Release from 22.03.2019

Jesenice and Pustertal take commanding 3:0 series lead

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After a 1:3 loss against HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, reigning champion Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey trails 0:3 in the “best-of-7” quarterfinal series. The Slovenian side is only one win farther to go through semifinals. With a 3:2 home win after overtime regular season winner HC Pustertal Wolves took commanding 3:0 series lead too. With home wins each the HK SZ Olimpija and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors took the 2:1 lead in the “best-of-7” quarterfinal series. 

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HK SZ Olimpija - Rittner Buam 6:2 (1:0, 2:0, 3:2)
Referees: DURCHNER, WIDMANN, Bärnthaler, Gato
“Best-of-7” series: 2:1

The HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana won their third quarterfinal against the Rittner Buam, 6:2. With this victory, the Slovenes retook the lead in the "best of seven" series. Ljubljana, who have won their last six home games, continued their series in their third quarterfinal match against Ritten. In a high-paced game the home team had the better start and took the lead within the first minute as Gregor Koblar opened the score. From then on, the Slovenes controlled the game and increased the pressure. In the middle of the second period, Gal Koren potted the 2:0 and increased the lead. The home team held the pace high and were able to score again in the 38th minute, Janez Orehek made it 3:0. In the third period the hosts dominated the game but Ritten kept fighting and were able to narrow the gap in the 46th minute. Andreas Lutz was the one, who held Ritten`s hope alive. Just three minutes later Zan Jezovsek scored a real beauty and extended the lead again. Ritten‘s defense couldn`t keep up with the Ljubljana offense and received two more goals. Within two minutes Janez Orehek scored two more goals. Ritten potted the 6:2 by Eriksson but couldn`t narrow the gap anymore. With this win HK SZ Olimpija leads the quarterfinals series 2:1.
 
Goals HKO: Koblar (1. -Cepon, Jezovsek), Koren (33.), Orehek (38., 50., 53.), Jezovsek (49. -Koblar, Rajsar)
Goals RIT: Lutz (46. -Kostner), Eriksson (58. -Kostner, Spinell)

Red Bull Hockey Juniors vs. EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau 6:4 (2:2, 3:1, 1:1)
Referees: A. LAZZERI, MORI, Kainberger, Wimmler.
“Best-of-7” series: 2:1

The Red Bull Hockey Juniors dominated the game for long periods and retook the series lead thanks to a 6:4 home win. After only four minutes Valtteri Meissari opened the scoring as his shot from the blue line was deflected by a defender. Only two minutes later Chris D'Alvise got Lustenau on the scoreboard on power play but soon later Dennis Lobach resotred the home lead. The guests tied it once again with Eetu Arkiomaa for a 2:2 score. After restart it was all Salzburg, Christof Wappis and Filip Varejcka used their chances for a 4:2 lead. After D'Alvise pulled one back it was Jesper Kokkila, who restored the two-goal lead even before the second intermission. In the third both goalies had some good saves but in the 54th minute D'Alvise broke the spell for his hat trick - 5:4. The visitors came close to tie the game once again but only hit the post during a power play. The lions took high risk and pulled their goalie with Aljaz Predan scoring an empty netter to make the game safe.
 
Goals: Meisaari (4./Kokkila), Lobach (8./Evertsson-Zündel), Wappis (27./Nordberg-Evertsson), Varejcka (32./PP2/Nordberg) Kokkila (40./Pilloni), Predan (60./EN) 
Goals Lustenau: D’Alvise (6./PP/Koczera-Slivnik, 37./Arkiomaa, 54./SH/Grabher-Meier), Arikomaa (16./Grabher Maier)

HC Pustertal Wolves vs. Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro 3:2 OT (1:1; 0:0; 1:1; 1:0)
Referee: BAJT, STRASSER, De Zordo, Markizeti. 
“Best-of-7” series: 3:0
 
Bruneck earned the third victory in the quarterfinal series against Cortina and Wolves ahead 3:0 in the series. Once again Cortina was an opponent who never gives up and for the third time the game ended with a goal gap thanks to Marko Virtala's goal at overtime. Erlacher and Laner are absent in Brunico. Alessandro Zanatta, Moser, Toffoli and Ayotte, who was injured in the last game, are absent from the visiting team. The beginning of the confrontation was very balanced with the best Cortina that played on a par with the opponents and dragged by the plays of Stumpf. The first penalty in favour of the home team allowed the Wolves to take the lead with Ivan Althuber (7.) Then after the goal there was another powerplay but not much happened. But the Cortina took courage as they scored with the former yellow-black player Nick Bruneteau with a good shot. This was the first goal of the Cortina that arrived after 134 minutes from the beginning of the series. In the second period the team from Veneto played with a lot of conviction against a Bruneck  but the result didn't change. The third period started with a lot of emotions. Stumpf realized in powerplay but always with the man in more Cody Corbett brought in a tie the score (penalized Stumpf). Then it began a phase in which the two goalkeepers did their duty and the teams were not precise in attack. This leaded to the first overtime of the series that lasted only 40 seconds. Traversa served a gold puck to Marko Virtala who achieved 3:2. 
 
Goals PUS: 1:0 Ivan Althuber (07:41/PP1/T.Virtala- Gander); 2:2 Cody Corbett (46:59/PP1/Andergassen-Traversa); 3:2 Marko Virtala (60:40/Traversa-Andergassen); 
Goals COR: 1:1 Nick Bruneteau (14:29/Di Diomete-Stumpf); 1:2 Daniel Stumpf (41:35/PP1/Di Diomete-Bruneteau); 

Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 vs. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:3 (0:0; 1:2; 0:1)
Referee: BENVEGNU, BULOVEC, Basso, Bedynek
“Best-of-7” series: 0:3

Jesenice won again at the Odegar and took 3:0 in the series. Asiago must always give up the Top Scorer Anthony Bardaro (on the second game of suspension out of three) while Jesenice were out of Kalan and Cimzar. The first period was very balanced and there were no goals despite a double powerplay of the yellow-red team for about thirty seconds. The game offered few ideas with two formations very careful not to leave anything to the opponents. The second period was quite different. The Red Steelers took the lead with David Rodman after just 24 seconds of play with a wrist shot. But the reaction of Asiago was there and materializes in a nice goal by Marco Rosa. The draw seemed to give more power to the home team that, however, break on the wall erected by Climie, goalkeeper certainly protagonist of this playoff series. But when missing 40 seconds from the end of the central period, Luka Basic's scored from an impossible position. The beginning of the third was incredible: Tavzelj saved the puck on the goal line. From a possible goal to an immediate goal. One of the Red Steelers' iconic players in this series, Tomazevic, rejected a shot from the blue into the net. Asiago reacted and there seemed to be the second goal of Asiago but Miglioranzi's shot hit the outside of the net. The hosts could not find other ideas and Jesenice won by 3:1 and now has four match-points available to close the series. 
 
Goal ASH: 1:1 Marco Rosa (26:03/Gellert-P.Pietroniro);  
Goal JES: 0:1 David Rodman (20:24/Gagnon-Paradies); 1:2 Luka Basic (39:19/Glavic-Gagnon);1:3 Blaz Tomazevic (43:09/Paradies-Pem); 

Photo credit: David S. Wassagruba