Ljubljana sweeps Lustenau and advances to the finals

HK SZ Olimpija - EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau 7:4 (1:3, 3:0, 3:1)
“best-of-5” series: 3:0
Referees: FICHTNER, A. LAZZERI, Bedynek, Rigoni. Spectators: 1.453

The HK SZ Olimpija went through to Alps Hockey League finals for the first time in history with a semifinal-sweep against the EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau. With a strong middle frame, the Slovenian side turned around a two-goal deficit in game three of the “best-of-5” semifinal series and celebrated a 7:4 home win. At the beginning of the game the guests seemed to be more effective in front of opponent’s net getting a 2:0 lead early, after Philipp Koczera netted on powerplay and Martin Graber Meier doubled up. While Ales Music halved the deficit for the hosts around halfway through the first, Philipp Winzig restored the two-goal lead less than one minute later. Soon later in the second, the hosts got rewarded quickly for their aggressive offensive performance. With three straight goals of Kristjan Cepon, Pesut and Koblar the guests turned around the game and make the preliminary decision right at the beginning of the last period. Mark Cipon and Ziga Pesut, who scored a brace, got their colors on winning ways after 2,5 minutes played in the last. Later, David Slivnik pulled one back for the Austrian side. Zan Jezovsek rounded off the score with an empty netter for the result.   

Goal HKO: Music (10./Koren-Vidmar), Cepon K. (27./Jezovsek-Planko), Pesut (39./Vidmar-Kranjc, 43./Vidmar-Music), Koblar (39./Rajsar-Cepon), Cepon M. (42./Svete-Orehek), Jezovsek (59.EN/Cepon)

Goals EHC: Koczera (3.PP1/Grabher Meier-Wilfan), Grabher Meier (6./Arkiomaa-Auer), Winzig (11./D’Alvise-Grabher Meier), Slivnik (47.PP1/Koczera-Grabher Meier)

HC Pustertal vs. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 0:1 (0:0; 0:0; 0:1)
Score “best-of-5”-Serie: 1:2
Referees: BULOVEC, VIRTA, Bergant, De Zordo.

A goal in powerplay just three seconds from the third whistle by Andrej Tavzelj with a shot from the blue, allowed Jesenice to win the third semi-final game in Bruneck with the minimum gap (1:0) as they took the 2:1 lead in the series against the Wolves. Now the Red Steelers can close it at home on Sunday if they win the fourth semi-final game. Since the first skates the game at RienzStadion (2070 spectators) proved to be very hard-fought, high level and with a very fast pace. The only thing missing in the first periods were the goals. The first real opportunity of the evening came from Blaz Tomazevic's splint in powerplay which can be considered the most dangerous in the first period by the Red Steelers. Then also Bruneck tried to hit with two fast actions of Simon Berger and Tommaso Traversa. Then there was perhaps more Bruneck in a match also became very physical. In the second period the game stopped. The two teams played a lot in the neutral zone and the chances in front of the net were few. The fear of making a mistake took the lead with the result always standing at 0:0 even at the end of the second whistle. Then in the third the Slovenian team played twice in powerplay but the result was not unlocked. The last superiority in favour of the guests started at 111 seconds from the third whistle but when the overtime seemed certain Tavzelj guessed the shot from the blue. Now Bruneck has to win Sunday in Game 4 in Jesenice otherwise there will be an all-Slovenian final seen the passage of Ljubljana in the final.

Goal JES: 0:1 Andrej Tavzelj (59:57/PP1/Basic-Pance);

Photo: Eva Brili Grebenar