Release from 20.02.2025
HK Celje secured the fourth of a total of six Pre-Playoff spots in the Alps Hockey League on Thursday night. In the second Pre-Playoff group, HC Meran/o also confirmed its top position with an overtime win in the clash of the day. In the Master Round, the Rittner Buam SkyAlps climbed to second place in the standings with a commanding win over S.G. Cortina Hafro. In the second Master Round game, Acroni Jesenice edged Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel in a penalty shootout.
Ritten Cruises Past Cortina
The Rittner Buam SkyAlps celebrated a dominant 5-1 victory over S.G. Cortina Hafro, climbing to second place in the standings. S.G. Cortina Hafro had no answer for an on-fire Ethan Szypula, who recorded a hat-trick. Cortina managed to keep pace with Ritten in the first period but trailed 0-1 at the first intermission due to missed scoring chances. While Colin Furlong stayed solid between the pipes for Ritten, the hosts’ offense capitalized on its opportunities. With this loss, Cortina remains at the bottom of the standings, while Ritten is now Zell's closest chaser, though Zell holds a seven-point lead at the top.
Jesenice Outlasts Kitzbühel in Shootout Thriller
In the second Master Round matchup, Acroni Jesenice claimed a shootout victory over Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel. The Adler struck first, taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. After Jesenice tied the game in the second period, Kitzbühel regained the lead—though it didn’t last long. With the third period and overtime remaining scoreless, it was Valtola Olli who sealed the deal with the shootout game-winner.
Meran Stays on Top | Juniors Grab First Win in Qualification Round
HC Meran/o defended its top spot in Qualification Round A on Thursday night. The highly anticipated matchup against the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan delivered as promised. Sterzing opened the scoring early, but HC Meran/o turned the game around by the 22nd minute, taking the lead. Although Sterzing managed to tie the game twice more, Massimo Pietroniro buried the overtime winner to secure the 4-3 victory and keep Meran/o atop the group.
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors notched their first win in Qualification Round A on Thursday night. HC Gherdeina started stronger, heading into the first break with a 1-0 lead. However, the young Salzburg squad took control afterward and went up 2-1. Gherdeina responded with a late equalizer, forcing overtime. There, Philipp Wimmer clinched the win with his second goal of the night.
Celje Locks in Pre-Playoff Berth | Cavaliers Stay in the Hunt
Following KHL Sisak’s qualification, HK Celje also punched its ticket to the Pre-Playoffs. The Slovenians edged KHL Sisak—who had already secured a spot a few days earlier—4-3 in a thrilling contest, knocking the Croatian side off the top of the table. The lead changed hands multiple times. After Sisak tied the game in the 51st minute, Mark Sojer completed his hat-trick to net the game-winner.
The Hockey Unterland Cavaliers proved they can handle pressure, keeping their Pre-Playoff hopes alive with a 4-1 victory over EC Bregenzerwald. Bregenzerwald, coming off two wins against Celje but now at risk of missing out on the Pre-Playoffs, opened the scoring early. However, the Cavaliers flipped the script, scoring three times in three minutes starting in the 15th minute of the first period. Daniels Murnieks completed a hat-trick to seal the win.
