
Sat, 10 January 2026, 18:30, Ledna dvorana Maribor

For the fourth time this season, HDK Maribor and Wiener Eislauf-Verein cross sticks on Saturday. The Füchse won the first game in the opening round at the beginning of October 3:2 on the ice, but the game was subsequently awarded 5:0 to WEV because the Slovenians had mistakenly fielded a suspended player.

At the beginning of November, the team from the federal capital claimed a hard-fought 2:1 win at Vienna's Heumarkt. At the beginning of December, the Viennese also celebrated a clear 7:1 victory on home ice. It has been confirmed since Tuesday that the playoff will take place without the side from the Drava city, as HDK finally let their last theoretical chance slip away with the 1:2 defeat against ATSE Graz.

WEV defeated defending champions Sharks Gmunden 4:2 at home on the public holiday in a fiercely contested game, their second consecutive win over the Upper Austrians.

WEV head coach Philipp Ullrich knows that the Slovenians are difficult to play against on their own ice: "Naturally, we want to find our game quickly again in Maribor and maintain it over the full 60 minutes. Maribor can be very awkward, particularly away from home, if you are not fully focused, as the opening matchday showed us!"

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. KSV Kängurus
Sat, 10 January 2026, 18:30, muki Arena

For the third time this season, defending champions UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden will face the KSV Kängurus in the Eastern Division on Saturday. The Sharks won the first encounter 3:0 at Lake Traun at the beginning of October, while the two dominant Eastern Division teams most recently met on Sunday at the Stadthalle Kapfenberg in front of almost 1.000 fans in a highly entertaining ice hockey game. With its high tempo, numerous scoring chances and suspense, it offered a taste of the playoffs.

In the end, the Mürztal side won 2:1 in overtime. The Upper Austrians came off second best in their 2:4 defeat to WEV in Vienna on the public holiday and now have to worry about retaining top spot against the Kängurus. The Styrians have also played two fewer games. After nine consecutive wins, the Sharks now have four straight defeats to contend with. Kapfenberg, on the other hand, have won every game since losing their first two of the season.

Gregor Baumgartner, head coach of Sharks Gmunden, is hoping for greater efficiency in front of goal and finally wants to get back to winning ways: "We played a good away game last week and now need to repeat that at home. We were not efficient in Kapfenberg. Generally, we need to become hungrier so that we can win games again!"

For Kapfenberg player-coach Kris Reinthaler recovery is the top priority in order to deliver a good performance: "We go to Gmunden on Saturday and, as we know, it was a very close game there last time. It will naturally be a little more difficult in Gmunden, and we simply need to make sure that we manage our energy well now. Everyone must naturally ensure individually that they fulfil or observe their recovery periods as best they can, make sure we feel good in training, get through the month and collect as many points as possible!"

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. HDK Maribor
Sun, 11 January 2026, 18:30, muki Arena

On Sunday, the UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden continue their Eastern Division campaign with a home game against HDK Maribor. On All Saints' Day, the reigning ÖEL champions recorded a clear 6:1 home win. The second meeting in Maribor was much more exciting and evenly balanced. Thanks to a strong second period, the Upper Austrians ultimately edged it 4:3.

In mid-December, the Sharks from Lake Traun won 4:1 away from home. The game at the end of December was awarded 5:0 to the defending champions because Maribor did not play due to an insufficient number of eligible players, and no rescheduled date could be found owing to the full fixture list in January. On Epiphany, Maribor not only lost 1:2 to ATSE, but also their final chance of remaining in the playoff race.

The demand from Sharks head coach Gregor Baumgartner ahead of the match against the Foxes is clear: "Against Maribor, I expect a disciplined team performance and all three points!"

Division West:

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. HC Kufstein
Fri, 09 January 2026, 19:30 pm, Alpenstadion Wattens

On Friday, the Unterinntal derby between the WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins and HC Kufstein will take place for the third time in the current Division West season. The Dragons won the first meeting 5:3 at the end of November, while Kufstein also left nothing to chance at the beginning of December, celebrating a clear 6:1 victory.

On Epiphany, the Penguins battled past EHC Kundl 5:4 and are now level on points in fourth place, currently occupying the final play-off spot in the West. HC Kufstein recorded a clear 8:0 win over Dornbirn on the public holiday and suddenly have the chance to move into second place, one point behind Hohenems.

