Release from 11.09.2017
The season was already opened on Saturday by Lustenau and Zell am See. Now the other teams take an active part in the second season of Alps Hockey League. Seven games are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday
The only game on Tuesday is the Austrian derby between FBI VEU Feldkirch and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. Feldkirch ended the last season as best Austrian team of Alps Hockey League. On time for the season start Headcoach Michael Lampert can rely on his full squad again, except Loibenegger who will miss for a longer period. Salzburg is, like in the past season, a very young team, which will most likely play a high-speed hockey again.
On Wednesday, also the Italian and Slovenian teams will take an active part and open their season. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice is hosting the vice champion Asiago Hockey. Also Jesenice booked presentable performances in the past season and made it to the semifinals. But also after the summer break Jesenice seems to be in shape again, as they clinched the title of the Slovenian Cup against Ljubljana. The league newcomer of Alps Hockey League had to take a 0:3 in the cup and will play their first Alps Hockey League game against champion Ritten.
HC Fassa Falcons and HC Pustertal are opening the season with an Italian internal duel. Pustertal aims to book a comparable start as they had in the first AHL season, when they won the first four games. Also in preseason things are working well for Pustertal. They managed to win against EBEL member HC Bozen as the only AHL-Team. Another Italians only duel is scheduled in Neumarkt, when the wild gooses are hosting the HC Gehrdeina. Neumarkt won four of seven games in the preseason. Also Gherdeina booked some good success during the preparation campaign.
In the last game on Wednesday the S.G. Cortina is playing against the EC KACII. In the past season Cortina was the surprising team in the playoffs, as they eliminated Pustertal with 3:0 in quarterfinals. The Rittner Buam were the final stop in the semifinals. The EC KAC II is together with Salzburg the youngest team of the Alps Hockey League with their qualities in high speed hockey.
On Thursday the first round will be closed with the game WSV Sterzing Broncos and the EC Bregenzerwald. Both teams had a tough first season. Bregenzerwald started in the past season as INL Champ into the league but ended the season on the 15th place. Sterzing is already hot for their first official game in the new season, after they booked a very successful final rehearsal against Kitzbühel.
Alps Hockey League, 1. Runde:
Di, 12.09.2017: FBI VEU Feldkirch – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 19:30
Referees: RUETZ, STRASSER, Kalb, Rinker
Mi, 13.09.2017: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey19:00
Referees: BAJT, KUMMER, Bergant, Holzer
Mi, 13.09.2017: HK Olimpija Ljubljana – Rittner Buam 19:15
Referees: LESNIAK, WIDMANN, Markizeti, Miklic
Mi, 13.09.2017: HC Fassa Falcons – HC Pustertal Wölfe:20:00
Referees: LEGA, VIRTA, De Zordo, Terragni
Mi, 13.09.2017: HC Neumarkt Riwega – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 20:00
Referees: BENVEGNU, MORI, Giacomozzi, Piras
Mi, 13.09.2017: S.G. Cortina Hafro – EC KAC II 20:30
Referees: KAMSEK, MOSCHEN, Basso, Bizalj
Do, 14.09.2017: WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan – EC Bregenzerwald 20:00
Referees: LAZZERI, SUPPER, Bedana, Cristeli
Foto:Bernd Stefan / hockey24/7