Cortina still undefeated, Ljubljana captures first points

The newcomer HK Olimpija Ljublana started the season with two defeats. In the third try in the Alps Hockey League, they captured the first three points with a clear 6:1 success against HC Fassa Falcons. Ljubljana controlled the game right from the beginning and created more chances than Fassa. In the 13th minute Matic Kralj opened the scoring. In the second period Fassa had the right answer and Marco Marzolini tied the game. Then Ljubljana had the strongest period of the game. First Miha Zajc recaptured the lead again, Crt Snoj and Miha Pesjak increased the lead to 4:1. In the final period Ljubljana was two more times successful in powerplay. Miha Zajc scored his second goal of the night and Andrej Hebar brought the result of 6:1

 

The HC Pustertal had the better start into the game and put a lot of pressure towards the KAC. First KAC Goalie Jakob Holzer proofed his reactions with a beautiful save, but in the 13th minute he had to grab the puck out of the net for the first time. Alex De Lorenzo Meo reacted the quickest during a tumult situation and scored for the 1:0. Moments before the first period ended Jakob Holzer shined again, when he stopped a two against one breakaway of Pustertal. The red jackets created some good chances in the second period, but Pustertal took control over the game. In the 25th minute Eric Pance showed why he was voted to the MVP of the past season. He increased the lead spectacularly for the 2:0. Only one minute later Sean Ringrose brought the preliminary decision and scored for the 3:0. Still in the second period Alex Di Lorenzo Meo succeeded with his second goal of the night. Philipp Cirtek had the best chance for the KAC, but he was stopped by Thomas Tragust. The KAC opened final period with a powerplay, but instead of scoring the first goal, they had to take a shorthander of Armin Helfer. Pustertal did a good job in protecting the lead and won with 5:0.

Both teams started with high energy into the game. The first big chance was created by Kitzbühel, but Pietilä prevented his team from the early goal. After that the game was played on an even level with chances on both sides. Both goalies proofed their reactions. In the 18th minute the scoring was opened by Julian Metzler. With a rebound he scored his first goal in his Alps Hockey League career. The game was a tough and hard battle. In the second period Bregenzerwald further increased the pressure and pushed for the second goal. A 5+ minutes penalty prevented them to do so. But Thomas Vallant succeeded a bit later with blue liner. In the final period Hochfilzer managed to narrow gap to 1:2 Dominic Haberl tried to recreate the 2-goals lead but only htt the cross bar. Christian Haidinger finally brought the decision with his goal for the 3:1

Asiago won the first three-point victory on the road at Neumarkt (2:6). The first period in Egna ended without a goal. The game was controlled by the visiting team, which was unable to pass for the saves of Daniel Morandell, the netminder of home team. During the entire game, however, the Wild Geese fell into many penalties. The effects of these many penalties are seen in the second period when Asiago begun to move the result against a tired Neumarkt. The first goal was a lucky shot of Marco Rosa after 53 seconds in the middle. The shot of forward hit the post and after the back of Daniel Morandell. In the middle of the race Asiago doubled after a descent of Luca Casetti serving Michele Stevan in the front of the net. Immediately after Asiago tripled his advantage with a great shot by Phil Pietroniro from the distance. Jakub Muzik made the first home point but it was really a deflection of Anthony Nigro in his net. But Asiago answered immediately: Anthony Bardaro made the 4th goal. During the third time the game was very nervous. Asiago found two more goals with Alex Gellert in powerplay and Matteo Tessari. The last flash of the match was by Kamil Brebenec that scored the last goal of the match.

 

Another success of Cortina that remains full score after three games. The challenge between two unbeaten formations didn’t disappoint the expectations for a very fought match with 11 goals. The hosts missed a penalty shot in the middle of the first period. Then Cortina took advantage in penalty killing situation with a goal by Zachary Torquato who did everything alone. In the end of the period there were goal opportunities on both sides of the rink. During the second period, the game was a very intense. The leader actor was Jan McDonald. The canadian forward immediately tied the result in the opening of the period and after he made the goal of the lead. The guests seemed to able to incremet the score. But Cortina scored again in penalty killing in the last seconds of the period. This time the goal was scored by Riley Brace with a personal action. During the third time Cortina advanced with two goals. After the points of Riccardo Lacedelli and Andrea Moser, Gherdeina came back in to the game with the score of Gabriel Vinazter. But the game was now in the hands of hosts. Luca Barnabò and Andrea Moser (powerplay goal) booked the victory for home team. In the final minutes Jan McDonald signed his personal hat-trick for guets but it was too late for the Furies. Brace fixed the final result for 7:4 for home team. 

 

HK Olimpija Ljubljana - HC Fassa Falcons 6:1 (1:0, 3:1, 2:0)

Goals HKO: Kralj (13. Hebar), Zajc (27. Hebar- Selan; 41./pp1 Kralj- Selan), Snoj (36. Uduc- Selan), Pesjak (39. Kralj- Uduc), Hebar (60./pp1 Selan-Kralj)

Goal FAS: Marzolini (24. Da Tos-Klimicek)

 

Goals PUS: De Lorenzo Meo (13. Berger-Leitner, 36. Lancsar-March), Pance (25. Oberrauch-Johansson), Ringrose (26. Andergassen-Bona), Helfer (42./sh1 Ringrose-Bruneteau)

 

Goals ECB: Metzler (18. Fussenegger-Zwerger), Vallant (39. Mörsky- Haidinger), Haidinger (51. Kauppila- Mörsky)

Goal KEC: Hochfilzer (42./pp1 Eriksson- Lidström)

 

Referees: BENVEGNU, LEGA, Basso, Terragni

Goals Egna: 1:3 Muzik (32./Graf); 2:6 Brebenec (59./Galassiti-M.Sullmann)

Goals Asiago: 0:1 Rosa (20./Bardaro-Nigro); 0:2 M.Stevan (31./Casetti-Benetti); 0:3 Ph.Pietroniro (32./Dal Sasso-Benetti); 1:4 Bardaro (36./Rosa-Conci); 1:5 Gellert (41./PP1/Bardaro-Nigro); 1:6 M.Tessari (44./Dal Sasso-Magnabosco);

 

Referees: PIANEZZE, VIRTA, Arlic, Bizalj

Goals Cortina: 1:0 Torquato (14./SH1/Brace); 2:2 Brace (39./SH1/Torquato-Zandonella); 3:2 R.Lacedelli (41./Iori-Caletti); 4:2 De Biasio (46./PP1/Brace-Torquato); 5:3 Barnabò (53.); 6:3 Moser (54./Brace-Torquato); 7:4 Brace (57./Moser-De Biasio); 

Goals Gherdeina: 1:1 McDonald (20./G.Vinatzer-Pitschieler); 1:2 McDonald (34./S.Moroder-Sagert); 4:3 G.Vinatzer (34./F.Moroder/J.McDonald); 6:4 McDonald (57./Pitschieler-Sagert); 

 

credits photo: David S. Wassagruba