Fabian Hechenberger, head coach of the Wattens Penguins, knows what his team need on Friday to take points against the Dragons as well: "The last game was a real do-or-die game for us, which we were able to win against a direct play-off rival. That success gives us plenty of confidence. Kufstein are extremely dangerous offensively and in good form. Despite our underdog status, the past few weeks have shown that we have found our game, reached play-off mode and want to bring that onto the ice against Kufstein too. Once again, it will take a compact, disciplined team performance over 60 minutes to pick up more important points!"

Kufstein head coach Andreas Luchner warns his team about the Penguins, who are currently playing strongly, but also has second place firmly in his sights: "Wattens are playing extremely good hockey at the moment. They have found their feet after a difficult start to the season. We have therefore been warned not to take Friday's game lightly. But our objective is clear: we want to challenge Hohenems for second place, so we will give everything in Wattens to take three points!"

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Kundl
Sat, 10 January 2026, 17:30 pm, Eisstadion Hohenems

Also for the third time, on Saturday SC Samina Hohenems and EHC Kundl will face each other in the Division West regular season. At the end of October, the Steinböcke prevailed 5:3 away in Tyrol in a hard-fought contest. At home in Herrenried, Hohenems were dominant in their 7:2 win at the beginning of December and made it 2:0 in the head-to-head record.

Both teams have recently suffered defeats. The Steinböcke took a heavy 2:10 loss in the derby against Lustenau and must now even worry about holding on to second place. Kundl narrowly lost the Unterinntal derby against the Wattens Penguins 4:5 and have suddenly slipped to fifth place in the table.

Hohenems Sporting Director Matthias Fritz is calling for a response from his team after the clear derby defeat against Lustenau: "Despite numerous injured and ill players, the team must now deliver a clear response. Regardless of the personnel absences, our body language, commitment and unity must be right again if we are to turn things around. It is about taking responsibility and showing a different side as a team. The team is currently still in second place in the standings – and that is precisely the position we must defend with all our determination!"

Kundl chairman Stefan Rainer knows that the pressure in the battle for the playoffs is increasing: "After the important win against Lustenau, we had to accept an away defeat against Wattens, of all teams a direct rival in the battle for the final playoff spot. This makes it all the more important that we quickly learn to deal with the growing pressure, because it certainly will not lessen in the upcoming games. We now face Hohenems away from home, an opponent that is also not currently on its best run. That is exactly why we need to be fully switched on from the first second, keep the tempo high and put in a united performance. If we execute our game consistently, take our chances ruthlessly and perform as a team, we can provide the right answers on the ice there!"

Dornbirner EC Bulldogs vs. EHC Lustenau
Sat., 10 January 2026, 19:30, Messestadion Dornbirn

The Dornbirner EC Bulldogs host EHC Lustenau at the Messestadion on Saturday in the Division West for the third district derby. On National Day, the Lions secured a clear 9:2 away win. On St Nicholas Day, Lustenau followed that up by celebrating a clear 11:1 victory. The Bulldogs have had no chance of reaching the playoffs for some time.

Most recently, Dornbirn suffered a clear 0:8 defeat against HC Kufstein. Following their first defeat of the season against Kundl last Friday, EHC Lustenau were ruthless in the holiday derby against SC Hohenems and won 10:2. The Lions therefore head into the playoffs as leaders of Division West.

Lustenau Head Coach Dániel Fekete warns against misplaced overconfidence in the derby against Dornbirn: "The game starts at 0:0. We must not believe that we have already won the game beforehand. We will start this derby with focus and the necessary aggression, and we will not allow the Bulldogs to surprise us!"

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division EAST:

KSV Kängurus vs. ATSE Graz
Fri., 09 January 2026, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg - >> to the livestream

HDK Maribor vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein
Sat., 10 January 2026, 18:30, Ledna dvorana Maribor - >> to the livestream

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. KSV Kängurus
Sat., 10 January 2026, 18:30, muki Arena - >> to the livestream

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. HDK Maribor
Sun, 11 January 2026, 18:30, muki Arena - >> to the livestream

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. HC Kufstein
Fri, 09 January 2026, 19:30, Alpenstadion Wattens - >> to the livestream

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Kundl
Sat, 10 January 2026, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems - >> to the livestream

Dornbirner EC Bulldogs vs. EHC Lustenau
Sat, 10 January 2026, 19:30, Messestadion Dornbirn - >> to the livestream

Ö Eishockey Liga format 2025/2026

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

After Phase 1, an inter-regional play-off will once again take place, beginning with the quarter-finals on 07 February 2026. The play-off pick after the regular season will once again provide added excitement in the coming campaign. The highest-ranked team in each of Division West and Division East may select its 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 standings, statistics and schedules in the Gamecenter

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