HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana qualifies for the playoffs

Ljubljana qualifies for playoffs after 28 games
Reigning champions HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana are one step closer to get their hands back on the Alps Hockey League trophy, after the Slovenian side earned a comfortable 6:2 home-win against second-last Vienna Capitals Silver. A strong second half of the middle frame with four unanswered goals got the “dragons”, which had six different players scoring, on winning ways to take revenge on league’s newcomer after the 0:2 loss in the first season encounter. With the interim 2:5 of Patrick Antal, the Austrian forward extended his scoring streak to ten games.

Pustertal and Ritten step closer to playoffs
The second- and third-ranked teams stepped closer to reach the playoffs, as they celebrated clear-cut wins. With six games left in regular season, the duo has an advantage of 17 points (PUS) resp. 15 points (RIT) in the race for the top-6. Second-placed HC Pustertal enlarged bottom-placed Steel Wings Linz’ losing streak to 22, after a 6:2 home-win, as the “wolves” turned a 1:2 deficit to a 4:2 lead after two periods within 5,5 minutes. Armin Helfer, who scored both on powerplay, and Max Oberrauch each had a brace, with Oberrauch becoming the second-best scorer of HC Pustertal in franchise history hitting goals number 287 and 288.
Third-ranked Rittner Buam cleared their road-game at EC Bregenzerwald in the first period, getting a clear 5:1 in the end. Thomas Spinell came out big for the former champion, as he hit a hat trick, scoring twice on powerplay.

Cortina turns it in the last with Markus Gander scoring on the debut
On the debut of Markus Gander, the S.G. Cortina Hafro grabbed the fourth win in a row, snatching up two points after a 5:4 overtime-victory at SHC Fassa Falcons. The hosts got off a perfect start, opening the score shorthanded, leading 3:0 after 16 minutes. Then Markus Gander scored his first for the Italian side, while Fassa restored the 3-goal lead at the beginning of the last. There the road-team picked it up, and Luca Zanatta, who had two assists too, leveled the score with 99 seconds left. In overtime top-scorer Remy Giftopoulos fired it home for Cortina, enlarging Fassa’s losing streak.

Feldkirch back in the top-6
With team’s biggest win ever in Alps Hockey League history, the VEU Feldkirch reentered the top-6, climbing to fifth spot, after a 9:1 clear-cut victory against the EK Die Zeller Eisbären, which missed six players in the first road-game of 2020. The “polar bears” got on the scoreboard first, as Florian Aigner made his second goal ever in AHL. Then it was all Feldkirch: Kevin Puschnik and Niklas Gehringer turned it around still in the first and the VEU continued, getting the preliminary decision with three more goals in the middle frame. Despite the harsh loss the Salzburg side remains in the race to the top-6, trailing six points.

Setback for Sterzing
The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan suffered a setback in the race to the master round and the preliminary qualification for the playoffs, as they got defeated by HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:5, dropping to seventh place in standings and trailing two points to the top group. The Slovenian side remains in the fight for the top-6, winning the fifth straight against the South Tyrolean, thanks to three goals within 81 seconds in the first, to grab a 3:1 lead. Jaka Sodja rounded it off for the road-team, which grabbed the third consecutive win, while the Broncos suffered the first after two victories in a row.

Seventh consecutive home-win for Juniors, McGowan hat trick for Gherdeina
With its seventh consecutive home-win the Red Bull Hockey Juniors remain fighting for the top-6, as they climbed to tenth spot, trailing five points to Feldkirch. The 5:3 victory over EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel was Salzburg’s eighth win against the “eagles” to stay undefeated against the Tyrolese. Two early goals – Robert Arrak (2.) and Aatu Luusuaniemi (4.) – got the hosts on winning ways. After Kitzbühel twice pulled one back, Max Tjernstsröm (37.) and Valtteri Meisaari (47.) cleared it for the “Red Bulls”.

After his first game in Alps Hockey League without scoring one point, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it’s Brad McGowan stroke back with a hat trick in South Tyrolean 5:4 home-win against EHC Lustenau, where Albert Krammer was suspended. After the home-team twice let slip away a one-goal lead, Pfennich and Long turned it around for the guests, McGowan sent it to overtime with his third of the night 49 seconds left. Matt Wilkins hit the decisive penalty to keep Gherdeina in the race to the top-6. Lustenau remains fourth.

