Release from 29.03.2024

Bolzano plays for a ticket to the finals in front of home crowd

Short text 360 CharactersPlain text

The EC-KAC has already qualified for the 2024 final of the win2day ICE Hockey League. Only their opponent is still uncertain: HCB Südtirol Alperia could follow Klagenfurt into the finals in their home game on Saturday. EC Red Bull Salzburg, meanwhile, is still two wins away and will play on Saturday - live on PULS 24 and JOYN - against the end of the season.

Press release 2423 CharactersPlain text

Sat. 30.03.2024, 18:00: HCB Südtirol Alperia - EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: NIKOLIC M., SMETANA, Riecken, Zgonc. >> PULS 24 and JOYN <<
Standings in the "best-of-7" series: 3:2

Even before the series began, numerous experts were predicting a long semi-final series between EC Red Bull Salzburg and HCB Südtirol Alperia. Not surprisingly, as all series between these two teams have gone the full distance so far. Now the Red Bulls and the Foxes are facing each other in the semi-finals for the first time and so far they have delivered what the series promised in the run-up: Excitement. After five games, the South Tyroleans lead by a narrow 3:2, with the last three games ending with just a one-goal difference. From Salzburg's point of view, the defeat in the fifth semi-final was particularly bitter: while the hosts were in the lead for almost 37 minutes, the Foxes were only in front for three minutes. Albeit the decisive three minutes. This was made possible by Dylan Di Perna's playoff debut goal.

It's often the players you don't expect who suddenly become game-winners in the playoffs. This almost happened in game five - before Di Perna's goal - to Salzburg's Phillip Sinn. However, his supposedly first playoff goal was denied due to "goalie interference". On the Salzburg side, Mario Huber and Drake Rymsha in particular are players who score when it is imprtant. Huber was already one of Salzburg's most dangerous players in the 2023 postseason - he scored eight goals in the 2023 playoffs. Huber also has six goals in the current postseason - compared to eight in the regular season. Rymsha has five playoff goals - he also scored a total of eight goals in the regular season. On the Bolzano side, however, it is above all the "perennial favorites" Justin Gazley and Brad McClure who are causing for danger: they led the Foxes' scoring in both the 2023 and 2024 postseasons. One player who no longer has to prove that he can score - when he has the chance - is Peter Schneider with the Red Bulls. The top goal-getter of the 2023 playoffs returned from injury on Thursday and will do everything in his power to prevent the Red Bulls' season ending on Saturday. In any case, a real cauldron is guaranteed in the Sparkasse Arena on Saturday, where some Salzburg fans (>> click here for an RBS fan story) will once again be in the mix.