Release from 15.01.2025

Cortina against Ritten top game on Thursday

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A total of five games are scheduled in the Alps Hockey League on Thursday. Last season's finalists face each other in the top game: S.G. Cortina Hafro take on defending champions and league leader Rittner Buam SkyAlps. In addition, third-placed EK Die Zeller Eisbären will face HC Meran/o Pircher away from home and Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel will play at the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it.

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League leader Rittner Buam SkyAlps have won all of their last four games and, with 64 points, have a two-point lead over their closest rivals Jesenice. However, the Slovenians are not in action on Thursday. Cortina is in fifth place with 54 points and has an eight-point lead over sixth-placed Sterzing. Cortina have won three of their last five games. In the head-to-head with Ritten, they lost 4-5/OT both times so far this season. Cortina have been waiting for a win against Ritten for a total of nine games. They lost 0-4 in the 2024 AHL final series and were victorious in the first game of the Serie A final series, but were ultimately beaten 1-2.

Third-placed EK Die Zeller Eisbären lost 0-2 to the Red Bull Hockey Juniors in the Salzburg derby on Tuesday and thus failed to draw level with leaders Ritten in the table. For Zell am See, it was one of three defeats from the past five games. Opponents HC Meran/o Pircher are in seventh place in the table and have won all of their last three games. The “Eagles” also celebrated a victory in their last duel with the “Polar Bears” (4:2). In the first duel of the season, the Austrians clearly had the upper hand with 6:1. Should Zell am See win on Thursday after regulation time, they would be guaranteed a place in the Master Round and thus in the playoffs. Even a defeat could be enough to qualify early, depending on how Sisak plays against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors.

Although the Croatians are only eighth in the table, they still have eight games remaining and can therefore still reach a maximum of 64 points. However, they have lost the head-to-head with Zell am See. They are currently 14 points behind fifth-placed Cortina. The current form does not speak in favor of KHL Sisak. The league newcomer have not won any of their last four games. Opponent Red Bull Hockey Juniors celebrated a prestigious win in the derby against Zell am See on Tuesday, before which they suffered two consecutive defeats. Salzburg are in twelfth place in the table. In the head-to-head with Sisak, the Juniors had the upper hand in one of the two encounters.

Fourth-placed Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel visit bottom-placed HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. The visitors have been beaten in their last two games, before that the “Eagles” celebrated five wins in a row. Val Gardena was victorious in two of their last five games, most recently losing the derby in Merano with 2:3/OT. The South Tyroleans have not had a chance in direct comparisons with Kitzbühel so far this season (1:4, 1:5).

In addition, the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan and EC Bregenzerwald will meet on Thursday. While Sterzing has already worked its way up to sixth place in the table and still has a small chance of finishing in the top five, Bregenzerwald is in eleventh place. The team from Vorarlberg recently beat Kitzbühel 5:2, before that they suffered three defeats in a row. The South Tyroleans have won three of their last five games.

Alps Hockey League:
Thursday, 16.01.2025:
19:30: KHL Sisak – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: SNOJ, WIDMANN, Javornik, Wucherer. | >> valcome.tv <<

20:00: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – EC Bregenzerwald
Referees: PINIE, STEFENELLI, Brondi, Grisenti. | >> valcome.tv <<

20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro – Rittner Buam SkyAlps
Referees: HUBER R., VIRTA, Formaioni, Scalzeri. | >> valcome.tv <<

20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: LEGA, SPIEGEL, Cusin, Divis. | >> valcome.tv <<

20:30: HC Meran/o Pircher – EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: PIRAS, RIVIS, Fecchio, Rivis. | >> valcome.tv <<    

Copyright: Max Pattis