Release from 09.09.2022
On Saturday, the seventh season in the Alps Hockey League will open with five games. The game between SHC Fassa Falcons and Red Bull Hockey Juniors will start already in the afternoon, while in the evening, three title contenders will be kick-off the new eason with vice-champion HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, the Rittner Buam and EK Die Zeller Eisbären. All games on the opening day will be offered via pay-per-view livestream.
Alps Hockey League | Samstag, 10. September 2022
Sat, 10.09.2022, 4.00 pm: SHC Fassa Falcons – Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Referees: PINIE, STEFENELLI, Bedana, Cristeli. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The first game of the new season will be played by SHC Fassa Falcons and Red Bull Hockey Juniors, with both teams qualified for the pre-playoffs last season, but had to end the season before the quarterfinals after conceding a sweep. For Fassa, it was the best regular season result since joining the league. But the Italian side made some roster changes: With Tedesco, McParland and Lindgren, the three players with the most points in the previous season have left the club - with the additions of Massimo Pietroniro and Cody Sol, for example, this should be compensated for. And the "Falcons" gained confidence winning the Trofeo Ladino during the preseason for the second time in a row. Red Bull Hockey Juniors have always played a good game in Fassa so far, winning six out of seven clashes. Full team training was not possible in Salzburg until mid-August, as a great many players were supporting the U20 World Championship on the one hand and the professional teams of Salzburg and Munich on the other.
Sat, 10.09.2022, 6.00 pm: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: BULOVEC, MILOVANOVIC, Jeram, Murnik. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
Vice-champion HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice opens the season with a home game against S.G. Cortina Hafro. The Slovenians played 21-22 an outstanding regular season, had to admit defeat only three times. Only in the decisive final game they missed the chance to win their first AHL title with a 1-2 loss against Asiago. The core of home-grown players around last year's league top scorer Eric Pance (26G|55A) remained the same. The well-coordinated team also proved in the preseason, with wins against league rivals or ICE newcomer Asiago, that they are among the top favorites for the title. S.G. Cortina Hafro was eliminated in the quarterfinals in the past campaign, then rebuilt the squad selectively: Tommaso Traversa and three Canadian import players should realize playoffs for the fifth time in a row. In the last four road games in Jesenice, Cortina won three of them.
Sat, 10.09.2022, 7.30 pm: EK Die Zeller Eisbären – EC-KAC Future Team
Referees: KAINBERGER, RUETZ, Rinker, Seewald. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
In the lone Austrian duel on the first game day, EK Die Zeller Eisbären and the EC-KAC Future Team face each other, with both teams have reeled off an extensive preseason schedule in recent weeks, hitting the ice six times. The Salzburg side won three times, the Carinthians won four games. Right at the beginning of the preseason the two already met, the “Eisbären” won 5:1. The lone duel of the past season was won by the Klagenfurt team with 4:3. The "Eisbären" have strengthened themselves for the upcoming season with Partick Kittinger and Fabio Artner with two strong Austrians. Laurin Müller, Bastian Szieber, Cornelius Kaschnig and Philipp Mair will be out for the season opener. The EC-KAC Future Team consists mostly of athletes born in 2003, only four players are not part of the U20 age category. Veteran Andrej Tavželj (38) is again expected to be the stabilizing factor, while Swede William Persson was signed lately after a strong try-out.
Sat, 10.09.2022, 7.30 pm: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Steel Wings Linz
Referees: EGGER, GIACOMOZZI F., Brondi, Fleischmann. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
The HC Gherdeina valgardena.it hosts the Steel Wings Linz for the opener. Against the Upper Austrians, the South Tyroleans are still undefeated, have won all eight previous encounters. The most important roster decisions for the upcoming season were clarified early at the "Furie": With Brad McGowan and Colin Furlong, two former MVPs are again in the ranks of last year's quarterfinalist. McGowan, with 31 goals and 41 assists, was also teams best scorer last season, in which Val Gardena only lost in the decisive quarterfinal against Jesenice. In the last preparation game, the "Furie" lost to Lindau with 2:5. Except for Simon Pitschieler, coach David Musial had the entire squad available. The Steel Wings Linz completed 21-22 their best season so far, celebrated 15 wins and reached pre-playoff. Neo-head coach Matej Hocevar can trust on a large part of last year's team. With Marc-Andre Dorion, who played more than 500 games in the win2day ICE Hockey League for the Black Wings Linz and the Vienna Capitals, a veteran was signed to lead the young team.
Sat, 10.09.2022, 7.30 pm: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – Rittner Buam
Referees: FAJDIGA, LEGA, Arlic, Bergant. | >> PPV-Livestream <<
A South Tyrolean duel will take place in Sterzing, where the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan will welcome the Rittner Buam. Both teams reached postseason last year, as the "Broncos" reached the quarterfinals via the pre-playoff, the "Buam" were eliminated after four games in the semifinals against Jesenice. Still on Wednesday, the two teams played their last preseason game against each other. WSV prevailed 3:2 in the final minutes. Ritten won a test against each other at the beginning of the preparation with 4:0. The “Buam” are considered one of the favorites for the title. The import places were newly filled and with Marco Insam an Italian international player was signed, who scored over 150 scorer points in the win2day ICE Hockey League. The team from Sterzing also upgraded with Joseph Mizzi a national player and Remy Giftopoulos. The Canadian posted 177 points (86G|91A) in three AHL seasons (Cortina, Lustenau).