Michael Berger to commentate the St. Pölten Cup LIVE

The games against Latvia, Denmark and Hungary will not only be a first for Kirk Furey in his new role as U20 head coach. Austria’s voice of ice hockey, Michael Berger, will also make his debut on the ÖEHV’s new streaming platform, LIVE.eishockey.at, providing commentary and sharing his expertise. This marks another milestone in the expansion of the OTT platform.

From a sporting perspective, these three games will primarily serve to assess players for the World Championship squad. After Christmas, Austria’s U20 players will face Sweden, the Czech Republic, Canada and Germany in Halifax (CAN). Kirk Furey: “I am very pleased with the boys’ attitude and motivation. They want to keep learning and improving. For us, it is about getting our system onto the ice as quickly as possible. We want to put the opposition under pressure and give them no space. There is not much time until the World Championship, so we are using every minute.”

U18 prepare in Ferlach

At the same time, the U18 team will take to the ice at the Ferlach Cup, facing Italy, Slovenia and Hungary on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. “We want to play fast, high-pressure hockey. We are deliberately keeping the intensity of training high in order to familiarise the young players with the international level. The upcoming games will already provide an initial benchmark, especially as we will face Slovenia and Hungary, two direct rivals at the U18 World Championship Division IB,” explains Head Coach Philipp Pinter.

U18 women test themselves against Norway

The women’s team of the same age group will begin training in Villach on Wednesday, before facing Norway on Friday afternoon and Saturday afternoon. Norway will also be a direct rival at the U18 World Championship Division IA in Ritten (ITA) next January. Only last September, the U18 team secured promotion by winning gold at the U18 World Championship Division IB in Radenthein. The games against Norway will provide an immediate indication of the level awaiting the team in just under two months.

Head Coach Mario Bellina: “Players born in 2004 are no longer eligible, while several players are playing abroad and will therefore not be available against Norway. In return, talents born in 2008 will get their chance. We are taking a large squad into this team camp and will train with five lines. We want to bring in pace and use the games as preparation for the Four Nations Tournament in Füssen (GER) in mid-December. The result against Norway is secondary this time. We are playing without pressure. The aim is to learn from the games and for the players to present themselves as well as possible.”

U16 play in Hungary

“We will face familiar opponents in Slovenia, Hungary and Italy, who will provide a good benchmark for our boys,” says Head Coach Florian Mühlstein in advance. The aim is to improve from game to game. The players are expected to take the next step in their development. Florian Mühlstein: “We are looking forward to having the opportunity to assess new players again and give them the chance to test themselves internationally.”

U15 traditional tournament in Kufstein

The Bavarian select team, Hungary and Italy are the opponents for the U15 Men's national ice hockey team at the upcoming Kufstein Cup. After scouting opportunities were severely limited in recent years due to the COVID19 pandemic, the traditional Tyrolean tournament will also be used to assess the current status of the 2008 and 2009 age groups. “Thanks to good networking with Austrian coaches and the new ÖEHV video platform, we have succeeded in scouting a strong pool of players,” explains Head Coach Michael Schurig.

Against Bavaria, Hungary and Italy, Schurig expects three physically demanding games against nations that are well schooled tactically and technically. The aim for his team is to internalise the basic tactical concept and bring it onto the ice. “The focus is more on how we play than on the result. Naturally, we want to win the tournament, but above all we want to see proper ÖEHV hockey,” says Michael Schurig.

November break overview

U20 Men, St. Pölten Cup, 10–12 November, live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. Latvia
Thu, 10 November 2022, 19:30

Austria vs. Denmark
Fri, 11 November 2022, 19:30

Austria vs. Hungary
Sat, 12 November 2022, 13:30

U18 Men, Ferlach Cup, 10–12 November, live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. Italy
Thu, 10 November 2022, 19:30

Austria vs. Slovenia
Fri, 11 November 2022, 19:30

Austria vs. Hungary
Sat, 12 November 2022, 13:00

U18 Women, training camp and friendly matches in Villach, 9–13 November, live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. Norway
Fri, 11 November 2022, 17:00

Austria vs. Norway
Sat, 12 November 2022, 16:30

U16 Men, Four Nations Tournament in Györ (HUN), 10–12 November

Austria vs. Slovenia
Thu, 10 November 2022, 15:00

Austria vs. Italy
Fri, 11 November 2022, 15:00

Austria vs. Hungary
Sat, 12 November 2022, 12:30

U15 Men, Kufstein Cup, 11–13 November, live on LIVE.eishockey.at

Austria vs. Team Bayern
Fri, 11 November 2022, 16:00

Austria vs. Hungary
Sat, 12 November 2022, 14:30

Austria vs. Italy
Sun, 13 November 2022, 08:15