Bulls in Klagenfurt

Starting from scratch again at the scene of the triumph

Always cool: Salzburg champions celebrating on KAC ice.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Gintare Karpaviciute)

154 days ago, the Ice Bulls froze their ICE Hockey League title treble in Klagenfurt. Today, Friday, the final rematch awaits, KAC is the first league touchstone in a long season. Another 48 games await in the basic round.

"We're starting from scratch again. You don't get anything for free in this league and the teams are getting better and better," says Mario Huber, who knows what awaits the Eisbullen in their 21st Ice Hockey League season. The performances so far and thus soon also the self-confidence are definitely right - this is underlined not least by the team's performance in the Champions Hockey League so far.

Intensive preparation for the start of the league: coach David and his Eisbullen.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

"We performed well, if you look at the results, you have to say: we did a lot of things right," says Ali Wukovits, pleased for the strong Bulls collective. For the champions, being the big hunted is nothing new and they naturally want to spoil their fourth title in a row.

"Everyone wants to beat us, so we have to find new ways to prevent that," explains coach Oliver David, who is now entering his second Salzburg season.

The first are the newcomers Rowe, Nash Nienhuis, whose dad Kraig, once a KAC hero, is on vacation in Salzburg, and Niki Kraus. For the latter, today marks his return to his old stomping ground, which he only left in the spring after nine years at the KAC. "I'm curious to see how I'll fare. I'll have to make sure I don't go into the wrong dressing room," grins the forward, who only says of his former club: "Klagenfurt will definitely be competitive again." Postscript: "But I believe: We are the better team."

 Of which a third defenseman, Robertson (after Murphy and Genoway), was ill and not on the ice at training on Thursday. Birthday boy Stapelfeldt (turning 26 today) will also have more work to do.

And KAC? Mursak and van Ee are back, but Petersen (cut on his foot) and Pastujov (sick) are shaky. Defenseman Clemens Unterweger confirms: "Of course we have a score to settle. That day was tough for everyone - but the fans celebrated and built us up after the game. Now we want to give something back. Only 60 minutes at full throttle count against Salzburg." Senna Peeters, who was once brought to Austria by the Bulls as a youngster, wants to contribute to this: "The games against the top teams in the league spur me on."