Story Summary
EC-KAC face a demanding final assignment before the international break when they visit reigning champions Graz99ers on Friday evening. The Klagenfurt club will be without seven injured players, while defenceman Mattias Göransson is ill and remains a game-day decision after missing training on Wednesday and Thursday.
Sebastian Dahm, Maximilian Preiml, Nick Petersen, Jan Muršak, Ben Öfner, Fabian Hochegger and Matt Fraser are all unavailable. That leaves the Rotjacken potentially heading to Graz with eight absences after an intensive October containing 12 competitive matches.
The sides meet for the 156th time, with face-off in Graz-Liebenau scheduled for 18.30 on 30 October. KAC enter the game fourth in the table, with nine wins and six defeats, while seventh-placed Graz have eight wins and seven losses. Only three points separate the clubs.
KAC won the only previous meeting this season, beating Graz 6-2 at home on 27 September. Both teams were also short-handed that night, with KAC missing five regular players and Graz without ten.
Key Facts
- EC-KAC will visit reigning ICE Hockey League champions Graz99ers at 18.30 on 30 October.
- KAC have seven injured players unavailable: Sebastian Dahm, Maximilian Preiml, Nick Petersen, Jan Muršak, Ben Öfner, Fabian Hochegger and Matt Fraser.
- Defenceman Mattias Göransson is ill, missed training on Wednesday and Thursday, and will be assessed on match day.
- KAC have recorded nine wins and six defeats and sit fourth in the table, while Graz are seventh with eight wins and seven losses.
- The clubs are separated by three points and will meet for the 156th time.
- KAC won the sides’ first meeting of the season 6-2 at home on 27 September.
- KAC have taken points from each of their last three away games, but have conceded 23 goals from 16.9 expected goals against on the road.
- Graz lost 3-4 in overtime at Ferencvárosi TC after trailing 0-3 and have collected maximum points in only two of seven home league games.
IHM Discussion
The personnel list is the immediate story for KAC, but the trip also arrives at a testing point in their schedule. Their final October outing comes after 12 competitive games during the month, and the available players must carry a shortened line-up into a match against a champion they defeated convincingly earlier in the season.
KAC took six points from nine last week, beating Fehérvár AV19 6-3 and Milano Hockey Club 3-2 before losing 5-2 at home to league leaders HCB Südtirol. Against HCB, they had 54.9 per cent of possession and outshot their opponents 32-24, yet their attack lacked the necessary directness. Only 41.7 per cent of their slot attempts became shots on goal, well below their previous-game average of 69.4 per cent.
Clemens Unterweger said KAC could take positives from their performance against HCB, while identifying a need to be more clinical with their chances. He also pointed to defensive details, saying the team have conceded too many odd-man rushes, including two-on-ones and three-on-twos, and need better co-ordination.
Graz arrive after a mixed opening stretch that resembles their record at the same stage of last season, when they eventually won the title. Their special teams are not currently in the top half of the league in either power play or penalty killing, and their home return has been limited, but Unterweger described them as dangerous offensively across all four lines and noted their two strong goaltenders.
Why It Matters
KAC’s injury situation puts extra weight on how they manage the game in Graz. The club have found a way to collect points in three consecutive away matches, yet their broader road numbers show a clear issue: 23 goals conceded against 16.9 expected goals against, equating to 3.29 goals allowed per away game. That is their highest rate of road goals conceded since 2009-10.
The previous meeting offers context but not a guarantee. KAC won 6-2 in September, with three goals in the first seven minutes of the second period deciding the momentum. Even then, however, only 39.3 per cent of their attempts were shots on goal, their lowest figure of the season to that point, while Graz recorded 18 blocks. The game again presents KAC with a need to turn possession and opportunities into cleaner, more productive attacking sequences.
For Graz, the fixture is a chance to improve a home record that has yielded just two three-point wins in seven league games. The clubs have a long history in Austria’s top division, having both played continuously at that level since the league’s reorganisation in 2000.
Mini Q&A
Which KAC players are unavailable against Graz99ers?
Sebastian Dahm, Maximilian Preiml, Nick Petersen, Jan Muršak, Ben Öfner, Fabian Hochegger and Matt Fraser are unavailable through injury.
Is Mattias Göransson expected to play for KAC?
Göransson is ill and missed training on Wednesday and Thursday, so his involvement will be decided on match day.
How did KAC fare in the first meeting with Graz this season?
KAC beat Graz99ers 6-2 at home on 27 September, scoring three times in the first seven minutes of the second period.
What Comes Next
KAC’s immediate checkpoint is the match-day decision on Mattias Göransson’s availability. The Rotjacken then face Graz99ers in Graz-Liebenau at 18.30 on 30 October before the international break.
IHM Final View
KAC travel to Graz carrying a substantial injury burden, but they remain close enough to their hosts in the table for the fixture to carry real value before the break. Their recent away points and September win over Graz provide useful background, while the more pressing task is to sharpen their finishing and limit the odd-man rushes identified by Clemens Unterweger.