HC Pustertal Wolves eked out a tough road win

Wed, 19.12.2018: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – Rittner Buam 7:4 (1:1, 5:1, 1:2)
Referees: LENDL, LOICHT, Holzer, Miklic

On the debut of headcoach Marcel Rodman HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice outscored Rittner Buam 7:3 and won the second season meeting too. After the first period was tied at one, the Slovenian side cruised past over Ritten in the middle frame. Ziga Urukalo opened the scoring for the hosts 30 seconds after the intermission. Three unanswered goals by Jesenice – tow on power play occasions – followed and gave them a comfortable interim 5:1 lead. Then Rittner substituted the netminder with Hannes Treibenreif coming for Thomas Tragust. Soon later, Tadej Cimzar increased the lead to 6:1. His brace was the preliminary decision in this game. Ritten’s Alex Frei pulled one back late in the second. After Lan Brun Rauh restored the six-goal lead at halfway of the last, Ritten made two more goals in the end but was not able to come back into the game. 

Goals JES: Pance (6./Basic-Cimzar), Urukalo (21./Paradies), Paradies (23.PP1/Rodman-Tomazevic), Tomazevic (27.PP1/Paradies-Rodman), Cimzar(27./Basic, 35./Basic-Pance), Brun Rauh (52./Urukalo)

Goals RIT: Jerofejevs (9. Eisath), Frei (40.PP1/Spinell-Lescovs), Spinell (52./Lutz-Kostner), Eriksson (59.PP1/Tauferer-Lutz)

Wed, 19.12.20181: HK SZ Olimpija – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 4:2 (1:0, 1:2, 2:0)
Referees: METZINGER, PAHOR, Javornik, Markizeti

HK SZ Olimpija extended its winning streak to four with a 4:2 home win against Red Bull Hockey Juniors. The Slovenian side overtook the Austrians in standings and are now ranked fourth. The hosts got off a perfect start with Ales Kranjc finding the back of the net in the 4th minute. After the first intermission, Salzburg turned around the deficit in the middle frame. Within three minutes Paul Huber and Justin Schütz gave the guest the lead. After killing Ljubljana’s third power play, the hosts tied the game about four minutes to go in the second. Gregor Koblar, who had one assist too in this game, netted for the hosts. The Slovenians were still pushing but could not retake the lead before the last break. They kept the drive and were rewarded about halfway through the last. Ziga Svete restored the lead for the hosts, who still had the better of the play in the final minutes too. Zan Jezovsek rounded off the score 19 seconds before the end with an empty netter. 

Goals HKO: Kranjc (4./Zajc-Rajsar), Koblar (36./Planko-Rajsar), Svete (51./Koren-Music), Jezovsek (60.EN/Planko-Koblar)

Goals RBJ: Huber (26./Schütz-Schreier), Schütz (29./Zitz)

Wed, 19.12.2018: EK Die Zeller Eisbären – HC Pustertal Wolves 2:3 (1:1, 1:0, 0:2)
Referees: BAJT, WALLNER, Huber, Snoj

The HC Pustertal Wolves eked out a tough road win against EK Die Zeller Eisbären. Pustertal celebrated its 21st season win while the polar bears suffered their fourth consecutive home defeat. The Austrian side opened the scoring after 108 seconds when Tobias Dinhopel converted an assist of Daniel Nageler. The wolves tied it up about three minutes later thanks to Tommaso Traversa. Despite having more than the double shots on goals, Pustertal was not able to take the lead in the first. After Zell missed its first power play, they benefited on the second time on one-man advantage. Louke Oakley retake the lead for the hosts and they took it into the last frame. After 1,5 minutes Raphael Andergassen used a power play to balance the game for the second time. Soon later, the polar bears missed a penalty. Then Danny Elliscasis gave the guests the first lead in the game and secured their fourth consecutive win. 

Goals EKZ: Dinhopel (2./Nageler), Oakley (33.PP1/Widen-Vala)

Goals PUS: Traversa (6./Hofer-March), Andergassen (42.PP1/Corbett-Traversa), Elliscasis (53./Traversa-Gander)


Fotocredit: HCP / Foppa / Optic Rapid