Kitzbühel and Gherdeina book huge Christmas wins 

Jesenice hosted Neumarkt in the last game before Christmas. The Slovenians started with high pressure and created many chances. Neumarkt focused on their defensive end and disarmed many shots of the hosts. In the 14th minute Markus Piispanen opened the scoring for Jesenice. In the second period Neumarkt found its rhythm and played on an even level with the Slovenians. In the 26th minute Joseph Harcharik tied the game. Jesenice increased intensity again and built two goals lead after goals of Adis Alagic and Blaz Tomazevic. Jesenice was able to bring their intensity into the third period and increased the lead to 5:1 after quick goals of Andrej Tavzelj and Jaka Sturm. But the guests didn’t give up and fought back into the game. Three goals within five minutes of Nedved, Muzik and Sullmann made it an open game again with still more than eight minutes to go. Tavzelj made the decision for Jesenice with his goal in the 57th minute. Neumarkt came back one more time: Nedved scored the 5:6 with still two and half minutes to go. But they didn’t manage to tie the game anymore.

The Red Bull Hockey Juniors started with high pressure and didn’t let Fassa out of their defensive zone. Nico Feldner openend the scoring for Salzburg in the 6th minute with an high class goal. Salzburg had a couple of possibilities to increase the lead, but the goalie of Fassa kept his team in the game. The Juniors killed the first powerplay in the second period, but had to take the equalizer of Di Diomete shortly after that. It needed 39 minutes till the Juniors recaptured the lead. Tobias Eder celebrated his 9th goal of the season and the 2:1 lead. In the last period Salzburg showed their full intension to win the game. Samuel Soramies scored the 3:1 in the 49th minute. A double strike of Victor Östling and Samuel Soramies brought the result of 5:1 for the Austrians.

The Buam booked a successful start and took a 2:0 lead after seven minutes. Thomas Spinell opened the scoring after 78 seconds. Six minutes later Oscar Ahlström increased to 2:0. Kitzbühel increased pressure and turned the game within three minutes. Henrik Hochfilzer and a double strike of Martin Gran brought the 3:2 after the first period. In the second period Kitzbühel even increased the lead to 4:2 after a goal of Lukas Bär. The Buam fought back and tied the game with two powerplay goals of Tommaso Traversa and Alex Frei. Simon Kostner even captured the lead for the Buam still in the second period. In the final period Kitzbühel played full in attack mode to tie the game again. With one field player more Henrik Eriksson succeeded 43 seconds before the end. In the overtime it was Olegs Sislannikovs who found the decision for the Austrians.

It needed a couple of minutes till both teams came into the game. Crt Snoj opened the scoring for the Sloveneans in the 12th minute. Lustenau had a big short handed opportunity in the 15th minute, but didn’t score. Moments before the end of the second period Snoj had the chance for his second goal, but lost the duel against the keeper and the post. In the second period it was again Ljubljana who scored the first goal. Andrej Hebar scored the 2:0 in the 33rd minute. In the 33rd minute the game had to be interrupted for a longer time, because of the repairs of a board. So the end of the second period and the third was played without break.  After the unscheduled break Lustenau came out with more intensity. But it was Ljubljana again who celebrated the next goal. Lustenau had to wait till the 44th more for the first goal. Philipp Koczera scored the 1:3. Ljubljana reacted cool and didn’t allow more goals. Miha Zajc created the result of 4:1 with an empty netter. 

