Zell am See Holds Onto Top Spot EK Die Zeller Eisbären secured a 5-2 victory over HC Meran/o Pircher, holding onto their top spot in the table with 17 points, just one point ahead of Sterzing. The Eisbären faced a tougher challenge in Meran than the final score suggests. It wasn't until three and a half minutes before the end of the game that Nick Huard scored the third goal for the visitors on a power play. Just 60 seconds later, the Canadian struck again on a power play, making it 4-1. The other goals for the Pinzgauer came from Alexander Lahoda (18th minute), Tomi Wilenius (21st), and Frederik Widen (59th). Meran suffered their second consecutive defeat and sits in twelfth place with five points.
Kitzbühel Wins in Shootout, Ritten Celebrates Overtime Victory EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel secured a narrow 2-1 shootout victory against runners-up S.G. Cortina Hafro. It was the third consecutive victory for the Tyroleans, who currently occupy fifth place in the table. Cortina sits in eighth place and has suffered three defeats in their last four games. In a low-scoring match, Waltteri Lehtonen put Kitzbühel in the lead in the 36th minute. The narrow lead held until four minutes before the end of the game when Lacedelli equalized for the visitors. The game then proceeded to overtime, which ended without a decision. In the subsequent shootout, Henrik Hochfilzer converted the decisive penalty in favor of Kitzbühel.
Meanwhile, Rittner Buam SkyAlps narrowly defeated Red Bull Hockey Juniors 4-3 in overtime. After 40 minutes, the South Tyroleans led 3-1. However, the young Bulls managed to level the score in the final period. In overtime, Cameron Ginnetti scored the winning goal for Ritten in the 63rd minute. The reigning Alps Hockey League champions remain in fourth place, five points behind the league leaders. The Red Bull Hockey Juniors sit in fourteenth place with three points.
Home Victories for Lustenau, KAC Future Team, and Sterzing EHC Lustenau narrowly defeated Steel Wings Linz AG 3-2 at home. After 40 minutes, the visitors from Upper Austria were ahead 2-1. Max Wennlund secured the victory for Vorarlberg with a power-play goal four minutes before the end of the game. This was Wennlund's second goal of the evening, having previously scored the equalizer at 1-1. EHC currently occupies the ninth spot in the table with eight points, while the Steel Wings are thirteenth with four points.
The EC-KAC Future Team celebrated a convincing 6-1 home victory over HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. The Klagenfurt team secured their second win in six games and currently sits in eleventh place in the table. Gröden suffered their fifth defeat in six games. The home team from Carinthia was already leading 5-0 after 27 minutes.
