Release from 11.02.2025
There was plenty of excitement in the Alps Hockey League right from the start of the intermediate round, with four out of six games being decided by just one goal difference. In the Master Round, the top duo EK Zeller Eisbären and Rittner Buam SkyAlps both prevailed in overtime. In the Qualification Round groups, the three last-placed teams from the regular season each started with a win.
Over 1,600 spectators attended the top game between league leaders Zell am See and former champions Jesenice. The Slovenians took the lead in the seventh minute through Gregor Koblar. In a heated middle period, the Slovenians even made it 2:0, but were then unable to capitalise on a long power play spell. Zell am See came back in the third period and equalised with two goals within two minutes. Matt McLeod even turned the game in the hosts' favour 64 seconds before the end of regulation time, but Jesenice managed to equalise to make it 3:3. The exciting and intense game was decided by Christian Jennes seven seconds before the end of overtime.
The second game of the Master Round also went into overtime and the hosts, the Rittner Buam SkyAlps, prevailed here too. After the first period ended 1:1 against Kitzbühel (assistant coach Rafael Rotter celebrated his comeback as a defender), the reigning champions pulled away to a 3:1 lead shortly after the restart. Events came thick and fast in the third period, with the South Tyroleans still holding a two-goal lead (4:2) after 53 minutes. The Tyroleans then turned the game in their favour with three goals within two and a half minutes, but Ritten managed to tie the score at 5:5 with 33 seconds to go. Eric Hjorth, the only player to score twice, secured the home win in overtime.
Home wins for Merano and Gardena
The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, who narrowly missed out on a top five finish, were the guests in Merano to kick off Qualification Round A. The team from Sterzing took the lead after seven minutes through Thomas Galimberti, with Jakob Fuchs equalising in the middle period. Finally, Massimo Pietroniro scored a brace to clinch a 3:1 home win. Merano thus took the lead in this group, while Sterzing's winning streak came to an end.
Gardena also celebrated a 6:3 victory over Red Bull Hockey Juniors in front of over 1,000 fans. Davide Schiavone was one of the match winners for the last-placed team after the regular season with two goals and two assists. With his two goals, the forward ensured the preliminary decision, the win lifted the furie into second place.
Bregenzerwald and Celje turn up the heat
Bregenzerwald (12th place after the regular season) and Celje (11th place) both earned 5:4 victories in Qualification Round B. The team from Vorarlberg celebrated their first win in their fourth season meeting with Unterland. The hosts were already 5:1 ahead after 29 minutes, but although the visitors came close again, it was not enough to secure a point.
Celje even took the lead in the table with the only away win on this matchday. After five previous defeats, the efficient Slovenians won in front of just almost 1,400 spectators at Sisak. Mikus Mintautiskis and Danil Tsarkovskyi each scored a brace for the visitors. Goalkeeper Aleksanteri Heiskanen conceded four goals, but also made 41 saves.
Alps Hockey League
Tue, 11.02.2025
Master Round:
EK Die Zeller Eisbären - SIJ Acroni Jesenice 4:3 OT (0:1,0:1,3:1,1:0)
Referees: MEIXNER, WIDMANN, Telesklav, Wendner
