Maribor chal­lenge leaders Gmunden – Croc­o­diles Kundl aim to stop table-topping Lustenau

HDK Maribor vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden

Sat., 16 November 2024, 18:30, Ledena dvorana Maribor

The big East Division showdown takes place at Ledena dvorana Maribor on Saturday: the current second-placed side HDK Maribor welcome league leaders UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden for a hot contest at the top of the table. Neither team has any experience of a direct meeting, with the game marking the first encounter between the foxes from the Drava and the sharks from Lake Traun. The Slovenians most recently gained revenge for their away defeat with a 4:1 win over ATSE Graz – their second victory in regulation time.

Maribor head coach Jure Verlič knows how his team need to approach the Sharks: "We have to be consistent for 60 minutes and play every shift with discipline. From the games we have played so far, we can see that the league is close. So, you have to give 100% in every aspect of the game to achieve a good result. It will be the same against Gmunden. We are playing in front of our fans, so we have to play with plenty of energy, play fast and stay out of the penalty box in order to achieve a positive result."

The Upper Austrians suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend, following three consecutive wins, in a 3:4 loss to WEV after a penalty-shot thriller.

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. KSV Kängurus cancelled – new date to follow

The long-awaited home debut of Wiener Eislauf-Verein against Kapfenberger SV had to be cancelled due to a technical fault, according to WEV. A new date will be announced.

ATSE Graz have a bye – the Styrians return to action against Wiener Eislauf-Verein on 23 November.

West Division:

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. EHC Lustenau

Fri., 15 November 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl

The top game between the chasing side EHC Crocodiles Kundl and league leaders EHC Lustenau will kick off the next round in the West Division as early as Friday. Following their first meeting in mid-October, the Crocodiles still have a score to settle: the clash at the Eisarena Kundl was a real thriller, with the Tyroleans taking the lead twice. The score was 4:4 until four and a half minutes from the end, when Thomas Auer put Lustenau on course for victory with his game-winning goal. 

For Kundl, the 4:6 was their only defeat to date. "We want to build on the performances we have shown recently next Friday. EHC Lustenau are visiting opponents who certainly will not lose many games this season. However, we saw in our first meeting that the Lions, despite their strong squad, are not unbeatable – we want to take something from this game and will stand up to our opponents," said Kundl chairman Gerhard Maier, convinced by his team.

Lustenau, who are competing in the Ö Eishockey Liga for the first time this year, have an immaculate record so far: the Lions have won all six of their games, each in regulation time. This puts the Vorarlberg side top of the table with the maximum 18 points. Goaltender Lukas Reihs' performance has been particularly remarkable, having recently recorded three consecutive shutouts to give him a sensational save percentage of 100%. 

Lustenau head coach Daniel Fekete is expecting another close contest: "EHC Kundl have a good team with very good players both in terms of skating and technical ability. They tested us for 60 minutes in the first game. In this second game, too, they will do everything they can to trip us up and hand us our first defeat of the season. We will do everything we can to remain unbeaten in this game as well. However, that will require a focused performance from the first minute to the last!"

HC Kufstein vs. SC Samina Hohenems

Sat, 16 November 2024, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein

The HC Kufstein host SC Samina Hohenems on Saturday. In the direct clash with the Steinböcke, the Dragons are looking to avoid losing touch with the top three of Lustenau, Kundl and Hohenems themselves. The Vorarlberg side are level on points with the Crocodiles ahead of the weekend, but trail the hitherto dominant league leaders and local rivals Lustenau by eight points. 

Kufstein chairman Roland Luchner is banking on his team being more clinical: "Despite the heavy defeat against Lustenau, we saw that we are not far off. We need to get our scoring sorted out, then we will be in the mix. It will be difficult again against Hohenems. But I think that, with the fans behind us, something is certainly possible."

In their first meeting at the start of the season, the Fortress City side were only able to keep the game close until shortly after the halfway point, before Hohenems pulled away to 6:1 with five unanswered goals. 

The match ended in a 6:2 victory for the team of head coach Thomas Sticha, who is expecting a tough battle on the road: "After two consecutive defeats, we got back to winning ways last week and will try to carry that momentum into the game against Kufstein. We will try to force our opponents into mistakes and then take advantage of them. We expect an intense and physical game and will put in the necessary effort to take points back home over the Arlberg!"

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. Dornbirner EC

Sat, 16 November 2024, 19:30, Alpenstadion Wattens

The WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins celebrate their long-awaited homecoming in the Ö Eishockey Liga against Dornbirner EC on Saturday. With several adaptations and new features, the Alpenstadion is ready for the Penguins' season opener on familiar ice against the Bulldogs. After five consecutive away games in Vorarlberg, the Tyroleans welcome the very team against whom they claimed their only win of the current season so far, Dornbirn. 

Wattens coach Manfred Burgstaller is approaching the first home game with his team in a positive frame of mind: "After five extremely difficult away games, we are of course all delighted to finally be able to train on home ice and to have our first home game this weekend. We will head into this weekend positively and with plenty of enthusiasm. We certainly will not underestimate Dornbirn, as we also found it difficult in Dornbirn, but we are very confident that we can pick up points this weekend!"

Although the young Bulldogs have lost all of their games so far, they picked up their first point against Kufstein at the start of November. Most recently, they suffered a heavy defeat against Crocodiles Kundl. They can take hope from the memory of the first meeting, when the side from the trade fair city pushed the Penguins all the way and lost only 1:3. 

Dornbirn chairman Christof Schwendinger knows how important this game is: "There will be a six-pointer in Wattens on Saturday. Under no circumstances do we want to lose touch in the standings. We were caught by surprise in the first game against Wattens. That will not happen again; we will be ready from the very first second!"

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division Ost:

HDK Maribor vs. UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden

Sat, 16 November 2024, 18:30, Ledena dvorana Maribor

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. KSV Kängurus cancelled - new date to follow

ATSE Graz have a bye

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

EHC Crocodiles Kundl vs. EHC Lustenau

Fri, 15 November 2024, 19:30, Eisarena Kundl

HC Kufstein vs. SC Samina Hohenems

Sat, 16 November 2024, 17:35, Eisarena Kufstein

WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins vs. Dornbirner EC

Sat., 16 November 2024, 19:30

All standings, statistics and fixtures for the Ö Eishockey Liga in the Gamecenter

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