The red jackets are happy about the victory against the VSV in Klagenfur – 5 minutes

The EC-KAC ended its four-round defeat streak on Saturday evening with a 3-2 home win against Graz. Accordingly, the red jackets went into fourth place in the Erste Bank Ice Hockey League in the third Carinthian derby of the season. The host team won the first two local duels this year (1-0 in Klagenfurt, 3-1 in Villach). Overall, the Drau town has been good ground for red and white in the recent past: Six of the last nine guest appearances at the EC VSV have been won, in none of these nine matches the eagles scored more than three goals.

Know your opponent

Like the reigning champions from the state capital, the EC VSV also went to the Carinthian derby with a win against the Graz 99ers: Villach was free of play on Saturday, but was able to prevail 3-2 in Styria after extra time two days earlier. Overall, Blau-Weiß won in three of his youngest four league games, which allowed him (currently in seventh place) to get back up to five points to “the bottom line”, which will split the league after 40 games. The EC VSV has had a rather modest run on its own ice recently, with head coach Jyrki Aho (against Vienna, Salzburg and Bolzano) always missing in the last three home games.

“An important victory for us”

“We were really good in the first two sections, generated a lot of offensive, but are unable to take advantage of our opportunities in such a way that our lead would have been clearer. I liked the competitive level and the system loyalty in these two thirds. Villach was the more powerful team in the third round, even though we can’t concede the goal they scored. However, we found our structure again in the final phase and were able to decide the game for us in the extension. An important victory for us, ”said Petri Matikainen, the Head Coach of the EC-KAC.

Who will the KAC meet next?

With the second success in succession, the red jackets moved up one place in the table, they passed Orli Znojmo and are now in third place again. Leader Salzburg is nine points behind, second from Vienna six points. On New Year’s Day at 5:30 p.m., the EC-KAC starts out again, then at the Graz 99ers. The reigning champions can be seen on home ice on Sunday at 5.30 p.m., live on servushockeynight.com, then in the fourth Carinthian derby of the season against the EC VSV. For this encounter, seats have been sold out for weeks, and all standing room tickets have also been sold out since Monday morning.