HC Pustertal Wolves after big win in the Playoffs!

EC-KAC II produced the first chances, but the „Red Jackets“ failed to score an early lead. S.G. Cortina Hafro adjusted better to the game then and threatened with a good opportunity from Riley Brace, whose shot was stopped by defenseman Michael Kernberger on the goal line and a penaltyshot. But the first goal was just a question of time: Diego Iori poked the puck in after a shot from Neil Manning (14.). Just moments later the Italians extended their lead: Alessandro Zanatta had an easy job to finish a perfect pass from Ronny De Zanna - 2:0. The Italians started period 2 shorthanded, but they did not allow a goal. Cortina extended their lead, when playing full strength again: Massimo Cordiano netted the 3:0 with a backhand-rebound. Zack Torquato’s Power Play goal gave the guests a 4-goal-lead: The Forward finished a perfect pass from Brace into the empty net. Klagenfurt did not give up: Daniel Obersteiner deflected a shot from the distance from Philipp Wilhelmer and put Klagenfurt on the scoreboard. In the last 20 minutes Klagenfurt’s goalie Holzer had some good saves and prevented a higher defeat of his team. On the other side Niki Kraus just hit the post (55.).

 

EC Bregenzerwald and Rittner Buam were on fire (47:39-shots). The Wälder twice grabbed the lead early in the first period with goals from Christian Ban (4.) and Henrik Neubauer, but both times the Champion responded quickly. The Austrians stayed unimpressed and answered with their third goal from Juuso Mörsky just 32 seconds later – 3:2. Late in the first period the Italians took two penalties and this was punished by the Vorarlberger, Antti Kauppila netted the 4:2 in a 5-on-3- Power Play (20.). The Rittner Buam took over the control of the game after the re-start and tied the game with goals from Alexander Eisath and Alex Frei. The two teams played on an equal level in period 3, but then Juuso Mörskö made the difference for the Austrians with two late goals.

 

EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel and FBI VEU Feldkirch were on fire (43:42-shots). In the first 20 minutes both goalies – Jose Kangaskorte and Alex Caffi – allowed no goals. In period two the Eagles grabbed the lead twice, but both times the Vorarlberger responded quickly. Period 3 started perfectly for the guests, David Winzig netted the 3:2 after just 226 seconds. Both teams searched their luck in the offense now (17:6-shots). The Vorarlberger took some penalties late in the game and this was punished by the Tyroleans: Mario Ebner scored the 3:3 in a Power Play in minute 57. The Vorarlberger stayed unimpressed and responded with the Game Winner from Marcel Witting 33 seconds before the end. The VEU collected three imporant points in the fight for place 4.

 

The hosts and Salzburg face off in an open competition. The match was characterized by so much speed and in the first period by good defences that resisted against the opposite attack. During the second period the result changed after one minute of play. Victor Östling entered in the opposing defense and then he overtook Martin Rabanser. In the second half there were many penalties especially on the account of Gherdeina. Salzburg Juniors built 2: 0 in powerplay with a shot from the blue line by Daniel Jakubitzka (26.). The Austrian team was definitely attacking but couldn’t score other goals. The home team has a big chance but in counterattack Joel Brugnoli didn’t succeed during a penalty killing situation. In the third time came the revenge of the Furies. After just 18 seconds of third period, Linus Lundstrom halved the disadvantage after a nice solitary action. Now the Italian team has changed gear as they played better than the opponents who couldn’t be more incisive. After many efforts there was a draw goal. Derek Eastman with a shot from distance surprised Daniel Feissinger (56.). At the overtime the two teams played openly but the games will be decided on shutout. The Salzburg didn’t score any penalty while for the Gherdeina there was the goal of Gabriel Vinatzer. The hosts win 3: 2 after Shoot Out as they slow down the run of the Red Bull Hockey Juniors who remained in seventh position.

 

Important match for the qualification to the playoffs race is played between WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan against EK Zeller Eisbären. The Broncos played this game without absents. Fabian Scholz was absent for the Polar Bears. The game was a bit 'nervous in the first minutes. The home team grew minutes after minutes as they took the control of the match. The first real opportunity was a rebound of Danny Deanesi but the puck went out. Then the pressure of the home tem produced its effects: Matthias Mantinger scored the first goal of the Broncos with a precise wrist shot (3.). Then in the last few minutes great opportunity for Jure Sotlar in powerplay but Patrick Machreich saved the result. In the second half the Sterzing was absolute owner of the match. After an opportunity by Jure Sotlar, the Italian team doubled with Paolo Bustreo at the end of a scrum (24.). Then exactly halfway through the race the Sterzing scored another goal with a solo by Mark Lee who ended his action with a backend shot. Before the end of the second half, there were other opportunities for Sterzing but the defense of Zell am See didn’t take other goals. In the third time the Broncos continued to dominate the game. The thrust of the Broncos produced two other goals with Tobias Kofler (52.) and Matthias Mantinger (57.) for the clear victory of the Broncos for 5: 0. With this success the Sterzing returned in eighth position (playoff zone) while the Zell am See was backward in 10th position. Gianluca Vallini earned his second shutout of the season.

