EC-REKORD-Fenster VSV have taken three bonus points from the round robins and play HC Orli Znojmo at Tirolerstrasse, repeating Fridays’ encounter. The Blue Eagles had won 7:0 but refuse to think the next win is a given: „Znojmo was booked for tenth place. On Sunday, we’ll see another opponent, that’s for sure. We need to play solid Defense and score our goals from our chances.“, says Markus Peintner, who set up three goals on Friday. Headcoach Mike Stewart adds: “Starting with three bonus points is a big advantage, but that can’t stop our boys from being ready at the point tomorrow. Znojmo always does well in one-on-one-situations and that means team defence is extremely important.” Stewart has all his players available.
HC Orli Znojmo, on the other hand, has lost Filip Landsman to injury. They reacted by getting 21-years old Slovak Marek Ciliak on board form HK Nitra. He will not be ready to play on Sunday, though. We quizzed Martin Stloukal on the match: “We lost 0:7 and that obviously sounds horrible. We had our chances at the start, though, and skated hard, but we conceded those goals because we made individual errors. What bugs me more is that we can’t seem to score form the chances we create- especially in Villach.” Znojmo have been shut out both times when they visited Tirolerstrasse and Stloukal wants his team to change that: “On Sunday, the team will be ready to make amends.”

Inter-Austrian Clash
UPC Vienna Capitals ended up in eighth place after the round robin games and that is the spot that three other clubs want now. Captain Benoit Gratton knows “For us, Play-offs start on Sunday. Every team wants to o into the Play-offs and everyone will fight to the last chance to get there. The first few games will be decisive as to where the Qualification round turns. You can’t allow a slip early on. We have improved and we play as a team now. We were frustratingly bad last time when Graz came to town. We want to make amends.”
Reinhard Divis is back in the net following a slight cold that kept him out against Linz, meaning Thommy Samuelsson has all his players at his disposal.

Moser Medical Graz 99ers have gone third in the table after the round robins and took the last remaining bonus point. Headcoach Mario Richer has all his players available – with the exception of Daniel Woger for this clash. “It’s like the start of a new season,” the French Canadian says. “Each of the eight games is a play-off game. We’ve won our last six home games and that gives us confidence.” Maths is on the side of the 99ers, too: A special table composed of the teams they face in the Qualification round would see them run out winners. On Sunday, Richer wants to see from of his game plan against Vienna: “We’ll have to forecheck them early on and work hard. The Caps have quick players and it’s dangerous once you give them room to play. They want to be Champions and are in eight place now. Go figure. Team Chemistry must be ok now since Andre Lakos came in."

Sunday, 22. January 2012, ServusTV live.
UPC Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz99ers (225)
Referees: DREMELJ, GEBEI, Nagy, Rakovic.
Previous matches:
09.09.2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – UPC Vienna Capitals 2:4 (1:3, 0:0, 1:1)
16.10.2011: UPC Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz99ers 3:4 n. P.
(1:1, 1:1, 1:1, 0:0, 0:1)
22.11.2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – UPC Vienna Capitals 2:3 n. P.
(1:1, 1:0, 0:1, 0:0, 0:1)
08.01.2012: UPC Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz99ers 1:5 (0:2, 0:3, 1:0)

EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – HC Orli Znojmo (224)
Referees: SMETANA, VEIT, Piragic, Widmann
previous matches:
23.10.2011: HC Orli Znojmo – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV 2:3 n. V. (0:1, 2:0, 0:1, 0:1)
16.11.2011: EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – HC Orli Znojmo 5:0 (2:0, 3:0, 0:0)
06.12.2011: HC Orli Znojmo – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV 5:1 (2:0, 3:0, 0:1)
20.01.2012: EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – HC Orli Znojmo 7:0 (1:0, 3:0, 3:0)