Playoff pick: Why the Black Wings are on every team’s list

Since the 2012/13 season, the top three of the basic round in the highest Austrian league have been able to choose their opponents. The first place in the basic round (Klagenfurt) selects a quarter-finalist without home advantage (Linz, Villach, Feldkirch and the winner of the pre-playoff series between Pustertal and Ljubljana). Then the runner-up, Fehervar. Then third place, Salzburg. There is one team left for fourth place to play against with home advantage.

Of course, the top three have long since drawn up a list according to which opponents will be selected after the pre-playoff game tomorrow in Bruneck. Most club officials create this ranking together with the coaching team and the players or at least the captains. Three factors play a role: the team’s feeling against the opponent (record in the regular round), the opponent’s current strength (last form shown) and potential (capacity to be in top form). Logistics (travel distances and the like) only play a role for most teams in exceptional cases, because many away trips involve staying in a hotel in order to avoid having heavy legs from the bus ride. For example, during a playoff series against the Capitals, Rob Daum insisted on spending the night with the Black Wings in Vösendorf if there was a game in Vienna the next day.

Klagenfurt

The red jackets have unlimited choice. Based purely on the sporting record of the direct duels, the Carinthians would have to choose Linz. There are four wins (2 wins / 2 wins after overtime / 0 defeats after overtime / 0 defeats) from the regular round. But of course Klagenfurt knows that they played against Linz three times during a dip in form. Twice in overtime it could have gone either way. In the first duel of the season, the record champions were down 3-4 at home until eight seconds before the end before Lukas Haudum scored to equalize 4-4. Even in the 2-1 win in Linz they weren’t the better team, Linz stumbled over their own chances.

They scored the same number of points against Pioneers Vorarlberg (3/0/1/0). There were also three wins of the season against Villach after 60 minutes (3/0/0/1). Against Laibach (2/0/2/0) and Pustertal (2/0/0/2) there were only two each. A relatively long journey probably speaks against Vorarlberg (6:06 hours, 542 km according to Google Maps). Logistically, Villach, Ljubljana and Bruneck would be closer solutions.

OÖN tip: Klagenfurt still has the canceled playoffs of the 2019/20 season in the back of their minds, when they were the better placed team and were 0-3 behind in the series against Linz. As reigning champions. Although a Carinthian derby – like last season – cannot be completely ruled out, the record champions will choose Laibach/Bruneck or Feldkirch.

Szekesfehervar

There were only two wins this season (2/0/1/0) for Fehervar AV19 against the Steinbach Black Wings. The Hungarian team didn’t have a good feeling against Linz this season. A 1:4 in Linz was followed by a narrow 2:1 win in front of their own crowd in the final minutes. A 2:3 defeat after overtime in Linz was followed by another happy 2:1 home win two weeks ago – after the Linzers were unable to use a shot ratio of 43:22 in their favor and the decisive Hungarian goal was unnaturally deflected by the boards Disc fell.

The Hungarians have the better direct record against all other teams. There were at least three wins each season against Pustertal (4/0/0/0), Villach (3/0/1/0), Laibach (3/0/0/1) and Feldkirch (2/1/0/1). Linz is only on Fehervar’s list if you look at the logistics. At 401 kilometers, Linz is the geographically closest destination. Ljubljana (4:05 hours, 410 km), Villach (5:00 hours, 497 km), Bruneck (7:31 hours, 674 km) and Feldkirch (9:01 hours, 844 km) are less favorable. There may be an alternative travel option for away games in Feldkirch with the airports in Budapest and Altenrhein.

OÖN tip: Szekesfehervar sits on the bus for a comparatively long time anyway. Of course there is a difference whether it is four hours to Linz and Ljubljana or nine to Feldkirch. But they will probably avoid the Black Wings and opt for the second pre-playoff qualifier depending on availability.

Salzburg

For the Eisbullen the choice of pick is limited, there will only be two options. According to our estimates, these will be Villach and Linz. On paper, the Black Wings would be the better choice because Salzburg hasn’t lost a game against Linz after regular playing time. However, they had to go into overtime three times (1/2/1/0). In contrast, there is a balanced record against Villach (2/0/0/2). Both teams have won four of their last five games. The direct duel in Linz on February 18th showed that the Black Wings could be a little more dangerous in combination with the appendix. Speaking of appendix: With around 1,000 Linz residents in the Salzburg Volksgarten, home rights would probably only exist on paper. Even with strict regulations for tickets (advance tickets only on site in Salzburg were announced about once), the Linz fans always managed to take over the acoustic sovereignty in the stadium.

And for the sake of completeness: Ljubljana (2/2/0/0) and the Pioneers (3/0/1/0) are probably ahead of Linz on the list, Pustertal (2/0/0/2) has the same record as Villach.

OÖN tip: Red Bull Salzburg chooses Villach and completes against ex-colleagues Jean Philippe Lamoureux, John Hughes, Alexander Rauchwald and Layne Viveiros what they were unable to accomplish in the aborted 2020 quarter-finals when the score was 2-1.

Bolzano

The foxes have no right to vote and must take whoever the other three leave.

OÖN tip: The chances are good that there will be a repeat of the quarter-final series from the previous season.