Hohenems take on Lustenau in derby – cham­pions Kapfen­berg host leaders Sharks Gmunden

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl

Fri., 22 November 2024, 19:30, Alpenstadion

The WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins host the EHC Crocodiles Kundl at the Alpenstadion on Friday. The Lower Inn Valley derby is the first meeting between the two clubs this season. The Penguins made their long-awaited debut in their revamped home arena last Saturday and put on an offensive fireworks display in the 9:2 win over Dornbirn. 

The clash against the Crocodiles, who have been performing strongly this season, will immediately show whether the Alpenstadion can once again become a home fortress. Wattens coach Andreas Sarg is hoping for a surprise: "We are looking forward to this Tyrol derby. Kundl have made a good start to the season and also have a strong team. We hope we can surprise the Crocodiles!"

Currently second in the table, Kundl have made a very strong start to the season with four wins so far – two of them in overtime. They have suffered only two narrow defeats, both against flawless Lustenau, most recently in Saturday's 3:5 loss at their own ice arena. The away match against the Wattens sports club also has some bearing on the battle for the playoff places in the West. With a win, Kundl could put themselves in an excellent position for the remainder of the regular season. 

For head coach Jaroslav Betka the match in Wattens brings back fond memories, as he was the Penguins' title-winning coach in the first year of the Ö Eishockey Liga. Kundl chairman Gerhard Maier wants his team to make up for the points lost in the Lustenau match in the Crystal City: "We want to win back next Friday the points that we had to concede to our opponents after a demanding performance against Lustenau. We will certainly go full throttle on Jaro Betka's return to his old coaching venue."

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Lustenau

Sat., 23 November 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

The eagerly anticipated Vorarlberg derby in the West Division takes place on Saturday as SC Samina Hohenems face EHC Lustenau. The Steinböcke lost the first meeting between the local rivals – whose home venues are only around eight kilometres apart – 2:6 away to the Löwen on National Day in front of more than 1.600 fans and are eager for revenge at the atmospheric Herrenriedstadion. 

"With EHC, the still unbeaten league leaders come to Herrenried. We saw in the first game that they play very actively and always look to apply pressure. The first game was very intense, and the second one certainly will be too. We will raise our game by the necessary few percentage points in every respect and try to take Lustenau's first points of the season from them. If we can start scoring goals freely, Lustenau will not have an easy evening here," predicts Hohenems head coach Thomas Sticha ahead of the eagerly anticipated derby.

Lustenau arrive in the town of counts as commanding league leaders, having taken the maximum 21 points from seven wins in seven games. So far, only Kundl have been able to truly challenge the players from Austria’s most populous market town in two matches. Lustenau’s position in the standings is secure, but the match against the skating club from Hohenems is also primarily about prestige in the Ländle. 

“We will probably be challenged throughout the entire game at the Hohenems Arena. We need to be very focused in our approach in order to achieve our goal – taking the three points back to Lustenau. Hohenems have some very experienced players in their ranks, who will certainly try to trip us up and want to avenge the defeat. However, we also know how to deal with the situation. It will certainly be a feisty derby for the spectators,” said Head Coach Dániel Fekete, who was assistant coach in Hohenems for the past two seasons.

Dornbirner EC vs. HC Kufstein

Sun, 24 November 2024, 17:30, Messestadion Dornbirn

To conclude the matchday, Dornbirner EC host HC Kufstein in the Division West on Sunday. The match at the Messestadion is already the third meeting of the still young season. The Dragons won the first game in Dornbirn 6:3, while the Bulldogs managed to snatch a point from the Tyroleans in a penalty shootout in the return fixture at the Eisarena Kufstein at the beginning of November. 

The Vorarlberg side recently suffered two heavy defeats against Kundl and Wattens. Dornbirn led the Penguins 2:1 away from home after the first period, before the Tyroleans found their offensive rhythm. 

Dornbirn chairman Christof Schwendinger wants his team to maintain their good performances in phases over 60 minutes: “Kufstein are coming to us, an opponent who does not suit us too badly. Since we joined the Ö Eishockey Liga, Kufstein are the only team against whom we have been able to earn points. Nevertheless, we know that Kufstein are very good and have also improved. We are clear underdogs, but we will still try to get points. To do that, we need a top performance from every individual. At times we play good ice hockey; if we can manage to do that for 60 minutes, we are certainly capable of winning games.”

