The starting position
Playoff fixed, ranking still open. In the remaining four GD games, the Red Bulls want to secure second place if possible and need every point to catch Hungary, who are currently in second place with a three-point lead. In the last two games before the international break, the Red Bulls won against a short-handed Graz team and in Asiago after a penalty shoot-out. They will need to step up their game in Ljubljana, as the Slovenians have often proved to be 'giant killers', especially at home. Klagenfurt and Bolzano, for example, lost both matches in Ljubljana.
HK SŽ Olimpija are currently in ninth place and are thus firmly in the pre-playoffs, but could still displace Pustertal from eighth place and thus have first home advantage in the later duel for a real playoff place. The Slovenians won 3:0 at home against Vienna on Tuesday (Salzburg were not playing) and have thus already put themselves in a strong position.
Salzburg's plus in direct comparison
The Red Bulls have not always had an easy time against Ljubljana this season either. They won their first away game 3:2 in October last year, followed by a 4:1 home win in November, but at the end of December they had to go into overtime to keep the Slovenians at bay with a 4:3 victory.
Nevertheless, Salzburg can point to a proud series against Ljubljana, having won their last seven games against the Slovenians over the course of the season. Ljubljana's last victory was almost exactly two years ago to the day, on February 13, 2022, when they won 3:2 in Salzburg.
