Jesenice is in the finals | RBJ equalizes series

Game four of the "best-of-7" series between HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice and the Rittner Buam SkyAlps also went to the Slovenians, who are thus in the finals of the Alps Hockey League for the second time in a row and are the second team, after Asiago 2018, to enter the finals without a defeat. After a narrow 1:0/OT win in game three in Jesenice on Tuesday, everything was clear after just 25 minutes in a 6:1 away win in Klobenstein on Thursday. After an initially even opening phase, Jasa Jenko scored just thirteen seconds before the end of the first period to make it 1:0. The forward also increased to 2:0 in the 25th minute and made his first hat trick in the AHL perfect with the intermediate 5:0. For the 22-year-old, it was also the first goals since December 1st, 2022. Only 58 seconds after the 2:0 Erik Svetina scored in the power play to make it 3:0 and thus ensured a preliminary decision. The final decision was made by Eric Pance 17 seconds before the end of the second period. Janne Tavi scored the only goal for Ritten in the power play (49.). Jesenice thus won the semifinal series against Ritten for the second time in a row. Last year they kept the upper hand with 3:1. In the third semifinal series between the two teams, the Buam prevailed 3:1 in 2018.

RBJ equalizes series
At least two games remain in the second semifinal after the Red Bull Hockey Juniors won 4:3 in overtime at S.G. Cortina to even the series. Philipp Wimmer scored the game-winner in the 71st minute. Cortina, which conceded its first home loss in the current playoffs, had the better start in the game and took the lead in the 14th minute through Jason Seed. At the beginning of the second period, however, the Young Bulls were also able to score for the first time thanks to Philipp Krening (22). The home side remained unimpressed, however, and only 57 seconds later Luca Zanatta made it 2:1. After that, however, it was the special teams that initially made the difference, as Cortina conceded two goals in shorthanded situations. First Quirin Bader equalized (28.), before Oskar Maier was able to turn the game completely in the 47th minute. But this time Cortina came back and equalized through Zardini Lacedelli four minutes before the end of regulation time to make it 3:3. Thus, the semifinal series went into overtime for the second time. Philipp Wimmer scored the game-winner in the 71st minute. In the fourth overtime for the Red Bull Hockey Juniors in the current playoffs, it was their fourth win.

Alps Hockey League, 4th semifinal:
Rittner Buam SkyAlps - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:6 (0:1, 0:3, 1:2)
Referees: BULOVEC, SCHAUER, Puff, Wimmler | Spectators: 389
Final standings in the„best-of-7“ semifinal series 0:4
Goal RIT: 1:5 Tavi J. (49./PP1 Kostner J. – Cardwell J.)
Goals JES: 0:1 Jenko J. (20. Blomberg N. – Jezovsek Z.), 0:2 Jenko J. (25. Jezovsek Z.), 0:3 Svetina E. (26./PP1 Polcs R. – Pance E.), 0:4 Pance E. (40. Svetina E. – Polcs R.), 0:5 Jenko J. (46. Pance E. – Bohinc M.), 1:6 Jezovsek Z. (58./PS)

S.G. Cortina Hafro - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:4/OT (1:0, 1:2, 1:1, 0:1)
Referees: LAZZERI, REZEK, Bergant, Fleischmann | Zuschauer: 520
Standings in the „best-of-7“ semifinal series 2:2
Goals SGC: 1:0 Seed J. (14.), 2:1 Zanatta L. (23. Zardini Lacedelli N.), 3:3 Zardini Lacedelli N. (56. Alvera T. – Cuglietta D.)
Goals RBJ: 1:1 Krening P. (22. Auer L. – Predan A.), 2:2 Bader Q. (29./PP1 Maier O.), 2:3 Maier O. (47./PP1 Heigl T.), 3:4 Wimmer P. (71./OT Heigl T. – Maier O.)