The semi-finals of the win2day ICE Hockey League have been complete since Wednesday – and one thing is certain: there are lots of firsts! Hydro Fehérvár AV19, the tenth-placed team in the regular season, made it to the semi-finals for the first time. For the first time, only one team from the top four of the basic round is represented, and for the first time there are representatives from all four league nations in the semi-finals.
In addition, it is already clear: there will be a premiere champion in 2026. The anticipation for the start of the semi-finals on Sunday couldn’t be greater – ORF 1 will broadcast the opening game between the Moser Medical Graz99ers and Fehérvár live from 3:05 p.m.
Before the start of the playoffs, hardly anyone would have expected that series champions EC Red Bull Salzburg would be swept by HC Falkensteiner Pustertal, that EC-KAC would fail 2-4 against Hydro Fehérvár AV19, who came tenth in the regular round, and that HCB Südtirol Alperia would say goodbye to the playoffs with just one win against Olimpija Ljubljana.
For the first time in league history, only one team from the top four of the regular round made it to the semi-finals: the Moser Medical Graz99ers. The basic round winner showed themselves confidently in their quarter-final against EC iDM Heat Pumps VSV (4:0).
For the first time only an Austrian team
The Graz team are the only Austrian team in the semi-finals – and are already confirmed as Austrian champions. It is also the first time in the league’s history that only one Austrian team is represented in the semi-finals. In the semi-finals in 2024 and 2012 there were “only” two Austrian teams, otherwise always at least three.
The internationality at the top of the league is greater than ever before. For the first time, all four league nations are represented in the semi-finals. It’s not just at the A World Cup that the win2day ICE Hockey League can be proud of having all four nations in the top 16 in the world – now this can also be seen in the league itself: all four participating countries are in the top four.
Four nations in the semi-finals
Hungary became the fourth nation to reach the semi-finals on Wednesday. Fehérvár sensationally eliminated the EC-KAC with a 4-2 win and became the first team in league history to advance from tenth place in the table to the semi-finals after the regular round. It is already clear: there will be a premiere champion in 2026, because none of the four semi-finalists have been able to win the title so far. Only Fehérvár had a taste of the championship title in 2022, but clearly failed in the final against Salzburg. At Ljubljana it was the previous club that reached the final in 2008.
The 2026 playoffs have already marked numerous firsts and historic moments. It remains exciting to see what highlights the semi-finals and finally the big highlight of the season, the final, will have in store.
ice.hockey , Image: Soós Attila
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