The first home game double this season will take place in Linz AG Eisarena next weekend. At the start, the Steinbach Black Wings Linz will meet the record champions from Klagenfurt for the first time since the bitter semi-finals.
The motivation on the Linz side could not be greater for tomorrow, because with Klagenfurt Brian Lebler and Co. still have an invoice! In the direct duel in the basic round, it was drawn between the two teams last season with two wins and two defeats. After the Stahlstädter prevailed in game 7 of the quarter -final against Graz, they met the record champions again in the semifinals. It also went into the seventh round, in which one finally had to give up against the Carinthian and thus missed the final. In the final series against Salzburg, however, the head of Head Coach Kirk Furey had to be satisfied with second place again.
Changes since the quarter-final duel
Over the summer there were some changes in the squad with the red jackets. In total, the runner -up recorded six departures, including Steven Strong, who switched to the great rival, VSV after ten years. You also had to say goodbye to the two strikers Johannes Bischofberger and Kevin Clark, both of whom announced their end of their career. The three new additions are considered a top reinforcement on the offensive. On the one hand, Mario Kempe, who comes from the first Finnish league to Win2day Ice Hockey League, was hired. The 37-year-old Swede already stood for two seasons for the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL on the ice as the second new addition, John Murray is considered. The 32-year-old Canadian joins the Carinthians from the DEL. In addition, you could tie the two owners Tobias Sablattnig and Maximilian Preiml to the club by 2027 and continue to rejuvenate the defense.
In the previous season, the Carinthians could not build on their strengths from last season. Although they started the new season with a 4-0 win against Fehervar, they then had to accept a 1: 4 defeat against Salzburg. Against Liganeuling Budapest, the record champion was able to take three points to Klagenfurt again with a 6-2. In the last two games, however, the red jackets had to give up against Bolzano and Graz, beaten 1: 5 and 2: 3 and are therefore also hungry for the next points.
Loose room update
There are also some changes to the Linz line-up for Friday. The team of head coach Philipp Lukas must continue to do without Sean Collins, Ken Ograjensek and Luis Lindner due to injury. In addition, Gerd Kragl also fails indefinitely due to a upper body injury suffered during training. Whether Michael Kernberger can already make his debut for the Upper Austrians against the KAC will only be decided in the next few hours by the registration process. Shawn ST-AMANT was able to resume the training and target his comeback against Klagenfurt, but the final decision is only made at short notice.
After a bumpy start to the season again – the Linzers were improved at the wafer -thin defeat against Bolzano last Sunday. Nevertheless, an intensive processing of one’s own game was due to the lower Danube region in order to produce improvements in all parts. Tomorrow there is already the first opportunity against the KAC. Next Sunday, October 5th, the next cracker will increase against the reigning master. Tickets for both hits are available online at tickets.blackwings.at and at the box office. Seats are almost sold out.
Voices
Head Coach Philipp Lukas: “There are some holes in our game, which was better, the willingness and commitment was usually a standard for us. We have to work on our game with and without a pane, which was positive that we were in the fight inside with a decimated line-up and then the game was too easy, that was what was so bitter. set that playing on us. “
Niklas Würschl: “We almost put the same start last year, we got out of it and we will do that again. We have to see that we can get out of our own zone and play harder in our own third.
Steinbach Black Wings Linz – EC KAC
Friday 03 October, 7:15 p.m., Linz AG Eisarena
www.blackwings.at, Image: BwL / Eisenbauer
