Playoff quarterfinal

Super Pioneers celebrate their “100th” against the KAC!

After the away win on Sunday, the Pioneers want to celebrate again in today's anniversary game against the KAC.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Today's second match of the Pioneers in the playoff quarter-finals against record champions KAC definitely deserved a packed Vorarlberghalle and a fantastic atmosphere. There are three good reasons for this!

Firstly, because it's the Ländle-Cracks' very first playoff home game in their young club history. Secondly, because Pallestrang and Co. proved in the first quarter-final duel against the KAC in Klagenfurt with the - for many surprising - 2:0 away win that they are currently one of the best Austrian teams that you have to beat first.

Anniversary match in the ICE League
But there is a third reason why the Pioneers deserve a particularly worthy crowd today: The Feldkirchers are playing their 100th match in the ICE League against the KAC. Even though their overall record after 99 games is still clearly negative with 36 wins and 63 losses and a goal difference of 258:346 - thanks to their current run of success with ten wins from the last 13 games, the Pioneers have developed into a red-hot underdog. They will be looking to spring a surprise or two in the playoffs.

Patrick Spannring (l.) and Luca Erne (r.) are also challenged today to stop Johannes Bischofberger and the KAC.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The Ländle red jacket is pissed off
"However, the KAC is an incredibly good team and it will be another war on the ice against them today, which we have to be ready for," says Pioneers head coach Dylan Stanley. Especially since the Klagenfurt team is miffed after the home loss - in which they went without a goal for the first time this season. "We lost because we played badly," said Ländle red jacket Manuel Ganahl. "The focus must now be fully on us."

The Ländle Red Jackets Simeon Schwinger, Manuel Ganahl and Johannes Bischofberger are on their way home.(Bild: f. pessentheiner)

The season is over for Woger
Bitter news for the Pioneers: Daniel Woger is out for the rest of the season with an upper body injury; the forward underwent surgery yesterday.