Background
The recent 4-2 away win against the Vienna Capitals on December 7th marked the beginning of Salzburg's current winning streak. Eight more victories followed, and just yesterday, Salzburg climbed back into third place in the standings after a long period of being out of contention (one point ahead of Bolzano, who have played two fewer games). Now, they face Head Coach Kevin Constantine's team again in Salzburg. The Red Bulls, who are increasingly finding their rhythm and have only conceded two goals in their last three games, have won all three previous encounters against Vienna this season and are aiming to maintain their perfect record in their fourth meeting.
The Vienna Capitals are also in good form. Currently eighth in the standings, they are looking to secure a pre-playoff spot and defeated Olimpija Ljubljana 3-2 at home in yesterday's New Year's game. The Capitals have scored five goals in their last seven games. Against the Red Bulls, they've only managed to secure one overtime point in Salzburg so far, but their other two losses in Vienna were also ultimately decided by Salzburg's empty-net goals.
Vienna boasts the second-strongest power play
The Red Bulls currently have the fewest goals conceded, making them the strongest defensive team in the league. Against the Vienna Capitals, staying out of the penalty box will be crucial, as the Viennese boast the second-best power play efficiency in the league with 24.4%. For comparison, Salzburg ranks only 11th in this category with a power play efficiency of 14.7%.
