EC Red Bull Salzburg welcomes FTC-Telekom Budapest to the Eisarena Salzburg on Sunday in the win2day ICE Hockey League (4:30 p.m., live stream) and wants to take revenge for the away defeat in Budapest at the beginning of December.
The Red Bulls extended their current winning streak of six games yesterday with the 4-3 overtime win in Feldkirch and now want to continue their improving performance against Budapest. Striker Peter Hochkofler, who could play his first competitive game this season after a long injury break, would also like to help.
Initial situation
With the 4-3 win after overtime yesterday in Feldkirch, the Red Bulls came back from the Christmas break with a success. The two points had to be earned hard, but given how the game went, they were well deserved. The sixth win in a row should give further confidence, even if the defending champions from Bolzano were initially pushed back to sixth place in the table (both 52 points, but Bolzano with the better goal difference and with two games less). The Christmas break was a little longer for FTC-Telekom Budapest as the Hungarians had no game yesterday. In the last game before Christmas (on December 21st) they lost 5-0 at home to league leaders KAC, but before that they sent another signal with a 5-4 away win in Villach. FTC-Telekom is holding on to eighth place in the table, but urgently needs points to defend its current pre-playoff position.
Canadian-Finnish power ensures goals
With 79 goals, the Hungarians are only the ninth best attacking team in the league. However, three goalscorers account for almost half of all goals. The Canadians Braeden Shaw (16 goals) and Tyler Coulter (10) as well as the Finn Jussi Tammela (11) – split between the first two lines – have 37 goals in 29 games. For the seventh-placed Red Bulls in this ranking, the 93 goals they have scored so far are spread across more shoulders. The top scorers are Michael Raffl and Lucas Thaler (both 12) and Travis St. Denis and Troy Bourke (both 9 goals).
Peter Hochkofler before his comeback
For Peter Hochkofler, the home game against Budapest could be something like a belated Christmas present. The 31-year-old striker is fit again after over four months and is likely to make his comeback on Sunday. Hochkofler played his last game with the Red Bulls on August 16th in a test against Kosice. This means that the Salzburg team would only be missing Ali Wukovits, whose comeback after his hip operation at the beginning of July is also getting closer and closer.
Statement Philipp Wimmer
“It wasn’t easy in Feldkirch to find our aggressive game again. But it got better towards the end and it was worth it. The Hungarians also play fast and aggressively and don’t give you much space. We have to keep the game simple and play to our strengths. So quick breakouts, then the disc deep and to the goal.”
ecrbs.redbulls.com Image: EC Red Bull Salzburg/Manuel Mackinger
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