Wednesday, 11. February 2026 |
Austrian AHL Championship Finals
Tickets are available in the online ticket shop or at the box office | Seated and standing tickets 13 EUR
Attention, important information regarding the second leg in Salzburg
- All stands are open at the Eisarena Salzburg
- Tickets are available in the online shop
- Tickets for this game are NOT valid as tickets for public transport
- The game is included in the EC Red Bull Salzburg season ticket! Season ticket seats are reserved for the respective owner, as is the case for EC Red Bull Salzburg home games
- Fans from Zell am See are requested to book their tickets in the B stand
Statement Mika Haim
Background
When the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the Zell am See Ice Bears meet, it's not just the final between the two best Austrian teams in the current AHL season, but also a duel between two teams that are setting the standard in the entire cross-border league. The Juniors finished the regular season (36 games) as champions – for the first time in club history – ahead of the second-placed Pinzgau team. After the first two games of the Master Round (intermediate round of the top 5 teams after the regular season), Zell am See – incidentally, the reigning AHL champion – has taken over the top spot in the standings, with the Juniors in second place.
Season Matchup: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – EK Zell am See Ice Bears | 1:2
October 9, 2025 | Red Bull Hockey Juniors – EK Zell am See Ice Bears 5:1 (1:1, 3:0, 1:0)
November 22, 2025 | EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 7:4 (2:2, 4:2, 1:0)
January 24, 2026 | EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:0 (2:0, 1:0, 0:0)
"Impetuous" young talents meet Zell am See's experience
In recent years, the Juniors' duel with Zell am See has evolved into a Salzburg derby that truly lives up to its name. In the battle to become the best Salzburg AHL team, the Juniors, coming from the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy, are the youngest team in the league with an average age of 18.8 years (!), facing the Eisbären, who, with an average age of 25.3 years, are the oldest team in the league.
The encounter is made particularly intense by the fact that several former Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy players are currently playing in Zell am See – these include Alois Schultes (goaltender), Maximilian Egger, Devin Steffler, Sebastian Zauner (defensemen), as well as Alexander Lahoda and Aljaž Predan (forwards) – and will now be competing against the up-and-coming Juniors.
Statement by Mika Haim
"We expect two tough games. We need to be very prepared for our first away game in Zell am See and get off to a good start. Zell am See always has great support from their fans, but we're even more excited to play in front of our own fans and hope to capitalize on our home advantage in the second game."
Highlights: Red Bull Hockey Juniors vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären | 9.10.25
// Juniors
Third Finals
In the AHL, which has been played since 2016/17, the Austrian champion has also been determined within the league since the 2018/19 season. Initially a Final Four tournament, since last season it has been a single final between the two best Austrian teams after the regular season.
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors won the inaugural title in 2019 and, with a total of three titles, are the most successful team. Their last victory came in 2024 in the final against Zell am See, who had won the Austrian AHL championship a year earlier (2023) by defeating the Juniors in the final. This year marks the third time this final matchup has taken place.
Austrian AHL Championship | Format and Final Dates
The standings are determined by the aggregate score; the total number of goals from both games decides the winner. Therefore, overtime or a penalty shootout can only occur after the second game if the aggregate score is tied.
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Thursday, February 12, 2026 | Zell am See, 7:30 PM
Red Bull Hockey Juniors – EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Saturday, February 14, 2026 | Eisarena Salzburg, 7:15 PM
Both games live on Valvome.tv
Red Bull Hockey Juniors lose in Salzburg derby// JUNIORS
Juniors lose in second Salzburg derby// JUNIORS
Mit Video
Juniors win Salzburg derby// JUNIORS