HC Pustertal fortifies its leading position

Red Bull Hockey Juniors - EC 'Die Adler' Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 5:1 (1:0, 3:0, 1:1)
Referees: SUPPER, WALLNER, Kainberger, Oberhuber. 

The Red Bull Hockey Juniors got the second clear win against EC 'Die Adler' Stadtwerke Kitzbühel this season. After winning the first encounter 7:0 on the road, they booked a comfortable 5:1 in Thursday’s home game. Further, it was Red Bulls sixth consecutive win against the “eagles” in Alps Hockey League history. While sixth ranked Salzburg narrowed the gap to fifth place, Kitzbühel remains thirteenth and is still one point behind a pre-playoff spot. From the start bully on, it was all the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. Oliver Nordberg gave the hosts a 1:0 lead halfway through the first. The dominance of the Red Bulls continues in the second. Bastian Eckl, again Nordberg and Caspar Evertsson made the lead more comfortable after 40 minutes. Salzburg had full control over the first two frames with 36:9 shots on goal. Dennis Lobach opened the last period with his first Alps Hockey League goal ever and made the game safe on an early stage. Peter Lenes succeeded the consolidation goal on a powerplay. 

Goals RBJ: Nordberg (12./Witting, 24./Witting-Varejcka), Eckl (23./Kokkila), Evertsson (30./Eckl-Schreier), Lobach (42./Nordberg-Evertsson)
Goal KEC: Lenes (53.PP1/Hochfilzer)

HC Pustertal Wolves - EC Bregenzerwald 4:1 (0:0; 1:1; 3:0)
Referees: BENVEGNU, GAMPER, Bedana, Huber

The leader of Pustertal played at home against the EC Bregenzerwald without the presence of Marko Virtala, Thomas Erlacher and Maximilian Leitner. Despite the 56 points difference between these two teams, the Austrians played on the same level against the Wolves. The home team didn’t find its usual rhythm at home, while the ECB acted in counterattack. During the first period Bruneck hit a crossbar with Markus Gander, while Aleksi Jarvinen hit a post. The first frame closed without a goal. The guests started out in powerplay in the second period and then they had another powerplay for too many men on the ice from the Wolves. During this superiority Bregenzerwald took the lead at the end of a nice action with Christian Haidinger. The ECB could also score the second goal but the Wolves were saved. Then, from the middle of the game, Brunico returned to play as the leader. Before the end of the second period Bruneck drew with Lukas De Lorenzo Meo who made a winning bounce after his own shot. In the third frame the Val Pusteria left no escape to the opponents as they grew minute by minute. After 52 minutes the Wolves took the lead for the first time in the match with Ivan Althuber. Exactly after two minutes, the home team scored the third goal with Tommaso Traversa in powerplay. Then the Wolves managed the last stages of the game: Markus Gander with an empty goal fixed the 4:1 with which the yellow-black team overtook the EC Bregenzerwald. This was the 16th consecutive victory at home since the start of the season for the Wolves. Now Pustertal is 18 points ahead of Ljubljana (2nd). 

Goals PUS: 1:1 Lukas De Lorenzo Meo (38:57/Laner-March); 2:1 Ivan Althuber (52:39/Gander-Andergassen); 3:1 Tommaso Traversa (54:39/PP1/Helfer-Corbett); 4:1 Markus Gander (58:52/EN)
Goal ECB: 0:1 Christian Haidinger (23:37/PP1/D.Ban-Fechtig)

S.G. Cortina Hafro - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 2:3 (1:1; 0:2; 1:0)
Referees: MORI , STEFENELLI, De Zordo, Rigoni

The same game was played last Saturday in the same rink. The home team was without Andrea Moser. In Sterzing Kyle Just returned while Dominik Bernard was still sick. The start of the game was immediately very intense: the two teams played in the attack and there was a lot of work for their goalkeepers. After four minutes the top scorer of Cortina, Riccardo Lacedelli, opened the score. The visitors always stayed in the game as they drew with Tommy Kruselburger who deflected in the goal (in front of the slot) a passage of Daniel Maffia. Then the rhythm dropped a lot and the respective teams don't create much. In the second period the Broncos played a nice action with Luca Felicetti who served Matthias Mantinger: the visitors took the lead for the first time in the game. Then, after a fight between Bruneteau and Erlacher, the Broncos advanced in the result in powerplay thanks to the precise shot of Jure Sotlar at the crossbar. At 32' Luca Burzacca replaced goalkeeper Marco De Filippo. The central period ended with the guests who were ahead by 3:1. In the third period Cortina shortened the deficit with a personal action of Marco Sanna, who realized after 95 seconds. The game was reopened in the score but then the home team was not incisive in the attack zone. The minutes passed and Sterzing kept tenaciously the advantage goal as they defended it until the final whistle. The Broncos took revenge for the last shootout defeat. With this success, the South Tyrolean team (8th) is four points ahead of its opponents this evening.

Goals: COR: 1:0 Riccardo Lacedelli (04:30/Ayotte); 2:3 Marco Sanna (41:35/De Zanna-Vallazza);
Goals WSV: 1:1 Tommy Kruselberger (11:22/Maffia-L.Felicetti); 1:2 Matthias Mantinger (25:28/Felicetti-Kofler); 1:3 Jure Sotlar (31:41/Borgatello-McNally);

Fotocredit: HCP / Foppa / Optic Rapid