Release from 06.04.2023

Cortina makes finals for the first time ever

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The 2023 Alps Hockey League final series will be contested by S.G. Cortina Hafro and HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. With a 4-3 road win in the seventh game of the semifinal series against Red Bull Hockey Juniors, the Italians qualified for the finals starting on Saturday. For the first time, the reigning Italian champions will contest a finals series in the multinational league.

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S.G. Cortina Hafro won the decisive seventh semifinal game 4-3 at Red Bull Hockey Juniors to also triumph in the "best-of-7" semifinal series. The Italians won their third consecutive road game and will now face HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice in their first Alps Hockey League final series. The Slovenians are still unbeaten in the running postseason, winning their semifinal series against the Rittner Buam 4-0.

Semifinal seven started promisingly for Cortina, as after less than five minutes Diego Cuglietta scored the opening goal, with the Canadian scoring in his fifth consecutive road game as well. But Cortina's joy did not last long, right in return and after only ten seconds David Cernik (5.) scored the equalizer. And the young Salzburg team kept the pressure on, immediately converting their first powerplay through Philipp Kernig (8./PP1). As if that wasn't enough, the hosts, which were clearly better at this point, added the third goal through Julius Sumpf (14.).

When the first break was imminent, Cortina managed to tie the game, as Ronny De zanna (20.) was successful 15 seconds before the buzzer. The guests from Italy initially took the momentum into the second period, but the equalizer had to wait. In the 34th minute Cortina, when Salzburg had too many players on the ice, was awarded a power play and Mikael Saha (35./PP1) scored. The Italians then managed the opening goal in the second period, with 20-year-old Alberto Colli lighting the lamp. For the defender it was the first postseason goal ever.

In the further course and especially in the last period Salzburg went hard for the equalizer, had more chances - but could not overcome goalie Marco De Filippo.

Alps Hockey League | 06.04.2023 | semifinal 7:
Red Bull Hockey Juniors – S.G. Cortina Hafro 3:4 (3:2, 0:2, 0:0)
Referees: REZEK, SCHAUER, Eisl, Wimmler. | Spectators: 160
„best-of-7“ semifinal series: 3:4
Goals RBJ: Cernik (5./Sinn), Krening (8.PP1/Heigl N.-Sinn), Sumpf (14./Sinn-Jelavic)
Goals SGC: Cuglietta (5./Zardini Lacedelli-Alvera), De zanna (20./Traversa-Lacedelli), Saha (35.PP1/Zanatta-Cuglietta), Coll (38./Zanatta-Barnabo)

Fotocredit: Castoldi