At the Graz99ers

Pioneers visit another fearsome opponent

The Pioneers have some unfinished business against the Graz99ers(Bild: Rothmund © 2024)

The Pioneers Vorarlberg have three games in the space of just five days. They need to pick up as many points as possible to snatch a pre-playoff spot from the Vienna Capitals. Today, the Feldkirch team play host to the Graz99ers, against whom they have yet to pick up a point this season.

Seven rounds before the end of the basic round, the Pioneers Vorarlberg are still seven points behind the Vienna Capitals, who occupy tenth and therefore last place for the pre-playoff in the ICE Hockey League. And that's why the Ländle-Cracks only have the Caps in their sights in the final sprint, although they have been trailing them a little all season. Nevertheless, the Feldkirch team has already reduced the deficit by more than half from 15 points in the middle of the basic round.

The Pioneers have reduced the gap to the Caps by more than half since the middle of the basic round.(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Now, before the international break next week, they have three very important games in just five days. Already today (18:30), the Vorarlberg team will host the Graz99ers, against whom they have lost the three meetings so far this season. The Styrians are also in top form - the 99ers have won four of their last five games and are currently in fifth place and safely on course for the quarter-finals.

Only one loss 
"We now have to make sure that we can keep the players' motivation high. Graz is a tough team in the league, they'll want to play with a lot of pressure," says Pioneers head coach Dylan Stanley, who, as in the last two games, can once again rely on his entire squad apart from Lucas Sowder, who is still injured, "we'll have to win a lot of physical duels if we want the game to go our way."