This Friday the Vienna Capitals are guests at Hydro Fehérvár AV19 for the second game of the “Best of Three” pre-playoff series. Thanks to yesterday’s 5-1 win in the STEFFL Arena, the capital city team can book their ticket to the quarter-finals with another win today. It would be the first place in the round of the best eight since 2023. The game starts at 7.15 p.m. in the MET Aréna Székesfehérvár. As usual, this match will be broadcast on sporteurope.tv. A German-language broadcast will be offered for today’s second Caps pre-playoff game.
Initial situation:
With a 5-1 win over Hydro Fehérvár AV19, the Vienna Capitals secured victory in the landmark first game of the “Best of Three” pre-playoff series yesterday. The Donaustadt team celebrated their sixth success in the last seven home games. Only once in the ten appearances in the STEFFL Arena in 2026 did the Viennese lose after the end of the regular playing time. Mitch Hults put his stamp on the game yesterday with three points (1 goal + 2 assists). The American was named Cap of the day by the Caps fans. 20-year-old Felix Koschek recorded one hit and one assist. The youngster also played a major role in Vienna’s 1-0 victory thanks to debut goalscorer Marc-Olivier Duquette with an exemplary screen. The Caps goal was guarded by Evan Cowley yesterday. The 30-year-old played a sparkling clean game; after 27 saves, he had a catch rate of 96.43 percent. If the Capitals prevail against Fehérvár today, the Viennese team would be only the second team to win 2-0 in the pre-playoffs since the introduction of the current league format as seventh place after the basic round. So far, only HC Znojmo, who eliminated the Graz99ers in the 2021/22 season, has achieved this feat.
Personnel:
As of now, all players who were on the ice against Fehérvár yesterday are also ready for action today. However, the injured Erik Kirchschläger, Nelson Nogier, Senna Peeters and Marco Richter will be out.
The opponent:
For Hydro Fehérvár AV19, yesterday’s 5-1 defeat in Vienna was the fifth defeat in the last six games. The Hungarians suffered their seventh away defeat in a row yesterday at the STEFFL Arena. At home at the MET Aréna Székesfehérvár, the Hungarians have only won two of their last seven games. Top scorer Anze Kuralt was the only player from the guests to score a goal yesterday. With 35 points, made up of 17 goals and 18 assists, the Slovenian is the lifeblood of the Fehérvár offensive. Yesterday, goalkeeper Rasmus Reijola had to fumble five times out of 22 shots on goal against him, which corresponds to a catch rate of 77.27 percent. The Hungarian power play was also disappointing yesterday. Ted Dent’s team was unable to capitalize on the four outnumbered situations. The already low effectiveness of 17.36 percent after the basic round was reduced to 16.89 percent yesterday.
The direct duel:
The Vienna Capitals have won four of the five previous meetings with Hydro Fehérvár AV19. The last two duels in the last six days went to the Capitals. Fehérvár achieved its last win against the capital city team on December 26th of the previous year. At that time, the Hungarians narrowly won 2-1 at the MET Aréna Székesfehérvár. In the pre-playoffs of the previous season, Fehérvár won both home games and won 2-1. Since the opening of the MET Aréna Székesfehérvár for the 2024/25 season, the balance sheet has been balanced. Both the Caps and Hydro Fehérvár AV19 each won three competitive games in the 6,000-person arena.
Felix Koschek, attacker for the Vienna Capitals
We expect today to be a hard and fast game. Fehérvár has to win to keep their chance of progressing. Of course we want to win this game too. We will give everything for that today. One reason why things are going well for me personally against Fehérvár is that we harmonize perfectly as a line. We are also in good shape as a team. We don’t want to have another game on Sunday, so we will do everything we can to ensure the series is over today.
vienna-capitals.at , Image: Johann Pittner
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