Arminen and AHTC both have German challenges ahead

Austria’s two EHL sides SV Arminen and AHTC both saw their weekend matches postponed as the flooding in the country saw government recommendations take precedence.

Both have tough dates with German opposition in the pipeline at the EHL KO16 in London in October, facing Hamburger Polo Club and Mannheimer HC respectively.

Arminen will be happier with their early season form, winning their only game to date 3-2 against HDI WAC.

Nitan Sondhi (pictured) continues to coach the side and he wants to take the stability from the spring into the new season, continuing to introduce young players to the first team.

They have a number of new faces joining their ranks, including Austrian international Marcin Nyckowiak  from Post SV along with Marten Oel (Berliner HC), Noah Mendoza (Los Angeles), Max Stvarnik (WAC) and Oskar Rathkolb (own youth team). Robert Campe, though, switched to Munich during the summer.

Last season’s champions AHTC were undone by HC Wien in their first game of the league season last week in a 3-2 outcome.

They have been bolstered by the arrivals of Ben Kramer (MSC Munich) and Tom Seidensticker (Düsseldorfer HC) from Germany, adding to the strength of the likes of Christoph Soldat, Oliver Kern, Florian Albrecht, Laurenzo Rizzi and Moritz Haustein.

Lukasz Staniczek is expecting a competitive season ahead, saying: “Our first goal is of course to get to the Final Four and then defend the championship title there.”

“Arminen is, of course, one of the favourites, as always. For us, I hope that we will show good hockey again and – like last year – will have a decisive say in the championship at the end.”

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