 

Bruneck showed up for this match without Danny Elliscasis (injured). Hannes Stoll was the back-up goalkeeper who replaced Alexander Kinkelin (ill). Eric Pance returned to play after an absence that lasted from 6 January. The Fassa, as in the last game at Feldkirch, put in the net Marco Lorenz while his reserve was Michele Lazzer. The Pustertal controlled the game from the first faceoff as they decisively moved forward but without pushing too much. As often happens, the first penalty of the match was already decisive: the home team scored in powerplay with a rebound by Max Oberrauch (8.). Then the Wolves began to accelerate further. After 15 minutes there was the beautiful goal of Raphael Andergassen who took the puck in the corner as he scored the doubling with a shot from a tight angle and always in powerplay. Then before the end of the first half there was 3: 0: again Raphael Andergassen on rebound. During the second period the story of the match didn’t change: Bruneck scores other 3 goals. From 22 'to 28' the foreign players of the Wolves was the protagonists with the goals of Jean-Francois Jacques (in powerplay), Eric Pance and Sean Ringrose. Even at the beginning of the third half the Pustertal increased its lead as they reached 9: 0 with goals from Andergassen, Thomas Erlacher and Armin Hofer. But before the end of the game Fassa performed in powerplay with Eetu Heikkinen. With this victory for 9:1, the Wolves earned the playoffs. The two players of the Italian Nationals were in great evidence: Raphael Andergassen scored three goals and three assists while Armin Hofer scored a goal and three assists.

 

Referees: KUMMER, VIRTA, Bedana, Holzer
Goals WSV: 1:0 Mantinger (3./Hackhofer-Felicetti); 2:0 Bustreo (24./Duffy/Oberdorfer); 3:0 Lee (30./Mantinger); 4:0 Kofler (52./Deanesi-Deluca); 5:0 Mantinger (57./Felicetti)

Sat, 24.02.2018 HC Pustertal Wölfe - HC Fassa Falcons 9:1 (3:0; 3:0; 3:1)
Referees: MOSCHEN, OFNER, Bedynek, Wiest
Goals PUS: 1:0 Oberrauch (8./PP1/Helfer- Hofer); 2:0 Andergassen (15./PP1/Hofer); 3:0 Andergassen (19./Ringrose-Berger); 4:0 Jacques (22./PP1/Hofer-Andergassen); 5:0 Pance (27./Jacques-I.Althuber); 6:0 Ringrose (28./Andergassen-Pance); 7:0 Andergassen (40./Helfer-Oberrauch); 8:0 Erlacher (41./March); 9:0 Hofer (48./PP1/Andergassen-Jacques);
Goals FAS: 9:1 Heikkinen (54./PP1/Rothstein, Klimiceck);

Sat, 24.02.2018: EC-KAC II – S.G. Cortina Hafro 1:4 (0:2,1:2,0:0)
Referees: FICHTNER, KUCHER; spectators: 80
Goal KAC: Obersteiner (39. – Wilhelmer, Kreuzer)
Goals SGC: Lacedelli (14. – Manning, Iori), Zanatta (17. – DeZanna, Brighenti Moretti), Cordiano (27. – Barnabo, Zanatta), Torquato (39./pp – Brace, Kolanos)

Sat, 24.02.2018: EC Bregenzerwald – Rittner Buam 6:4 (4:2,0:2,2:0)
Referees: F. GIACOMOZZI, RUETZ; spectators: 1.051
Goals ECB: C. Ban (4. – Fussenegger, Schettina), Neubauer (13. – Hyyppä,  Mörsky), Mörsky (14. – Kauppila, D. Ban; 57. – D. Ban, Kauppila; 60./EN/SH - Kauppila), Kauppila (20./pp – Mörsky, D. Ban)
Goals RIT: Fauster (7. – Hofer, Frei), Spinell (14. – Borgatello, Traversa), Eisath (25. – Lutz, Cole), Frei (36. – Kostner)

Sat, 24.02.2018: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – FBI VEU Feldkirch 3:4 (0:0,2:2,1:2)
Referees: DURCHNER, MORI; spectators: 435
Goals KEC: Lenes (24. – Lidström), Hochfilzer (36./pp – Sislannikovs, Lidström), Ebner (57./pp – Sislannikovs)
Goals VEU: Stanley (31. - Birnstill), Tikkinen (40. – Stanley, Birnstill), Winzig (44. – Stanley), M. Witting (60. – Mairitsch, Reinthaler)
Sat, 24.02.2018 HC Gherdeina valgardena.it - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:2/SO (0:0; 0:2; 2:0; 0:0; 1:0)
Referees: LEGA, MISCHIATTI, Basso, Terragni
Goals GHE: 1:2 Lundstrom (40./Eastman-Pitschieler); 2:2 Eastman (56./Rabanser-Roupec); 3:2 SO (65.) G.Vinazter;
Goals RBJ: 0:1 Östling (21./Strodel-Wappis); 0:2 Jakubitzka (26./PP1/Watcher-Quaas)
Picture: David S. Wassagruba