Release from 18.04.2026

Gherdeina win their first-ever Alps Hockey League title

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HC Gherdeina valgardena.it completed the happy ending to their playoff “Cinderella story” on Saturday night. Finishing 11th after the regular season, Gherdeina swept HC Meran/o 4-0 in the best-of-seven Finals series to be crowned Alps Hockey League champions. In Game 4, Gherdeina secured a 4-3 victory and lifted their first-ever Alps Hockey League Trophy on home ice in front of a sold-out crowd at the Pranives Ice Stadium.

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With Gherdeina holding a 3-0 series lead, both teams came out with an aggressive approach in front of a frenetic atmosphere for Game 4 of the Alps Hockey League Finals. Meran/o created the better chances early on and struck first in the fifth minute. Samuel Claesson was initially denied, but Brayden Sherbinin collected the loose puck and fired it into the net for the visitors’ 1-0 lead. However, the momentum shifted in the second half of the opening period as Gherdeina applied heavy pressure and pushed hard for the equalizer. Their reward came in the 20th minute through playoff top goal scorer Vlastimil Dostalek, who converted on his second attempt with a backhand finish to make it 1-1.

Gherdeina carried that momentum into the middle frame. In the 23rd minute, Dostalek struck again – this time on the power play – to give the hosts their first lead of the night and put them firmly on course for the championship. Gherdeina remained the more active side, although Meran/o also had opportunities to tie the game. A beautifully executed breakaway in the 36th minute made it 3-1, with Dmitry Vozovik setting up Davide Schiavone in style.

HC Merano, however, refused to go down without a fight. The visitors kept battling, and David Trivellato cut the deficit in the 45th minute after an assist from Daniel Gellon. Just two minutes later, Stephan Deluca restored the two-goal lead with a rebound finish. Meran/o still refused to give up hope, and in the 51st minute Patrick Tomasini battled the puck over the line to make it 3-4, setting up a dramatic final stretch with chances at both ends. Meran/o could not find the equalizer and eventually fell just short in a 3-4 defeat. After an impressive playoff run – having finished the regular season in 10th place, just one spot ahead of Gherdeina – they closed the season as runners-up.

HC Gherdeina therefore made league history. For the first time ever, a team coming through the Qualification Round was crowned champion, and only for the second time in the league’s ten-year history was the Finals decided by a 4-0 sweep.

Alps Hockey League | Finals Game 4, Sat, 18.04.2026:
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – HC Meran/o Pircher 4:3 (1:1, 2:0, 1:2)
Referees: HOLZER, LAZZERI, Brondi, Strimitzer
Final series result (best-of-7): 4:0
Goals GHE: Dostalek (20’; 23’ pp1), Schiavone (36’), Deluca (47’)
Goals HCM: Sherbinin (5’), Trivellato (45’), Tomasini (51’)

Foto (c) Matthäus Kostner


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