Release from 14.09.2019
S.G. Cortina Hafro is the first leader of the new season in Alps Hockey League, as the Italian side celebrated a 7:2 clear-cut win on the road against EC Bregenzerwald. Further, for the first time in Alps Hockey League history the reigning champion suffered a defeat in the opener, with HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana losing 0:1 to EC-KAC II. The Rittner Buam showed a huge comeback, trailing 0:4 early and grabbing a 5:4 overtime win in the end at EHC Lustenau. With HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice and the VEU Feldkirch two more teams celebrated a shutout.
Champion suffers opening defeat
The new season in Alps Hockey League kicked off with a huge upset, as the EC-KAC II snatched up a tight 1:0 shutout win at reigning champion HK SZ Olympija Ljubljana. Florian Vorauer did a great job guarding the net of the Austrian side, making 36 saves overall in the game, where the Slovenian team has the better of the play. The game winning goal was scored by Josef Schönett about 5,5 minutes left, assisted by Mark Kompain. For the first time in Alps Hockey League history the champion had to take a defeat in the opening game.
Cortina tops the table
S.G. Cortina Hafro leads the standings after the first round in Alps Hockey League. The Italians booked a 7:2 clear-cut win on the road at EC Bregenzerwald, with seven different players scoring. Remy Giftopolous gave his colors a perfect start into the game, netting after 22 seconds on powerplay. Four more straight goals lifted the guests to a 5:0 lead after 42 minutes and decided the game on an early stage. Nicholas Trecapelli had four assists in the end.
Both newcomers lose AHL debut
Both newcomers suffered home defeats in their Alps Hockey League debuts. The Vienna Capitals Silver lost to WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan 2:3. James Milam scored the first goal of the new season after about nine minutes played, as the Austrians tied it up with Emil Lindblom, who had a brace in the end. The South Tyrolean went for the preliminary decision in a well-paced game with two straight goals in the first half of the last. Second newbie Steel Wings Linz suffered a shutout defeat against last year’s semifinalist HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice. In front of more than 800 spectators the Slovenian side dominated the game, tolerating only 13 shots of the Upper Austrians, and won 4:0 in the end. Urban Sodja (1G | 2A) and Blaz Tomasevic (3A) each posted three points in their season opener.
Huge comeback of Rittner Buam
Former Alps Hockey League champion Rittner Buam managed to deliver a huge comeback on the first game day, as they fought back after an early 0:4 deficit at EHC Lustenau. After Dominic Haberl opened the scoring right away for the hosts, Chris D’Alvise completed his hat trick after 19 seconds in the second. Then, Ritten stroke back, pulled two back in the middle frame, halved the deficit halfway through the last. A shorthander of Alexander Frei, who had two assists too, got them in overtime, where Julian Kostner’s second goal of the night decided the game.
One more shutout on the opening game day
With the VEU Feldkirch one more team celebrated a shutout in the first round of the new season. The Austrian side defeated last year’s vice champion HC Pustertal Wölfe 3:0. Dylan Stanley opened the scoring after seven minutes on powerplay. Two more goals until halfway of the game gave the Vorarlberg side a clear win, with Alex Caffi saving 32 shots.
Red Bull Juniors gets first derby win of the season
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors grabbed their first derby win of the new season, as they turned around an early deficit against EK Die Zeller Eisbären into a 4:1 road win. After Tomi Wilenius got the polar bears on the scoreboard, the Red Bulls tied it in the first and made the preliminary decision with three straight goals within seven minutes in the second. Max Tjernström made a brace for one of the youngest teams in the league.
Kitzbühel opens season with a home win
The EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel grabbed a home win in the opening round, as the Tyrolese defeated HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 2:1. After wasting two early powerplays, Mario Ebner lit the lamp for the Austrian side in the 14th minute. Lasse Uusivirta doubled up halfway through the second and gave the “eagles” the first season win, despite Gherdeina pulling one back later in the final frame.
Asiago stars with an overtime win
Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey entered the new season with a tight 2:1 overtime win at home against the HC Fassa Falcons. Marco Rosa, who gave the former champion a perfect start into the game netting on powerplay after two minutes, hits the game winner in the extra session too. Last year's bottom placed team Fassa secured one point thanks to Linus Lundstrom, who tied it early in the last.
