The last week of the basic round in the win2day ICE Hockey League has begun. On Wednesday there are five games from the 50th and third to last round on the program. The game between seventh-placed Vienna Capitals and second-placed Moser Medical Graz99ers will be broadcast live on ORF Sport+ from 7:05 p.m.
Meanwhile, league leaders EC-KAC host HC TIWAG Innsbruck, while third-place EC Red Bull Salzburg’s guest appearance at tenth Hydro Fehérvár AV19 is also available with German commentary on Sporteurope.tv. There will also be encounters between Olimpija Ljubljana and HCB Südtirol Alperia as well as between Pioneers Vorarlberg and HC Falkensteiner Pustertal.
In addition, the backlash-free EC iDM heat pumps VSV announced the signing of Michael Kernberger. Due to league regulations (“Protected List”), the defender will not officially join VSV until March 2nd – after the basic season has been completed. Just like goalkeeper Dustin Tokarski, who will replace the injured regular goalkeeper Lukaš Horak at Olimpija Ljubljana. The 91-time NHL player is moving from the Löwen Frankfurt to Slovenia.
The Vienna Capitals will host the Moser Medical Graz99ers in the ORF Sport+ live game on Wednesday. For the guests, with three rounds to go, it’s all about first place in the regular round as well as securing second place and thus qualifying for the Champions Hockey League. The gap to leaders EC-KAC is currently only one point, and the Styrians are already seven points ahead of fourth-placed Bozen. Third-place Salzburg definitely can no longer overtake the 99ers, as the Red Bulls are six points behind with only two games left and have also lost the direct duel against Graz. The Capitals are in seventh place, have already qualified for the pre-playoffs and are well on their way to securing home advantage. Their lead over ninth-placed Linz is five points. Most recently they celebrated a 4-1 away win against Linz – it was one of three wins from the last five games. They have won all of their last four matches in front of their home crowd. Graz, on the other hand, turned a 0-2 defeat into a 4-2 home win in the top game against KAC. For the 99ers it was one of five wins from the last six games. They have had the upper hand against the Capitals in all three duels of the season so far.
KAC can make CHL qualification clear against Innsbruck
With three rounds to go, league leaders EC-KAC are now just one point ahead of their pursuers Graz after the Carinthians suffered a 2-4 defeat at the Styrians last Sunday. For the Red Jackets it was the first defeat after three home wins in a row. Another home win is firmly planned against bottom team HC TIWAG Innsbruck, which would ensure the third qualification for the Champions Hockey League in a row. The Tyroleans couldn’t win their last seven games and had no chance in two of the three previous duels with the KAC. However, at the end of November they managed a surprising 9:6 home win.
Salzburg’s guest appearance in Fehérvár with a German stream
Third-placed EC Red Bull Salzburg has no chance of improving their ranking, but has to defend third place against fourth-placed Bozen. The South Tyroleans are only one point behind the Red Bulls and also have one more game to play. On Wednesday, the defending champions will visit tenth-placed Hydro Fehérvár AV19. There is still a lot at stake for the Hungarians: They are currently only one point ahead of eleventh-placed Budapest, against whom they still have to play on the last matchday. Last weekend, Fehérvár failed to win a point on the Italian road trip, while Salzburg had to go into overtime twice – with a defeat against Villach and a win against Pustertal. The Mozartstadters have so far won two of the three duels of the season against Fehérvár, but Fehérvár won the first meeting in Hungary 3-2. This game is also available with German commentary for Austrian fans on Sporteurope.tv.
Bolzano is visiting Ljubljana
There will be a direct neighborhood duel in the table in the game between Olimpija Ljubljana (5th) and HCB Südtirol Alperia (4th). The guests from Bolzano still have it in their own hands to finish the regular season in third place and also have a small chance of finishing second. Ljubljana, in fifth place, is already four points behind the South Tyroleans and only has two games left to play. Bolzano is in good form and has recently won three games in a row after suffering two previous defeats. Ljubljana also won three of the last five games. The home team won the first duel in Slovenia 4:1, while both matches in Bolzano also clearly went to the home team (4:1, 4:2).
Before the game against Bolzano, Olimpija Ljubljana has strengthened itself in the goalkeeper position with Dustin Tokarski for the upcoming playoffs. The Canadian will replace the injured regular goalkeeper Lukaš Horak. Tokarski played a total of 91 NHL games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes. In the current season he was under contract with DEL club Löwen Frankfurt.
Pioneers are dealing with Pustertal
In the fifth game of the day, the Pioneers Vorarlberg host HC Falkensteiner Pustertal. The sixth-placed team from South Tyrol can keep the pressure on fifth-placed Ljubljana with a win, as they are currently only three points behind and there is still one more game to play. The Pioneers are twelfth in no man’s land in the table and will finish the regular season in this position. They were unable to win the last six games, Pustertal celebrated two wins from the last five encounters. Last Sunday they narrowly lost 1-2 after extra time in Salzburg. The first two duels of the season with Pustertal were clear affairs for the South Tyroleans, but the Vorarlbergers won the last meeting away 6:5 after a penalty shootout.
win2day ICE Hockey League:
Wed, February 25, 2026:
7:15 p.m.: Vienna Capitals – Moser Medical Graz99ers | LIVE on ORF Sport+
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Bedynek, Riecken
7:15 p.m.: EC-KAC – HC TIWAG Innsbruck
Referees: STERNAT, UNTERWEGER, Puff, Zacherl
7:15 p.m.: Hydro Fehérvár AV19 – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: GEBEI, SMETANA, Durmis, Konc | LIVE on Sporteurope.tv – German commentary
7:15 p.m.: Olimpija Ljubljana – HCB Südtirol Alperia
Referees: NIKOLIC M., OFNER, Nothegger, Zgonc
7:30 p.m.: Pioneers Vorarlberg – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal
Referees: KAINBERGER, NIKOLIC K., Fleischmann, Strimitzer
All games will be broadcast on streaming partner Sporteurope.tv.
ice.hockey, picture: Domen Jancic