Goals 0:1 JES Koblar G. (06:53 / unassisted / EQ), 0:2 JES Sillanpaa S. (35:29 / Valtola O. ,Brus N. / PP), 1:2 EKZ Widen F. (49:32 / McLeod M. ,Wilfan M. / EQ), 2:2 EKZ Rappold K. (51:29 / Steffler K. ,Berger H. / EQ), 3:2 EKZ McLeod M. (58:54 / Steffler K. ,Koschek F. / EQ), 3:3 JES Slivnik L. (59:19 / Valtola O. / EQ), 4:3 EKZ Jennes C. (64:53 / Steffler D. ,Ban D. / EQ)
Rittner Buam SkyAlps - Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 6:5 OT (1:1,2:0,2:4,1:0)
Referees: BENVEGNU, SORAPERRA, Fecchio, Ilmer
Goals 1:0 RIT Kostner S. (13:13 / Szypula E. ,Öhler M. / PP), 1:1 KEC Schutz C. (14:06 / Rotter R. ,Wieltschnig P. / EQ), 2:1 RIT Hjorth E. (20:19 / Szypula E. ,Lobis A. / EQ), 3:1 RIT Spinell M. (22:55 / Larsen M. ,Graf T. / EQ), 3:2 KEC Schmid P. (41:09 / Raspotnig J. / EQ), 4:2 RIT Öhler R. (45:19 / Graf T. / EQ), 4:3 KEC Wieltschnig P. (53:55 / Ketonen N. ,Podlipnik M. / PP), 4:4 KEC Maxa A. (55:52 / Mitrovic M. / EQ), 4:5 KEC Podlipnik M. (56:23 / Rotter R. / EQ), 5:5 RIT Öhler M. (59:27 / Hjorth E. ,Szypula E. / EQ), 6:5 RIT Hjorth E. (63:43 / Szypula E. ,Insam M. / PP)
Qualification Round A:
HC Meran/o Pircher - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 3:1 (0:1,1:0,2:0)
Referees: LEGA, STEFENELLI, Cusin, Formaioni
Goals 0:1 WSV Galimberti T. (07:00 / Niccolai A. ,Hasler L. / EQ), 1:1 HCM Fuchs J. (37:23 / Madsen P. ,Pietroniro M. / EQ), 2:1 HCM Pietroniro M. (46:50 / Gellon D. ,Gustafsson O. / EQ), 3:1 HCM Pietroniro M. (59:16 / Gellon D. ,Madsen P. / PP)
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 6:3 (2:1,3:1,1:1)
Referees: HUBER, MOSCHEN, Rinker, Strimitzer
Goals 1:0 GHE Cristellon Y. (09:07 / Schiavone D. ,Laitinen V. / EQ), 2:0 GHE Oksanen E. (12:35 / Schiavone D. ,Senoner J. / EQ), 2:1 RBJ Wurzer M. (15:55 / Krening P. / EQ), 3:1 GHE Pitschieler S. (20:57 / Laitinen V. / SH), 3:2 RBJ Kessler N. (26:16 / Hörl L. / EQ), 4:2 GHE Deluca S. (36:21 / McGowan B. ,Laitinen V. / EQ), 5:2 GHE Schiavone D. (37:07 / Oksanen E. / EQ), 6:2 GHE Schiavone D. (51:56 / Oksanen E. ,Cristellon Y. / EQ), 6:3 RBJ Heimel T. (57:41 / Hörl L. ,Rebernig A. / PP)
Qualification Round B:
EC Bregenzerwald - Hockey Unterland Cavaliers 5:4 (1:0,4:2,0:2)
Referees: HOLZER, SPIEGEL, Divis, Jäger
Goals 1:0 ECB Lebeda Y. (04:49 / Pöschmann P. ,König D. / EQ), 2:0 ECB König D. (22:08 / Mußbacher M. ,Schlögl R. / EQ), 3:0 ECB Pöschmann P. (23:34 / Kuronen J. ,Wernicke J. / EQ), 4:0 ECB Metzler M. (25:10 / Lipsbergs R. ,Fadieiev I. / EQ), 4:1 CAV Kaufmann A M. (28:06 / Samitis K. ,Brighenti Moretti C T. / EQ), 5:1 ECB Lipsbergs R. (28:21 / Kuronen J. ,Fadieiev I. / EQ), 5:2 CAV Samitis K. (37:24 / Murnieks D. ,Brighenti Moretti C T. / EQ), 5:3 CAV Brighenti Moretti C T. (45:35 / Samitis K. ,Kaufmann A M. / EQ), 5:4 CAV Murnieks D. (57:57 / Brighenti Moretti C T. ,Samitis K. / PP)
KHL Sisak - HK RST Pellet Celje 4:5 (1:1,1:3,2:1)
Referees: BAJT, METZINGER, Knez, Markizeti
Goals 0:1 HKC Panasenko B. (06:00 / unassisted / EQ), 1:1 SIS Dostalek V. (06:25 / Puzic I. / EQ), 1:2 HKC Tsarkovskyi D. (23:26 / Bukovec M. ,Kuret B. / EQ), 1:3 HKC Mintautiskis M. (24:25 / Tsarkovskyi D. / EQ), 2:3 SIS Briere C. (27:43 / Stepanov N. / EQ), 2:4 HKC Mintautiskis M. (30:40 / Tsarkovskyi D. ,Panasenko B. / EQ), 3:4 SIS Idzan V. (41:53 / Dobric P. ,Kanaet D. / PP), 3:5 HKC Tsarkovskyi D. (45:32 / Panasenko B. ,Sojer M. / PP), 4:5 SIS Kasparek F. (47:32 / Cavlovic N. ,Malenica N. / EQ)
Photo: Max Pattis