Close games on Thursday

Thu, 15.11.2018: Red Bull Hockey Juniors vs. EC-KAC II 3:1 (0:0,2:0,1:1)
Referees: LOICHT, OFNER; spectators: 50
Red Bull Hockey Juniors were the chiefs on the ice in period 1 (15:4-shots), but EC-KAC II goalie Jakob Holzer allowed no goal. The break-through came in minute 30: Eckl (30.) and Frandl (33.) scored twice within just 173 seconds and gave the Mozart Citizens a 2:0-lead. Each forward has netted his first Alps Hockey League goal. Klagenfurt did more for the offense in period 2 as well, but netminder Nicolas Wieser had all (ten) shots. The Red Bulls controlled the game in period 3. Kirk Furey took his Time Out two minutes before the end and brought an extra-skater instead of his goalie. The risk paid off, Simon Hammerle scored the 1:2 in minute 59. But, the Red Bulls stayed unimpressed: Captain Samuel Witting decided the match just 57 seconds later, he potted the 3:1 from the own blue line into the empty net.
Goals RBJ: Eckl (30. – Meisaari, Evertsson), Frandl (33. – Nordberg), Witting (60./EN)
Goals KA2: S. Hammerle (59. – Kernberger)

Thu, 15.11.2018: HC Fassa Falcons vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären 2:3 (0:0,1:1,1:2)
Referees: MORI, MOSCHEN; spectators: 526
Some news for the two teams. Luca Zandonella began a new sporting path with the Falcons after a career in Cortina also as captain. Soel Costantin was absent. Greg Holst was the new coach in Zell am See for the first match of the season. First period was very pleasant. The defense of Fassa controlled a couple of dangerous attacks by Polar Bears. First half was without goal. In the second period the Fassa was very aggressive but they didn’t find the net even in double powerplay. After 34 minutes, Louke Oakley scored the first goal of Zell am See with a slap shot after a perfect assist by Petr Vala. But after a penalty match to Daniel Nageler, Fassa equalized in double powerplay with Martin Gran after a scrum. In the third time the Fassa seemed to have the game in the hand after a goal of Elias Thum in powerplay with a touch in the wide-open net. But the game was always full of emotions. Zell am See missed a solitary counterattack but then scored the draw in powerplay traffic with Frederik Widen. But it was always the extra man who rewarded the Austrians: after 56 minutes Petr Vala scored the goal in backend and in the front of opposite net. Until the last second Fassa tried to equalize but the Zell am See won by 3:2.
Goals FAS: Gran (37./pp33 – Schiavone, Iori), Thum (45./pp)
Goals EKZ: Oakley (35./pp – Vala, LeBlanc), Widen (50./pp2 – Oakley, Vala), Vala (57./pp – Widen, Scholz)

Thu, 15.11.2018: Hockey Milano Rossoblu vs. HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 2:4 (1:1,1:2,0:1)

Referees: RUETZ, WALLNER; spectators: 1.027
Very high rhythms since the start of the game. Minute after minute the Gherdeina grew in the game but they didn’t materialize. Then in the last minutes of the first period the game became absolutely fun. Simone Asinelli realized the first goal of the evening with a deflection after a shot by Francesco De Biasio from distance (powerplay). But always in powerplay the Gherdeina equalized 27 seconds from the end of the first half. David Roupec realized with a rocket that left no way out to Martino Valle Da Rin. In the second period, Milan controlled the game and played better. Francis Verrault-Paul failed to score the second goal. But the same Canadian forward run away and scored in counterattack with a nice wrist shot (32 '/sh). But after just 83 seconds, in the same powerplay, the Gherdeina equalized with a perfect action with the net of Gabriel Vinatzer. Then the visitors closed the second half ahead thanks to Michael Sullmann Pilser's net that stole a puck from his opponents. In the third time the protagonist was Misa Pietila. The goalkeeper of the Gherdeina saved a lot. The home team tried all the time the draw goal especially in the last minutes with Francis Verrault-Paul and then with Riley Brace in powerplay. Then the Furies intercepted a puck as they scored the final 4:2 with an empty goal with Gabriel Vinatzer.
Goals MIL: Asinelli (18./pp – DeBiasio, Brace), Verreault-Paul (33./sh – Schina, Brace)
Goals GHE: Roupec (20./pp – Lundström, G. Vinatzer), G. Vinatzer (34./pp –Roupec, Sullmann Pilser, 60./EN), Sullmann Pilser (40. – Lundström, Demetz)

Thu, 15.11.2018: Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro vs. Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 4:2 (1:1,0:0,3:1)

Referees: LESNIAK, PAHOR; spectators: 337
Two notice for the visitor’s team: Phil Pietroniro was absent and Ron Ivany coached on the bench for the first time. During the first period the game didn’t take off and there was only a blaze around 14 minutes. During the first powerplay available the Asiago made the first goal with Michele Marchetti but after 31 seconds the Cortina immediately reestablished the parity with Riccardo Lacedelli. The Asiago started better in the second period but then the many penalties broke up the game. None of the two teams took advantage of the various powerplays and the result remained after 40 minutes in a tie (1:1). In the third period the game was much more interesting with more intensity on both sides of the rink. Minute after minute the Cortina grew as they realized on rebound with Nick Brunetau. But after just 36 seconds Anthony Bardaro stole a puck in neutral and then served Fabrizio Pace for the draw of the yellow-red team. But the home team believed more: Nick Trecapelli after 56 minutes made a goal very important. This time the Cortina maintained the advantage and then scored the 4:2 with Riccardo Lacedelli’s empty net goal.
Goals SGC: 1:1 Riccardo Lacedelli (14:15/PP1/Nick Bruneteau-Mathieu Ayotte); 2:1 Nick Brunetau (50:01/Moser); 3:2 Nick Trecapelli (56:07/Sanna); 4:2 Riccardo Lacedelli (59:16/EN/Vanttinen-Moser);
Goals ASH: 0:1 Michele Marchetti (14:15/PP1/Rosa-Casetti); 2:2 Fabrizio Pace (2:2/Bardaro-Rosa);