Sa, 04.01.2020, 16.30 Uhr: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 5:3 (3:1, 1:1, 1:1)
Referees: RUETZ, SUPPER, Martin, Rinker. | Spectators: 450
Goals RBJ: Arrak (2./Harnisch-Feldner), Luusuaniemi (4./Tjernström-Englund), Englund (15./Harnisch-Feldner), Tjernström (37./Rebernig-Luusuaniemi), Meisaari (47./Harnisch-Feldner)
Goals KEC: Hochfilzer (14.PP1/Havlik-Uusivirta), Schreiber (36./Havlik), Bolterle (51./Maurer-Hochfilzer)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 17.30 Uhr: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Vienna Capitals Silver 6:2 (1:1, 4:0, 1:1)
Referees: OREL, WIDMANN, Markizeti, Snoj. | Spectators: 763
Goals HKO: Orehek (4.PP1/Ropret-Jezovsek), Jezovsek (30.PP1/Ulamec-Orehek), Brus (34.SH1), Ulamec (37./Simsic-Chvatal), Chvatal (40./Simsic-Ulamec), Simsic N. (47.)
Goals VCS: Norberg (2.PP1/Neubauer-Hermanstad), Antal (46./Hermanstd-Neubauer)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 19.30 Uhr: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:5 (1:3, 0:0, 0:2)
Referees: LENDL, VIRTA, Legat, Pace. | Spectators: 730
Goal WSV: Milam (9.PP1/Lemay-Doggett)
Goals JES: Brus (16.PP1/Stojan-Urukalo), Primozic (16./Brus M.-Tavzelj), Sersen (17.), Sodja (46.PP1/Tomazevic-Tavzelj, 58./Grahut-Brus)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 19.30 Uhr: VEU Feldkirch – EK Die Zeller Eisbären 9:1 (2:1, 3:0, 4:0)
Referees: LEHNER, MOSCHEN, Moidl, Piras. | Spectators: 1.564
Goals VEU: Puschnik (9./Scholz-Stanley, 46./Stanley-Koczera), Gehringer (15./Saari-Mairitsch, 22./Ratz-Draschkowitz), Stanley (27./Kyllönen-Koczera), Kyllönen (34./Draschkowitz), Fekete (42./Lebeda-Samardzic), Koczera (44.PP1/Stanley-Birnstill), Ratz (60.PP1/Saari-Steurer)
Goal EKZ: Aigner (8./Hansson-Judth)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 19.30 Uhr: EC Bregenzerwald – Rittner Buam 1:5 (0:3, 1:1, 0:1)
Referees: GAMPER, LEGA, Terragni, Vignolo. | Spectators: 751
Goal ECB: Söder (25.PP1/Lorraine-Ban D.)
Goals RIT: Spinell (7.PP1/Tudin-Lutz, 10./Tudin-Lutz, 41.PP1/Kostner J.-Quinz), Obuchowski (20./Frei-Lane), Tudin (22./Obuchowski-Gabri)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 20.00 Uhr: HC Pustertal Wölfe – Steel Wings Linz 6:2 (1:0, 3:2, 2:0)
Referees: HOLZER, WALLNER, Cristeli, Rigoni. | Spectators: 1.020
Goals PUS: Oberrauch (4./Lewis-Brighenti Moretti, 55./Hofer A.), Helfer (34.PP1/Brighenti Moretti-Carozza, 39.PP2/Brighenti Moretti-Carozza), Andergassen (35.SH1/March-Traversa), Lewis (51./Carozza)
Goals SWL: Mitsch (29.PP1/Frühwirt), Rosenberger (29./Gaffal P.-Ober)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 20.30 Uhr: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – EHC Lustenau 5:4 SO (2:2, 1:2, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI F., LAZZERI, Kainberger, Wimmler. | Spectators: 860
Goals GHE: McGowan (10./Wilkins, 20./Linder, 60./Willeit-Vinatzer), Schmalzl (28./Wilkins-Pitschieler), Wilkins (65.PS)
Goals EHC: König (10./Grabher Meier-Pfennich), Slivnik (20./Long), Pfennich (30./Oberscheider-Glenn), Long (32./Glenn)

Sa, 04.01.2020, 20.45 Uhr: SHC Fassa Falcons – S.G. Cortina Hafro 4:5 OT (3:1, 0:0, 1:3, 0:1)
Referees: DURCHNER, LOICHT, Holzer, Marchardt. | Spectators: 970
Goals FAS: Lundstrom (6.SH1/Roupec), Chiodo (11.PP1/Castlunger), Zanet (17.PP1/Marchetti-Caletti), Biondi (43./Mizzi)
Goals SGC: Gander (17./Lacedelli-Giftopoulos), Zanatta A. (43./Tomasini-Zanatta L.), Zanatta L. (59./Ayotte-Trecapelli), Barabo (45./Sanna-Cordiano), Giftopoulos (61./Zanatta L.)

Fotocredit: (c) Eva Brili Grebenar