Release from 21.12.2022
The Alps Hockey League is in full swing before and around Christmas. On Thursday, December 22nd, the last four games before Christmas Eve are scheduled. Already on Boxing Day the mulinational league will continue with five games. In almost all games, important points are still at stake in the fight for the Top-5 and thus the direct playoff qualification, because Regular Season Phase 1 already ends on January 15th.
Alps Hockey League | 22.12.2022:
Thu, 22.12.2022, 20:00: Rittner Buam SkyAlps - S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: LAZZERI, SORAPERRA, Bedana, De Zordo. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
A duel between two top 5 teams will be played on Thursday by the Rittner Buam SkyAlps and S.G. Cortina Hafro. Ritten currently has the last direct playoff place as fifth in the table. Cortina is two places, but eight points ahead of the Buam and therefore has best chances to be among the Top-5 at the end of Regular Season Phase 1. With seven wins in a row, SGC is currently the hottest team in the league. The Italians were last defeated by the Red Bull Hockey Juniors on November 5th. Ritten for comparison won three of the past five games. At home, they were victorious in eight of eleven games this season. The first duel of the season between the two teams was a close affair. In the end, Ritten prevailed 3:2 in the shootout. Last season's duels were also extremely competitive. In the quarterfinals, the South Tyroleans won against the Italians with 3:2 victories.
Thu, 22.12.2022, 20:30: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, STEFENELLI, Pace, Rigoni. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it was already in action on Tuesday and was defeated in Lustenau with 1:3. For the seventh in the table, it was thus a step backwards in the fight for the top-5 and also a missed opportunity to move past the EK Die Zeller Eisbären. The team from Salzburg have one point more than Gherdeina and are sixth in the table. Their gap to Ritten is only three points. With five defeats in a row, however, the Polar Bears' form is not exhilarating, which is why the management of Zell am See felt compelled to change the head coach. Ex-Lustenau Head Coach Mike Flanagan took over from Martin Ekrt, who had been released a few days earlier. With the Canadian, success should return. Against Gherdeina, which with two wins from the past five games is also not in best shape, Zell am See went in the recent past mostly as a winner from the ice, with five wins from the past six duels.
Thu, 22.12.2022, 20:30: HC Meran/o Pircher - EHC Lustenau
Referees: BENVEGNU, MOSCHEN, Müller, Spiegel. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
At EHC Lustenau Philipp Winzig has been hired as head coach after the departure of Mike Flanagan. In the game on Tuesday against Gherdeina also with success. The Vorarlberg team prevailed with 3:1 and celebrated the first victory after previously two clear defeats in a row. In ninth place in the standings, however, they only have a minimal chance of reaching the top five. With five games to go, they are ten points behind Ritten. The HC Meran/o Pircher are level on points with Lustenau in tenth place in the table. The South Tyrolean team is working its way up the table after a poor start to the season. Although they didn't had a chance in their last game against league leader Jesenice (0:5), they celebrated five wins from six games before that. At home, they won all of their last five games. However, the first duel of the season was a clear affair for Lustenu (8:2). In the second AHL duel it was the second win for the EHC.
Thu, 22.12.2022, 20:45: SHC Fassa Falcons - Hockey Unterland Cavaliers
Referees: EGGER, PINIE, Brondi, Fleischmann. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The last matchday before Christmas is completed with the game SHC Fassa Falcons against Hockey Unterland Cavaliers. The HCU, fourth in the table, has good chances to make the jump to the playoffs right in the first Alps Hockey League season. The Falcons are thirteenth in the table and will have to fight for the pre-playoffs in the Qualification Round. Fassa's big problem is their chance conversion. With only 56 goals scored, they have the third weakest offense in the league. In addition, they have already conceded 82 goals. After the KAC Future Team, these are the second most goals conceded of all 15 teams. Before the break, Fassa was narrowly defeated twice. Unterland was victorious in two of the past five games. In the first AHL duel between the two teams, the HCU narrowly won with 3:2 after shootout. In the meantime, they already led 2:0 after six minutes of play.
Alps Hockey League | 26.12.2022:
Mon, 26.12.2022, 18:00: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice - Rittner Buam SkyAlps
Referees: KUMMER, REZEK, Bergant, Javornik. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
On Boxing Day, a total of five games are scheduled. The kick-off is made by league leader HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice against the Rittner Buam SkyAlps. Both teams are also in action before Christmas. The Slovenians will play at Kitzbühel on Wednesday, December 21st, while the South Tyroleans face Cortina one day later. Both teams have already met this season on October 26th. Jesenice celebrated a clear 4:1 away victory. Last season, both teams faced each other in the semifinals, which Jesenice won 3:1.
Mon, 26.12.2022, 18:30: Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - Steinbach Steel Wings Linz
Referees: LEGA, RUETZ, Basso, Hesina. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The Hockey Unterland Cavaliers play against the Steinbach Steel Wings Linz. The Steel Wings are still challenged before Christmas on December 21st at the EC Bregenzerwald. Prior to the game in Vorarlberg, the Upper Austrians are bottom in the standings with 17 points. In the Alps Hockey League, they have faced the newcomer Unterland once so far and were promptly defeated 2:4.
Mon, 26.12.2022, 19:30: EK Die Zeller Eisbären - EC Bregenzerwald
Referees: KAINBERGER, OREL, Telesklav, Wimmler. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The EK Die Zeller Eisbären and the EC Bregenzerwald played an exciting first season duel on October 5th, which the ECB could win with 4:3. In the meantime, the Vorarlberg team already led 2:0, 3:1 and 4:2. For the ECB, it was the first win over the Polar Bears after five losses in a row before. Before Christmas, Bregenzerwald will face the Steel Wings on December 21st. Zell am See is challenged the next day at home against Gherdeina.
Mon, 26.12.2022, 20:00: EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan
Referees: BAJT, WUNTSCHEK, Puff, Wucherer. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
For the first time since December 8th, the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan will be in action on Boxing Day. The Broncos could not win any of their past three games. In the table, the South Tyroleans are in twelfth place and have only theoretical chances to reach the top-5. Big problem is their home weakness, with only three home wins so far. Vipiteno is doing much better away from home, where they are fifth in the table with 17 points. However, they won the first duel of the season against Kitzbühel in front of their home crowd with 3:2 after overtime. After the first period, they already led 2:0 thanks to two powerplay goals. For the Broncos, it was already the ninth consecutive victory over Kitzbühel in the AHL. The last win for the Tyroleans dates back to November 22nd, 2017.
Mon, 26.12.2022, 20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro - SHC Fassa Falcons
Referees: BENVEGNU, GIACOMOZZI, Cristeli, De Zordo. | >> PPV-LIVESTREAM <<
The final match on Boxing Day will be the derby between S.G. Cortina Hafro and SHC Fassa Falcons. Cortina is in the middle of the fight for the direct playoff qualification and therefore also clear favorite against Fassa, that is to be found in the lower third of the table. Before Christmas, both teams are still in action on December 22nd. Cortina will face Ritten away from home, while Fassa will take play against Unterland at home. The Falcons surprisingly won the first meeting of the season in the prestige duel with 2:1. The score was still 0:0 until the 46th minute of the game, before the home side took the lead in the power play. For Fassa it was the first win over Cortina after four losses in a row before.