The preparation for blue and white is over, the league is calling! The EC IDM heat pumps VSV have completed six test games in the past few weeks, six occasions to record automatisms, integrate new faces and rehearse the emergency for the coming season-because the “Adler” will start the 2025/26 season in Budapest next Friday, September 12th!
Kick off in Zell am See – a game at eye level
At the start, a well -known opponent from Germany’s second highest division was waiting with the Kassel Huskies. And the Villacher Adler had a duel with the Hesse, which was hard to beat in terms of tension. In the end, the penalty shootout had to decide after a 3: 3 – and there the huskies had the happier end for themselves. The result was 3: 4, but the realization was much more important: the blue-whites can keep up with a top team from the DEL2 early in preparation that had been on the ice for a long time. Statistically, they moved absolutely at eye level – 31:32 shots, 3.07: 3.21 Expected Goals and strong goalkeepers (Cannata at VSV) on both sides.
Statement victory against the Zeller polar bears
Just two days later, the eagles were allowed to go back to Zell am See, this time against the Zeller Eisbären, the master of the Alps Hockey League. 6: 1 was at the end of the score from the point of view of the blue and whites. The team determined the pace from the start, the Expected Goals (4.29: 2.04) underlined the clear superiority. In addition, the team of head coach Tray Tuomie won 55.5% of his duels and once again a man focused on: René Swette. The nominal backup goalie presented itself in a good mood, defused two breakaways and kept almost everything that came to his goal-95.25 % catch rate, plus 1.04 “Goals Saved above Expected”.
Spectacle in Klagenfurt – Hughes with dream goals
Test number three was something special in many ways: Probably the VSV in Klagenfurt, but not against the eternal rival KAC, but against the Wolfsburg Grizzlys, coached by ex-Adler coach Mike Stewart. The game became an open exchange of blows, in which the Villacher just pulled the shorter one with 4: 5. Expectation values (2.7: 3.6) spoke easily for Wolfsburg, but the “eagles” presented themselves from their best side. John Hughes in particular showed his class once again: With a double pack of statistically difficult positions (both chances below 0.2 Expected Goals), he demonstrated his role as the motor of Villacher offensive. Also striking: Defender Dylan Macpherson, who set an exclamation mark with 12 puck gains in almost 18 minutes of ice age and also convinced with three hits and a blocked shot.
Bitter defeat in Landshut despite superiority
The fourth game led VSV to Lower Bavaria, to EV Landshut. There it set a 3: 4 defeat that was difficult to digest in view of the numbers. With 4.4: 3.5 Expected Goals and a clear duel strength (55.1 % won battles) Villach had the better arguments on his side. In the end, however, the coldness, small lack of concentration, such as an unsuccessful excursion by goalkeeper René Swette, lacked bitterly. One of the most striking actors in this game was young HOFTING Luca Fischer, who not only scored his first goal in the blue and white dress, but also set two hits and was involved in four scoring chances from Villacher.
Working victory against Sisak – patience game in the town hall
The first appearance in the local town hall was supposed to be a test against a supposedly weaker team for Villach, but Sisak presented itself immensely. Strong, snappy and biting and with a lot of heart, the guests held against it, made life difficult for the Villacher for a long time. In the end, however, the quality of the “eagles” prevailed. 5.1: 2.9 Expected Goals showed the clear superiority, even if the game on the ice was significantly scarce. Again it was René Swette (only played half the game) who showed his class. Philipp Lindner convinced as a defensive guarantee with 4 hits, 2 blocks and 9 window conquests, while noble technician Nikita Scherbak shone in particular forward. With his fine blade, he was involved in seven chances.
Tough conclusion against Rosenheim – still room for improvement
In the last test, the EC IDM VSV received the triple German champion, the Starbulls Rosenheim. It became a work victory and a game that relentlessly opened one or the other construction site. Villach narrowly decided on the duels (52.9 %), but the many gymnastics (27 in total, 7 of them in their own zone) and problems with the orderly game structure (only in 78.9 % of the cases the clean zone exit) prevented a sovereign appearance. In the end, it was enough with hits from Scherbak, Lindner and Hutchison, but it is clear: Before the start of the season, the coaching team around Tray Tuomie, Marco Pewal and Patrick Machreich still waits for a lot.
Conclusion – “eagle” with a lot of potential and homework
Six test games, three victories, three defeats – the balance reads balanced. But behind it is much more than numbers. In the previous season, the EC IDM heat pumps VSV showed that, as usual, it can make spectacles offensive at any time that single players such as Hughes or Scherbak are happy to stand out – and that the team already has improved physique. At the same time, however, weaknesses were also visible: too many gymnastics, too many phases in which the eagles lose their line, and too many goals that were given too easy despite playful superiority.
www.ecvsv.at, Image: VSV / René Krammer
