Still many injured

Wukovits is still “just” crossing his fingers

Convalescent ice bull Ali Wukovits is full of energy: While the Vienna native sees light at the end of the tunnel ahead of the Graz supplement, the injury list of Head Coach Oliver David's squad remains as long as ever.

The situation is still tricky," is how Red Bulls manager Helmut Schlögl describes the situation at the defending champions, who are plagued by absences, ahead of the Ice Hockey League's second leg against the Graz 99ers. There are many indications that, as in the recent 5:3 win in Villach, eight cracks will continue to ensure a long list of absentees.

Not being able to help out, just watching, is the worst thing

Ali Wukovits

"We played really well together as a team against VSV and stuck together. We want to do the same in Graz," explains striker Philipp Krening, who contributed his third goal of the season and has developed very well this season. The Eisbullen still have plenty of room for improvement in penalty-killing. Salzburg is still in last place in the league standings (74.3 percent). Graz is first with 84.7.

With four games in the next seven days, the schedule is once again tough. On a positive note, two of the long-term absentees, Niki Kraus and Ali Wukovits, are back training with the team in yellow (no physical contact). "It's possible that I'll be back in action next week, otherwise after the international break," reports "Wuko" and is very happy to be at the end of a difficult period. "Not being able to help out, just watching, is the worst thing." Wukovits rates his squad's recent performance as very solid. Goal remains: "To finish first in the play-offs."