HK Acroni Jesenice finished the regular season lying bottom of the table but the Slovenes still have ambitions. After the win of Znojmo in Villach, everybody knows that you can’t write off the international teams. The team of head coach Heikki Mälkiä has to improve on the road because they suffered their 14^th successive away defeat in Graz on Friday. It looks like the Red Steelers have a dream tie for their first game of the qualification round because they host the Caps, a team they have beaten twice this season at home. “We didn’t play very well and made too many mistakes in the defensive zone. Our problems repeated themselves and we were not able to score more than one goal. The game reflected our last performances on the road. At the moment it’s very hard to focus on hockey but we try our best. A good start to qualification round is very important because we start without an extra point. We have to decide the home games to our favor and for that we have to score goals. I hope that we can beat Vienna a third time”, says Jure Dolinsek. Anze Kuralt gained five points out of three games against Vienna. Captain Andrej Tavzelj and Gasper Kroselj left the club.
UPC Vienna Capitals suffered a home defeat against Graz for the third time this season. Now all three Austrian teams lead the standings with three points. “I think we played two good games since I’m back. We have to improve details, and then I’m looking forward to playing. The game against Graz was very intense but that’s natural at this stage. We pick up on the problems of Jesenice but we have to focus on ourselves and only two points matter. We must utilize our goalscoring opportunities better, that’s the key in the next games. In further consequence we have to avoid penalties because playing shorthanded costs a lot of energy. I feel confident that we can overcome any opponent”, explains Andre Lakos, who was on the ice for four of their five goals. The Caps are completely healthy.

Can Zagreb do it again?
EC-KAC is goal-hungry again: the Carinthians scored ten goals out of their two previous games. The injury-hit record-holding champions overcame EC Red Bull Salzburg 6:4 with Christoph Brandner and Joey Tenute each scoring a brace. Although the Carinthians scored at least one point out of their five home games in 2012, they lost their two previous games in front of their crowd against Zagreb. “All players did a good job and the young guys exploited their chance. We have to pick up because Zagreb is a dangerous team. We have to play in a solid way in the defensive zone and constantly pressure them in the offense”, knows head coach Manny Viveiros. Kirk Furey is Klagenfurt’s topscorer with 28 points. Gregor Hager, Herbert Ratz, Dieter Kalt, Stefan Geier, Joe Kirisits and Tyler Spurgeon are ruled out again.
KHL Medvescak Zagreb finished the Arena games-series with a loss against the table-toppers. It already was their third shutout home defeat of the season. Now the Bears will spend a lot of time in the bus because four away games await them. The Croats gained 27 points out of 20 away games. “Linz played a clever road game and their goalie played very strongly. We were not able to beat him. We have performed very well on the road so far. I expect KAC to be very aggressive but we have to concentrate on our own”, reports head coach Marty Raymond. Ryan Kinasewich is the Croats‘ topscorer with 44 points. Slava Trukhno is injured and will remain in Zagreb.

Graz vs. Villach
Moser Medical Graz99ers host EC REKORD-Fenster VSV in the top game of the qualification round. The Styrians celebrated six consecutive home wins and started with an away victory in Vienna into the second stage. “It was the expected tough game and we had the better end in the shootout. We played many good games at home but VSV overcame the best teams of the league at the end of the regular season”, tells Sven Klimbacher.
The altitude flight of EC REKORD-Fenster VSV is over now. The Carinthians lost their first game of qualification round 3:2 against HC Orli Znojmo at home despite shooting 35 times on target. “We didn’t work hard enough and we were not able to take advantage of our power plays. On the other hand the Czechs utilized their chances. We have to keep it tight and score goals”, knows Markus Peintner. Roland Kaspitz is Villach’s topscorer with 41 points.

Tuesday, 24^th January 2012, 19:15
HK Acroni Jesenice – UPC Vienna Capitals (230)
Live-TV: Sport TV SLO
Referees: FALKNER, GRABER, Piragic, Widmann
Previous matches:
25.09.2011: UPC Vienna Capitals – HK Acroni Jesenice 5:4 n. P. (0:0, 0:1, 4:3, 0:0, 1:0)
06.11.2011: HK Acroni Jesenice – UPC Vienna Capitals 3:2 (2:1, 1:1, 0:0)
25.11.2011: HK Acroni Jesenice – UPC Vienna Capitals 3:2 n. P. (0:1, 2:1, 0:0, 0:0, 1:0)
30.12.2011: UPC Vienna Capitals – HK Acroni Jesenice 4:2 (1:0, 1:1, 2:1)

EC-KAC – KHL Medvescak Zagreb (227)
Referees: FUSSI, SMETANA, Hütter, Zehenthofer.
Previous matches:
09.10.2011: KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC-KAC 0:5 strafbeglaubigt
01.11.2011: EC-KAC – KHL Medvescak Zagreb 4:6 (1:0, 0:3, 3:3)
02.12.2011: EC-KAC – KHL Medvescak Zagreb 1:5 (1:2, 0:2, 0:1)
13.01.2012: KHL Medvescak Zagreb – EC-KAC 3:1 (1:0, 0:1, 2:0)

Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV (229)
Live-TV: Servus TV
Referees: KELLNER, KINCSES, Kaspar, Nemeth.
Previous matches:
09.10.2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV 5:2 (1:2, 2:0, 2:0)
01.11.2011: EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – Moser Medical Graz99ers 4:1 (1:0, 1:1, 2:0)
25.11.2011: EC REKORD-Fenster VSV – Moser Medical Graz99ers 5:0 (1:0, 2:0, 2:0)
30.12.2011: Moser Medical Graz99ers – EC REKORD-Fenster VSV 2:0 (0:0, 0:0, 2:0)