WEV can secure playoff qual­i­fi­ca­tion on Friday – SC Hohenems face Croc­o­diles Kundl

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. ATSE Graz
Fri, 26 January 2024, 18:00, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions
Sun, 28 January 2024, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

For Wiener Eislauf-Verein the situation ahead of the rescheduled game and Open Air Classic against ATSE Graz in front of the Wiener Konzerthaus is clear: with a win after 60 minutes, the Viennese side, currently third in the table with 16 points, will secure their place in the Ö Eishockey Liga inter-regional playoffs.

Graz, currently fourth in the table, are right in the thick of the battle for a playoff spot. Going into the weekend, the Styrians have 14 points from twelve games. Behind them are the Sharks Gmunden, who visit ATSE on Sunday, also on twelve points.

WEV head coach Mario Kubeczka even wants his team to challenge for second place, despite already trailing Zeltweg Murtal Lions by nine points: "ATSE are enormously strong defensively. Our aim will be to use our speed and physicality to succeed. Against Zeltweg, our approach will be different from usual this time. Zeltweg are strong in possession and we have to stop that. We will give everything in both games to still reach second place!"

Markus Losch, ATSE Graz head coach, sees the battle for third place in full swing, but remains confident: "After the unfortunately poor performance last Saturday in Zeltweg, second place is unfortunately no longer within reach. Now our full focus is on the next two games in Vienna and at home against Gmunden. The battle for third place is in full swing. We want to take all three points at Heumarkt to move up to third place. Then Sunday's game against Gmunden will also be important to confirm third place. The team now has to train well and go into the next two games fully focused!"

Kapfenberger SV vs. UHT Dukes Graz
Sat, 27 January 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

Leaders Kapfenberger SV host UHT Dukes Graz, who have only a slim chance of reaching the playoffs, but are not yet mathematically out of the running.

The Kängurus have won all 13 of their games; the only tiny blemish on what has otherwise been a commanding season for the Mürztal side is the point dropped against ATSE Graz, as they meticulously prepare for the playoffs. This year, Kapfenberg's stated objective is to win the Ö Eishockey Liga title.

Kapfenberg player-coach Kris Reinthaleris expecting a very defensively minded Dukes side: "This is our final home game of the regular season, so we are hoping for plenty of support from our fans. The Dukes will certainly look to keep the game close for as long as possible and will barricade themselves in at the back. In the last game, they fired the puck out whenever they had the chance and looked to hit on the counter-attack. We will certainly have possession of the puck for most of the game again. For us, it is about making the right decisions with the puck again, and the right decision would be to send everything towards the goal. There are not many opportunities left to practise that properly against an opponent before the playoffs, which means we want to become dangerous with the puck and get it towards the goal!"

ATSE Graz vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden
Sun, 28 January 2024, 16:30, Merkur Eisstadion - Halle A

The ATSE Graz host the UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden in Liebenau on Sunday. The situation ahead of this game also depends on the outcome of Graz's Friday match against Wiener Eislauf-Verein.

If Graz lose in Vienna, the clash against the Sharks from Lake Traun will become even more explosive. But that is all speculation: the truth will be decided on the ice and then in the standings. Styria's side have won two of the direct meetings this season so far.

Gregor Baumgartner, head coach of the Sharks Gmunden, has not given up on his team's fight for a playoff place: "There is only a slim chance left for us to make the playoffs, and for that we need all the points from the final two games. We will try everything against ATSE to keep our chance alive."

Division West:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl
Sat, 27 January 2024, 17:00, Eisstadion Hohenems

West division leaders SC Samina Hohenems host EHC Crocodiles Kundl on Saturday. For both teams, the remaining two weekends are about finding and maintaining their form for the inter-regional Ö Eishockey Liga playoffs.

Over the course of the season so far, the Vorarlberg side have established themselves as outright title co-favourites alongside Kapfenberger SV. In 18 games, the Ibex have recorded 15 wins after 60 minutes and two overtime wins. Their only defeat came against their upcoming opponents, EHC Crocodiles Kundl, who started the new year with a sensational 5:3 win in Hohenems.

Since coach Jaroslav Betka took charge behind the bench of the Crocodiles from the Lower Inn Valley, the Tyroleans have won five of seven games and suffered just two defeats.

Thomas Sticha, head coach of SC Hohenems, wants to get his team into playoff form and praises opponents Kundl: "There are still two regular-season games to play and then we enter the crucial phase of the season, which means we have to switch into playoff mode now. This weekend, we face Kundl, the only team to have beaten us in regulation time so far. The Crocodiles are currently playing at a high level and have a great deal of confidence as a result. They have quick players, look to shoot and play actively and physically!!"

Gerhard Maier, chairman of EHC Crocodiles Kundl, is hoping to repeat the away win at Herrenriedstadion: "We handed the league leaders a deserved home defeat some time ago – why shouldn't we be able to do it again?!"

VEU Feldkirch vs. HC Kufstein
Sat, 27 January 2024, 19:30 pm, Vorarlberghalle

The clash between VEU Feldkirch and HC Kufstein is a benchmark and a test of current form ahead of the start of the playoffs.

The Dragons have always emerged victorious in the four league meetings so far this season. This means that VEU Feldkirch are playing not only for points, but also, to some extent, for prestige, with the aim of winning at least one game against Kufstein.

For Willi Lanz, sporting director of HC Kufstein, the clash with VEU is the perfect way to prepare for the playoffs: "We still have three games left in the regular season. The first of them is against VEU Feldkirch this weekend. It is now important for us to gradually but surely turn our thoughts towards the playoffs. Tough, fast and uncompromising ice hockey is required there. And that is what we want to show on Saturday!"

Dornbirner EC vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl
Sun, 28 January 2024, 17:30 pm, Messestadion

So far, Dornbirner EC have found out in their first Ö Eishockey Liga season that it is anything but easy to pick up points against the established clubs. The young Bulldogs came close to earning a point in early January in the 3:5 defeat to Kufstein and in the 2:3 derby defeat to VEU Feldkirch in mid-January.

With 18 defeats in 18 games so far, it is also clear that all games against upcoming opponents EHC Crocodiles Kundl have been lost. The Vorarlberg side now have their penultimate chance to get on the board in the Division West.

Gerhard Maier, chairman of EHC Crocodiles Kundl, put it briefly ahead of the game against Dornbirn: "Three points against Dornbirn on Sunday are a must!"

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division East:

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. ATSE Graz
Fri., 26 January 2024, 18:00, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

Kapfenberger SV vs. UHT Dukes Graz
Sat., 27 January 2024, 19:30, Stadthalle Kapfenberg

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. EV Zeltweg Murtal Lions
Sun., 28 January 2024, 15:00, WEV Arena, Lothringerstraße 22

ATSE Graz vs. UEHV RAUCH Technology Sharks Gmunden
Sun., 28 January 2024, 16:30, Merkur Eisstadion - Halle A

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

SC Samina Hohenems vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl
Sat., 27 January 2024, 17:00, Eisstadion Hohenems

VEU Feldkirch vs. HC Kufstein
Sat., 27 January 2024, 19:30, Vorarlberghalle

Dornbirner EC vs. EHC Crocodiles Kundl
Sun., 28 January 2024, 17:30, Messestadion

All Ö Eishockey Liga standings, statistics and fixtures in the Game Centre

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