Release from 18.01.2024
The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan started the Master Round of the Alps Hockey League with a 6-2 road win at EK Die Zeller Eisbären, as the South Tyroleans impressed with their efficiency in front of goal. In the second game of the top group, S.G. Cortina Hafro put a damper on regular season winners Rittner Buam, winning 6-4 thanks to three goals from Tommaso Traversa.
In Qualification Round A, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it recorded a 7-5 comeback win at SIJ Acroni Jesenice, with Anthony De Luca turning the game around with a hat-trick in the last eleven minutes. The second Slovenian representative, HK RST Pellet Celje, recorded a 4-2 road win in Linz.
In qualifying Pool B, the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers won the clash between the two top seeds against EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 4-1, while SHC Fassa Falcons prevailed in a shootout after Viktor Näslund sent the game in overtime with 102 seconds left.
The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan recorded a commanding 6-2 road win at EK Die Zeller Eisbären on Thursday. It was the first win for the South Tyroleans in Zell am See for almost five years and the first time the Broncos won in regulation. The second half of the opening period was decisive in this game, as Sterzing pulled 3-0 ahead within five minutes, with Justin Maylan scoring twice and James Livingston once. Overall, the South Tyroleans showed great efficiency in front of the net, converting six of their 22 shots on goal. Adam Capanelli scored the Broncos goals four and five and finished with four points (2G|2A).
Regular season winners Rittner Buam suffered a defeat in the second game of the Master Round: The South Tyroleans lost 4-6 at runners-up S.G. Cortina Hafro. The Italians were still behind after the first period, turned the game around in the second and ultimately held on for the win. Tommaso Traversa recorded his first multiple-goal game of the season with a hat-trick. Cortina celebrated its fourth win in a row across all competitions.
Anthony De Luca lifts Gherdeina to huge comeback win
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it produced a comeback win at SIJ Acroni Jesenice to kick off Qualification Round A, as the South Tyroleans first overturned an early two-goal deficit, then trailed by two goals again until the 49th minute – before Anthony De Luca (3G|2A), who had already provided two assists before that, turned the game around from 3-5 to 6-5 with a hat-trick in the space of nine minutes. The "Furie" thus won for the third time in a row in Jesenice. The defending champions suffered their third defeat in a row.
The second Slovenian AHL participant, HK RST Pellet Celje, on the other hand, managed a 4-2 road win at Steel Wings LINZ AG: Goals from Jure Povse (50.) and Bohdan Panasenko (54.) in the final period clinched the game and Celje's second win in a row. The Upper Austrians were beaten for the seventh game in a row.
Unterland wins duel of top-seeded teams
The Hockey Unterland Cavaliers won the duel between the two top-seeded teams in Qualification Round B against EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 4-1. The Tyroleans took the lead in the 5th minute with a powerplay goal from Chris Seto, but Moritz Kaufmann (27.) and Florian Wieser (31.) turned the game around in the middle frame in favor of last year's quarter-finalists, who thus celebrated their first win of the season over the Tyroleans.
SHC Fassa Falcons won in a shootout: Despite taking the lead, the Italians trailed the EC-KAC Future Team until the 59th minute. Viktor Näslund only managed to equalize 102 seconds before the end. Victory in the shootout was then secured by Sebastian Selin and goalie Thomas Lillie, who had already played a strong game during regulation and overtime with 39 saves.
Alps Hockey League | Master Round | 18.01.2024 | Results:
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 2:6 (0:3, 1:1, 1:2)
Referees: LAZZERI, SCHAUER, Brondi, De Zordo. | Spectators: 1109
Goal EKZ: Putnik (24./Ban-Altmann), Berger (58./Putnik-Lahoda)
Goals WSV: Maylan (12./Capannelli-Livingston, 17./Capanelli-Livingston), Livingston (14./Topatigh), Capannelli (25./Livingston-Messner, 42.), Conci (47.SH1/Cianfrone-Topatigh)
S.G. Cortina Hafro – Rittner Buam SkyAlps 6:4 (1:2, 3:1, 2:1)
Referees: LESNIAK, VIRTA, Murnik, Pace. | Specators: 475
Goals SGC: Barnabo (11./Seed-Di Tomaso), Traversa (30.PP1/Adami-De Zanna, 37./Di Tomaso-Zanatta, 59./Adami), De Zanna (32./Traversa-Seed), Seed (41./Di Tomaso-Cuglietta)
Goals RIT: Coatta (1./Fink K.-Kostner S.), Lobis (17.PP1/Szypula-Fink K.), Fink K. (35.PP1/Szypula-Coatta), Amorosa (47./Valentini-Fink K.)
Alps Hockey League | Qualification Round A | 18.01.2024 | Results:
SIJ Acroni Jesenice – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 5:7 (2:0, 2:2, 1:5)
Referees: BULOVEC, OREL, Arlic, Bergant. | Spectators: 672
Goals JES: Selan (3.PP1/Lesnicar-Glavic, 47./Sodja-Pance), Jezovsek (8./Cimzar-Sersen), Bohinc M. (27./Svetina-Bohinc R.), Kumanovic (29./Us-Cimzar)
Goals GHE: Luisetti (22./Senoner-Sölva, 23./De Luca-McGowan), McGowan (46./Schulze-De Luca, 60.EN/Kasslatter), De Luca (49./McGowan, 54.PP1/Schulze-Kasslatter, 59./Schulze-Cristellon)
Steel Wings LINZ AG – HK RST Pellet Celje 2:4 (0:1, 1:1, 1:2)
Referees: LEHNER, WIDMANN, Moidl, Seewald J. | Spectators: 192
Goals SWL: Lindner (28./Theirich-Saha), Rappold (41./Feldbaumer)
Goals HKC: Mintautiskis (4./Povse, 38./Freidenfelds-Sotlar), Povse (50./Sotlar-Bernard), Panasenko (54./Secen-Jenko)
Alps Hockey League | Qualification Round B | 18.01.2024 | Results:
EC-KAC Future Team – SHC Fassa Falcons 2:3 SO (0:1, 1:0, 1:1, 0:0)
Referees: HLAVATY, VOICAN, Kanyo, Telesklav. | Spectators: 153
Goals KFT: Lippitsch (26.PP1/Sunitsch-Piuk), Preiml (46./Klassek-Vorauer)
Goals FAS: Kustatscher (15./Defrancesco-Schiavone), Näslund (59./Schiavone-Biondi), Selin (65.PS)
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers – EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 4:1 (0:1, 2:0, 2:0)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, RUETZ, Abeltino, Formaioni. | Spectators: 357
Goals HCU: Kaufmann (27./Egger-Hällfors), Wieser (31./Galassiti-Nyman), Girardi (57./Curti-Nyman), Liparndi (60.EN)
Goal KEC: Seto (5.PP1/Niemelä-Podlipnik)
Fotocredit: EK Die Zeller Eisbären/Johannes Radlwimmer