Alps Hockey League, Do, 20.02.2025:
Master Round:
Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - SIJ Acroni Jesenice 2:3 SO (1:0,1:2,0:0,0:0,0:1)
Referees: MOIDL, SPIEGEL, Jäger, Rinker
Goals:
1:0 KEC Maxa A. (05:11 / Tschurnig J. / EQ)
1:1 JES Sillanpaa S. (33:43 / Valtola O. ,Koblar G. / PP)
2:1 KEC Christiansen S. (38:20 / Podlipnik M. / EQ)
2:2 JES Zajc M. (39:23 / Urukalo Z. ,Brus N. / EQ)
2:3 JES Valtola O. (65:00 / GWS)
Rittner Buam SkyAlps - S.G. Cortina Hafro 5:1 (1:0,1:0,3:1)
Referees: VIRTA, WIDMANN, Brondi, Telesklav
Goals:
1:0 RIT Szypula E. (03:43 / Lobis A. ,Kostner S. / EQ)
2:0 RIT Szypula E. (38:46 / Kostner S. ,Marzolini M. / EQ)
3:0 RIT Insam M. (43:26 / Szypula E. ,Lobis A. / EQ)
4:0 RIT Szypula E. (44:50 / Lobis A. ,Kostner S. / EQ)
5:0 RIT Kostner S. (45:54 / Öhler M. ,Hjorth E. / PP)
5:1 SGC Pompanin F. (52:11 / Adami F. ,Ushnev N. / EQ)
Qualification Round A:
Red Bull Hockey Juniors - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 3:2 SO (0:1,1:0,1:1,0:0,1:0)
Referees: HLAVATY, WENUSCH, Preiser, Weiss
Goals:
0:1 GHE Cristellon Y. (16:36 / Oksanen E. ,Schiavone D. / EQ)
1:1 RBJ Korhonen N. (35:39 / Wimmer P. / EQ)
2:1 RBJ Wimmer P. (45:14 / unassisted / EQ)
2:2 GHE Oksanen E. (53:46 / Prosofsky K. ,Schiavone D. / EQ)
3:2 RBJ Wimmer P. (65:00 / GWS)
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - HC Meran/o Pircher 3:4 OT (1:1,1:2,1:0,0:1)
Referees: KAINBERGER, PINIE, Cristlei, Strimitzer
Goals:
1:0 WSV Hackhofer F. (03:32 / Livingston J. ,Sanvido C. / PP)
1:1 HCM Nakajima T. (15:33 / Madsen P. ,Gellon D. / EQ)
1:2 HCM Pietroniro C. (21:48 / Fuchs J. ,Rein N. / EQ)
2:2 WSV Livingston J. (26:15 / Gschliesser F. ,Cianfrone B. / EQ)
2:3 HCM Fuchs J. (33:08 / Brunner P. ,Pietroniro M. / EQ)
3:3 WSV Capannelli A. (59:44 / Sanvido C. ,Hackhofer F. / PP)
3:4 HCM Pietroniro M. (62:34 / Nakajima T. ,Ishida R. / EQ)
Qualification Round B:
HK RST Pellet Celje - KHL Sisak 4:3 (1:2,2:0,1:1)
Referees: BAJT, BULOVEC, Arlic, Jeram
Goals:
1:0 HKC Jakupovic A. (05:13 / Bukovec M. ,Logar M. / SH)
1:1 SIS Smolec J. (05:31 / Dostalek V. ,Bronte T. / PP)
1:2 SIS Bronte T. (10:16 / Briere C. ,Slovinac L. / EQ)
2:2 HKC Sojer M. (21:38 / Jakupovic A. ,Bukovec M. / EQ)
3:2 HKC Sojer M. (33:40 / Tsarkovskyi D. ,Panasenko B. / PP)
3:3 SIS Dostalek V. (50:33 / Bronte T. / EQ)
4:3 HKC Sojer M. (55:11 / Jakupovic A. / EQ)
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - EC Bregenzerwald 4:1 (3:1,1:0,0:0)
Referees: BENVEGNU, STEFENELLI, Pace, Scalzeri
Goals:
0:1 ECB Lipsbergs R. (06:15 / Fadieiev I. ,Metzler M. / EQ)
1:1 CAV Murnieks D. (14:44 / Kaufmann A M. ,Santer M. / EQ)
2:1 CAV Sullmann Pilser A M. (14:57 / Pisetta T. / EQ)
3:1 CAV Murnieks D. (16:20 / Kaufmann A M. ,Curti A. / EQ)
4:1 CAV Murnieks D. (38:16 / Kaufmann A M. ,Bonazzo M. / EQ)
Foto (c) Peter Ocvirk