Saturday, 14.09.2019, first round regular season:
17:30 HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana - EC KAC II 0:1 (0:0, 0:0, 0:1)
Referees: LESNIAK, OREL, Holzner, Miklic | Spectators: 520
Goal KA2: Schönett (55./Kompain)
18:30 Vienna Capitals Silver - WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan 2:3 (1:1, 0:0, 1:2)
Referees: FICHTNER, LOICHT, Marchadt, Riecken | Spectators: 151
Goals VCS: Lindblom (17./Hermanstad, 59./Akerman-Artner)
Goals WSV: Milam (10./Lemay), Hackhofer (44./PP1/Kofler-Oberdorfer), Doggett (49./Lemay-Bustreo)
19:00 Steel Wings Linz - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 0:4 (0:2, 0:1, 0:1)
Referees: LENDL, WIDMANN, Bedynek, Moidl | Spectators: 890
Goals JES: Urukalo (5./Tomazevic-Sodja U.), Sodja U. (11./Tomazevic), Svetina (40./Sodja U.-Tomazevic), Sturm (58.PP1/Sodja J.-Svetina)
19:30 EHC Lustenau - Rittner Buam 4:5 OT (3:0, 1:2, 0:2, 0:1)
Referees: SUPPER, WALLNER, Martin, Wimmler | Spectators: 692
Goals EHC: Haberl (3./Wilfan-Krammer), D’Alvise (4.PP1/Grabher Meier-Slivnik, 15./Grabher Meier-Hrdina, 21./Stefan-Hrdina)
Goals RIT: Kostner (25./Spinell-Gazzola), Lutz (32./Lane-Obuchowski), Lane (49./Kostner-Frei), Frei (59.SH/Lutz-Obuchowski), Kostner (63./Lutz-Spinell)
19:30 VEU Feldkirch - HC Pustertal Wölfe 3:0 (2:0, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: FAJDIGA, RUETZ, Rinker, Snoj | Spectators: 1.212
Goals VEU: Stanley (7.PP1/Soudek-Scholz), Grasböck (18./Samardzic), Soudek (35./Pilgram)
19:30 EC 'Die Adler' Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 2:1 (1:0, 1:0, 0:1)
Referees: BRUNNER, KELLNER, Kainberger, Riesinger | Spectators: 540
Goals KEC: Ebner (14./Havlik-Hochfilzer), Uusivirta (31.PP1/Havlik)
Goal GHE: McGowan (50./Sullmann-Pilser)
19:30 EK Die Zeller Eisbären - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 1:4 (1:1, 0:3, 0:0)
Referees: BULOVEC, REZEK, Legat, Weiss | Spectators: 980
Goal EKZ: Wilenius (13./Putnik)
Goals RBJ: Tjernström (17., 35.PP1/Eriksson-Witting), Arra (32./Eckl-Hlozek), Harnisch (39.)
19:30 EC Bregenzerwald - S.G. Cortina Hafro 2:7 (0:2, 0:2, 2:3)
Referees: BAJT, SCHAUER, Bergant, Javornik | Spectators: 551
Goals COR: Giftopoulos (1.PP1/Barnabo-King), Lacedelli (17./Trecapelli), Zanatta (26./Toffoli-Zardini Lacedelli), Bruneteau (40./Barnabo-Vallazza), King (42.PP1/Trecapelli-Lacedelli), Adami (48./Trecapelli-Zanatta), Moser (58.PP1/Zanatta-Tomasini)
Goals ECB: Metzler (45.), Ban D. (53.PP1/Zwerger)
20:30 Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey - SHC Fassa Falcons 2:1 OT (1:0, 0:0, 0:1, 1:0)
Referees: LAZZERI, PINIE, Basso, De Zordo
Goals ASH: Rosa (2.PP1/Loschiavo, 63./Gellert)
Goal FAS: Lundstrom (44./Caletti-Chiodo)
Fotocredit: (c) S.G. Cortina Hafro