HC Kufstein recently celebrated a narrow 2:0 win over SC Hohenems in a marquee clash following a patient thriller, and managed to keep pace with Kundl and the Vorarlberg side in the standings. HCK head coach Andreas Luchner demands that his team continue where they left off against Hohenems: “We have to back up the performance and the result. We want to show the same attitude and character as against Hohenems. The aim is to take the next step.”

Division East:

KSV Kängurus vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden

Sat, 23 November 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

The big Division East clash in the Ö Eishockey Liga on Saturday is KSV Kängurus against UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden. The reigning champions from the Mürztal have a score to settle with the Sharks, after the Upper Austrians narrowly won the first meeting of the season in mid-October at the Haifischbecken on Lake Traunsee, 5:4. Following the surprise opening defeat to league newcomers Maribor and the aforementioned cold shower against the Sharks, the champions have got back on track with two consecutive wins. 

After two weekends without a game – the match against WEV in Vienna had to be postponed – the team from the Böhlerstadt must immediately find its rhythm again. Kapfenberg player-coach Kris Reinthaler has set his team a target to pursue from Saturday onwards: "Gmunden have strengthened considerably and are a very strong opponent this year. However, we want to return to the top of the Division East table, which means Gmunden are the team we have to beat."

Gmunden are currently experiencing a small ice hockey boom: with four regulation-time wins and a penalty-shootout defeat against WEV, the Sharks sit top of the table with 13 points, six clear of second-placed Maribor. 

Gregor Baumgartner, Head Coach of Sharks Gmunden, knows how to take points off the reigning champions: "Most recently, we were able to take the full points in Maribor again with a solid performance. We expect a very difficult game against Kapfenberg. Since we won the first meeting, the Kängurus certainly will not underestimate us. A solid defensive performance will be needed to get points, but we are looking forward to facing the reigning champions!"

ATSE Graz vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein

Sat., 23 November 2024, 19:30, Merkur Eisstadion

The ATSE Graz face the Wiener Eislauf-Verein on Saturday in the Division East in an eternal classic. The clash between two traditional and illustrious names in Austrian ice hockey is an early-season pivotal game in the battle for the play-off places, and a so-called six-pointer between direct neighbours in the table. Of course, there is still plenty of ice hockey to be played in the regular season, but the head-to-head encounters in this year's highly balanced Division East offer important opportunities to pick up valuable points. Graz most recently had to deal with two defeats against Gmunden and Maribor. 

ATSE head coach Markus Losch is demanding that his players rediscover their energy against the Viennese side: "After the weekend off and a few good training sessions, the team is really looking forward to the game against WEV. We have to be focused and ready from the start and bring plenty of energy into the game. That was lacking from the team in the last two games, and we had to chase a deficit early on. WEV's results are very impressive and it will certainly be a close game!"

WEV travel to the Styrian capital with the good feeling of their narrow 4:3 penalty-shootout win against league leaders Sharks Gmunden. Last weekend, the Viennese side would have had their eagerly awaited first home game at the WEV-Arena in front of the Konzerthaus – but the match against Kapfenberg had to be postponed. 

That is why it is important to quickly find their rhythm again, as WEV head coach Philipp Ullrich explains: "As we are once again not really in a match rhythm due to the incident at Wiener Eislaufverein, Saturday's game against ATSE will also be about immediately getting back into competition mode. I am confident that my team can implement that, just as they did in the last game in Gmunden. We are once again expecting a difficult away game."

HDK Maribor have a bye – the Füchse resume on 30 November at WEV.

Ö Ice Hockey League - West Division:

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl

Fri, 22 November 2024, 19:30, Alpenstadion

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Lustenau

Sat, 23 November 2024, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems

Dornbirner EC vs. HC Kufstein

Sun, 24 November 2024, 17:30, Messestadion Dornbirn

Ö Ice Hockey League - East Division:

ATSE Graz vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein

Sat, 23 November 2024, 19:30, Merkur Eisstadion

KSV Kängurus vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden

Sat, 23 November 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

HDK Maribor have a bye.

All standings, statistics and fixtures for the Ö Ice Hockey League in the Gamecenter

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