The Broncos presented the new canadian forward Mark Lee. Daniel Erlacher was absent.  The first period was balanced and a little nervous. Both teams built few opportunities in front of the net. The most dangerous shots of the first part of the time came from the stick of Tobias Kofler and Benjamin Kostner. Then the end of time was quite busy. The Gherdeina didn’t transformed in powerplay with a shot of Colin Long. When, on the other hand, the Vipiteno played in powerplay, there was the goal of home team thanks to the shot at the intersection of Giffen Nyren for the only point of the first period. In the second period the game became a great festival of goals. After just 39 seconds of play Ivan Demetz equalized on the counterattack after a puck lost by the Broncos on the blue line. The Broncos, after three minutes, found the new advantage: Radovan Gabri served a nice puck for Felix Brunner who scored with a one-timer (2: 1). But this second half, although not played at best by the two teams, was full of emotions. The new face of hosts, Lee , took 4 minutes of penalties and Gherdeina scored two goals in two minutes with David Roupec and Derek Eastman. But always the special teams made the difference: the draw of Vipiteno was Tobias Kofler in powerplay (3:3). But this time never ended. After a shot by Colin Long, there was the Gabriel Vinatzer's winning rebound. But the Broncos regained the draw just 44 seconds before the second whistle after a one-timer of Hannes Oberdorfer. During the third time the defenses regained the control of the game and there weren’t goals as well as overtime. The game was resolved on shotout where the decisive one was of Linus Lundstrom. Two important points for Gherdeina in the run to the playoffs. For the Vipiteno it was the sixth consecutive defeat.

Sean Ringrose and Thomas Erlacher (both injured) and Nick Bruneteau (for suspension) were absent for home team. The Wolves started strong. Minute after minute the pressure of the home team was always constant and the goals were a logical consequence. The protagonist for the yellow-black team was the young Maximilian Lancsar who realized the first two goals after six minutes of play and in less than three minutes. Di Casmirro scored the third goal with a winning rebound. The game seemed already written but almost from nowhere came the first Austrian goal with a shot from center ice of Fabian Scholz that surprised with a strange rebound Thomas Tragust. At the beginning of the second half Fabian Scholz was always reopening the game for the second goal of the Polar Bears in powerplay. The game became nervous and with some penalties. Max Oberruach restored the distances in powerplay and Bruneck could return to play with more pace. In the last minute the Val Pusteria scored two goals in powerplay thanks to the points of Eric Pance and Raphael Andergassen who launched the home team to victory. When Zell am See returned to play for the third period, they proved to be very determined. After only 34 seconds of play Petr Vala halved the disadvantage (6:3). Zell am See belived in other scores: during a situation of 2-man advantage, the Zell am See left the goalkeeper out for extra men. In this mode Peter Vala scored again in 6 (EKZ)vs. 3 (PUS). The fourth Austrian goal was also the last of the match. Val Pusteria won 6: 4 as they returned to victory after two defeats. The Zell am See stopped his run after three consecutive victories that led to approach near the playoffs zone.

Luca Zandonella (injured) and Diego Iori (suspended) were absent for the home team. The first period was without goals and didnt’ give many emotions to the fans. The teams focused on defense as they did scant to revive the match. The game was also affected by penalties. During the restart the game's history changed. The ECB played very simple and tidy. The penalties continued to be whistled. After 26 minutes the first goal of the evening arrived in powerplay with Maximilian Hohenegg. Then after 53 seconds, the Bregenzerwald celebrated again. Panu Hyppa scored the doubling in counterattack. The Cortina tried to react but Edoardo Caletti didn’t realized in counterattack action. Thus the game arrived in the third time. The ECB continued its race with order and discipline. But after 47 minutes there was the awakening of the Cortina. Riley Brace did everything well and then served the puck to Zachary Torquato who scored in powerplay. After 4 minutes the Bregenzerwald lost the puck and so Michael Zanatta made the draw. Now the game was more fun than ever. The two teams tried to win before the end of regular time but they failed. After 44 seconds of overtime, Riley Brace missed a penalty shot. After a minute, the same Brace is forgiven and he made the winning game goal. The Cortina won for 3: 2 at the overtime and they exceeded by one point the Austrian team in the standings in a long fight for access to the playoffs as Cortina and Bregenzerwald were currently in seventh and eighth place in the AHL standings.

