Asiago destorys Jesenice’s winning streak at eleven

Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey put an end to the winning streak of regular season champion HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. The runners-up won 4-1 on the road, becoming only the second AHL team this season to win in Jesenice after Merano, which won in a shootout on the first day of the season. The Slovenians won all previous 13 home games. With the win, the Italians also took the lead in the Master Round. Steven Iacobellis (28./PP1) took advantage of the visitors' first and lone power play to take the lead, but it was quickly equalized by Jasa Jenko (29.). Then within 19 seconds Alessandro Tessari (33.) and again Iacobellis (34.) brought red-yellow on track.

Ritten remains without a goal against | Lustenau tabs first win
The Rittner Buam remained without a goal against in the Master Round, beating the SHC Fassa Falcons 2-0 at home. Jacob Smith impressed with 44 saves, collecting his second shutout in a row. It was his sixth shutout this season. Andreas Lutz (16.) and Manuel Öhler (52./PP1) scored the goals for the South Tyroleans.

Meanwhile, EHC Lustenau managed its first intermediate round win: The Vorarlberg team prevailed at the still winless S.G. Cortina Hafro with 3:1. They made up for the deficit with two power play goals and had a strong back-up in goalie Erik Hanses (96.4%). Remy Giftopoulos' equalizer was his tenth goal of the season, the first since his hat trick on December 4.

First wins for Sterzing and Kitzbühel in Qualification Round A
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan and EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel claimed their first victories on the second matchday of the Qualification Round: The South Tyroleans prevailed 3-1 at EC-KAC Future Team, which made its intermediate round debut. Jakob Rabanser saved 42 for Sterzing, 19 of them in Klagenfurts offensively strong final frame. The game was decided in favor of the "Broncos" thanks to early goals by Lucas Chiodo (3./PP1, 21.) and Bryson Cianfrone (10.). The consolation goal for the Carinthians, which lost for the sixth time in a row, was scored by Tobias Sablattnig.

Kitzbühel prevailed in Joakim Andersson's coaching debut against Red Bull Hockey Juniors 1-0 after penalty shootout and showed a defensive reaction to the 0-8 rebuff in the QR opener. After a good opening third, the Eagles defense and goalie Paul Mocher, who celebrated his first shutout with 33 saves, held out against the increasingly dangerous Salzburg team until the shootout. There, Mocher was again outstanding, Raivo Freidenfelds scored the decisive penalty.

Gherdeina and Feldkirch remain unbeaten in Qualification Round B
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and BEMER VEU Feldkirch remained unbeaten in the Qualification Round. The South Tyroleans celebrated a 5-0 road win at the Steel Wings Linz, ending their road trip after the 5-1 in Vienna on Friday with two victories. Outstanding for the QR-B leader were two former MVPs, as Colin Furlong collected his first shutout of the season with 43 saves and Brad McGowan recorded a four-point game (2G|2A).

Feldkirch cheered its tenth win in a row with a 6-1 home win over the Vienna Capitals Silver, which lifted the Vorarlberg team to a pre-playoff spot for the time being. VEU countered the surprising lead of the guests in the 12th minute with three goals in four and a half minutes and made the preliminary decision. Nine players scored, Yannik Lebeda grabbed a brace.

EK Die Zeller Eisbären, which won 6-3 against HC Meran/o Pircher, are still in second place. Already after eight minutes the Salzburg side was 2-0 ahead, then created in an altogether goal-rich middle third with four goals the preliminary decision. Defender Alexander Frandl recorded a brace.

Alps Hockey League | 29.01.2022 | Results:
Master Round:
Rittner Buam - SHC Fassa Falcons 2:0 (1:0, 0:0, 1:0) | Details
Referees: LAZZERI, MOSCHEN, Cristeli, Pace. | Spectators: 367
Goals RIT: Lutz (16.), Öhler M. (52./PP1)

HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1:4 (0:0, 1:3, 0:1) | Details
Referees: BAJT, HEINRICHER, Javornik, Puff. | Spectators: 350
Goal JES: Jenko (30.)
Goals ASH: Iacobellis (28./PP1, 34.), Tessari (33.), Giliati (59./EN)

S.G. Cortina Hafro - EHC Lustenau 1:3 (1:1, 0:1, 0:1) | Details
Referees: EGGER, OREL, Bergant, Piras. | Spectators: 151
Goal SGC: Sanna (14./PP1)
Goals EHC: Giftopoulos (19./PP2), D’Alvise (29./PP1), Puschnik (50.)

Qualification Round A:
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 1:0 SO (0:0, 0:0, 0:0, 0:0) | Details
Referees: LEHNER, VIRTA, Basso, Moidl. | Spectators: 228
Goal KEC: Freidenfelds (65./PS)

EC-KAC Future Team - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 1:3 (0:2, 0:1, 1:0) | Details
Referees: LESNIAK, LOICHT, Legat, Snoj. | Spectators: 100
Goal KFT: Sablattnig (60.)
Goals WSV: Chiodo (3./PP1, 21.), Cianfrone (10.)

Qualification Round B:
Steel Wings Linz - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 0:5 (0:2, 0:1, 0:2) | Details
Referees: DURCHNER, WIDMANN, Matthey, Voican. | Spectators: 223
Goals GHE: Galassiti (4./PP1), McGowan (15., 34.), Moroder (55.), Sullmann Pilser (59.)

BEMER VEU Feldkirch - Vienna Capitals Silver 6:1 (3:1, 1:0, 2:0) | Details
Referees: SCHAUER, WALLNER, Eisl, Wimmler. | Spectators: 500
Goals VEU: Sticha (14./PP1), Revesz (15.), Lebeda (19., 58./SH1), Bolterle (40.), Kaider (51.)
Goal VCS: Fichtinger (12.)

HC Meran/o Pircher - EK Die Zeller Eisbären 3:6 (0:2, 3:4, 0:0) | Details
Referees: HOLZER, PINIE, Bassani, Tschrepitsch. | Spectators: 310
Goal HCM: Tomasini (24./SH1), Gellon (34.), Ahlström V. (39.)
Goals EKZ: Schernthaner (2.), Frandl (8., 38.), Pauliny (27.), Widen (28./PP2), Kreuzer (33.)

Fotocredit: Vito De Romeo