Welcome break for the Black Wings

Because the Steinbach Black Wings don’t play their home ice hockey game against Vorarlberg until Tuesday, February 13th (7:15 p.m.), coach Philipp Lukas is giving his protégés five days off in the final rest phase before the intense season finish – from Monday to Wednesday and weekends. “It’s important to have fresh legs and also to clear your head a bit,” said the 44-year-old Viennese.

Only for one duo things continue in quick succession: two-man goalie Thomas Höneckl and Nico Feldner are moving to the red-white-red national team, which will be in action from Friday at the tournament in Épinal (France) against the hosts and Denmark or Norway. Feldner replaces his club colleague Emilio Romig, who is recovering from an elbow injury (cut).

Linz’s recent 2-1 defeat in Vienna hurts, but it’s not a broken leg, because their rivals also made mistakes in the fight for a top 6 place, which guarantees direct quarter-final entry – Bolzano, Villach, Innsbruck lost. The Wings are still above the ominous mark in fifth place, but only one point separates them from eighth Innsbruck five games before the end of the regular season (Vorarlberg/h, Fehervar/a, Villach/h, Asiago/a, Ljubljana/h).

Three clubs have their play-off tickets in their pockets: KAC, Fehervar, Salzburg. For the “Red Bulls” it is the 19th knockout phase en suite, they equal the Vienna Capitals’ long-term record.