 

Referees: OFNER, PODELSNIK, Bedynek, Bizalj

Goals JES: 1:0 Piispanen (14. Logar- Tomazevic), 2:1 Alagic (36. Basic- Tavzelj), 3:1 Tomazevic (36. Piispanen- Jezovsek), 4:1 Tavzelj (41. Magovac), 5:1 Sturm (43. Kalan- Urukalo), 6:4 Tavzelj (57. Cimzar- Magovac)

GOAL HCN: 1:1 Harcharik (26. Brabenec- Muzik), 5:2 Nedved (47. Wieser), 5:3 Muzik (50./pp2 Willeit- Nedved), 5:4 Sullmann (52./pp1 Wieser-Nedved), 6:5 Nedved (58. Chizzali- Wieser)

 

Referees: HOLZER, LENDL, Kontschieder, Reisinger

Goals RBJ: 1:0 Feldner (6. Birnbaum- Kainz), 2:1 Eder (40./pp1 Quaas-Lahoda), 3:1 Soramies (49. Wachter- Eder), 4:1 Östling (56. Egger- Wappis), 5:1 Soramies (56. Eder- Wachter)

Goal FAS: 1:1 Di Diomete (22. Klimicek-Soracreppa)

 

Referees: KAMSEK, LESNIAK, Arlic, Markizeti

Goals KEC: 1:2 Hochfilzer (10. Eriksson-Lidström), 2:2 Lidström (13. Eriksson- Gran), 3:2 Gran (13. Lidström), 4:2 Hochfilzer (22. Bär- Eriksson), 5:5 Sislannikovs (60. Sprukts), 6:5 Sislannikovs (61. Sprukts),

Goals RIT: 0:1 Spinell (2. Tudin), 0:2 Ahlströhm (7. Hofer-Ahlström), 4:3 Traversa (28./pp1 Tudin-Hofer), 4:4 Frei (31./pp1 Spinell- Traversa), 4:5 Kostner (35. Borgatello- Ahlström), 

 

Referees: HÖLLER, SUPPER, Kainberger, Kalb

Goal EHC: 1:3 Koczera (44. Stastny- Wolf)

Goals HKO: 0:1 Uduc (12. Koren-Snoj), 0:2 Hebar (26. Selan- Kralj), 0:3 Chvatal (42. Grahut- Orehek), 1:4 Zajc  (59./sh. Hebar)

 

Referees: LAZZERI, LEGA, Basso, Terragni

Goals Sterzing: 1:0 Nyren (19./PP1/Lee-Sotlar); 2:1 F.Brunner (24./Gabri-Kruselburger); 3:3 T.Kofler (28./PP1/Oberdorfer-Felicetti); 4:4 Oberdorfer (39./Hackhofer-Felicetti); 

Goals Gherdeina: 1:1 I.Demetz (20./SH1/ Lundström); 2:2 Roupec (25./PP1/Long-G.Vinatzer); 2:3 Eastman (27./Roupec-G.Vinazter); 3:4 G.Vinazter (32./ Lundström-Long); 4:5 Lundström (65./SO); 

Arbitri: MISCHIATTI, MORI, Ch. Cristeli, F. Giacomozzi

Goals Pustertal: 1:0 Lancsar (6./Helfer-S.Berger); 2:0 Lancsar (9./Leintner-Andergassen); 3:0 Di Casmirro (15./S.Berger-M.Leitner); 4:2 M.Oberrauch (28./PP1/E.Johansson-A.Hofer); 5:2 E.Pance (39./PP2/Elliscasis-Andergassen); 6:2 Andergassen (39./PP1/Di Casmirro-E.Pance); 

Goals EK Zeller: 3:1 Scholz (16./F.Widen); 3:2 Scholz (21./PP1/P.Vala-F.Widen); 6:3 P.Vala (40./F.Widen-A.Krammer); 6:4 P.Vala (55./PP2/M.Oraze); 

Arbitri: MOSCHEN, VIRTA, M. Cristeli, Piras

Goals Cortina: 1:2 Torquato (47./PP1/Brace-Caletti); 2:2 M.Zanatta (51./A.Moser-F.Adami); 3:2 Brace (61./Torquato-M.Zanatta); 

Goals Bregenzerwald: 0:1 Hohenegg (26./PP1/D.Ban-Fussenegger); 0:2 Hyyppa (27./Zwerger);