Release from 27.02.2020
With three rounds left in the Master Round the race for home advantage in the quarterfinals of Alps Hockey League remains thrilling, as all three lower-ranked teams cheered wins on Thursday. A brace of Zan Jezovsek let HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana jump to second place, while HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice quit its losing streak and Chad Pietroniro cleared it for Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey scoring twice shorthanded.
In the Qualification Round A the leader Red Bull Hockey Juniors had to take its first defeat, while in the Qualification Round B the VEU Feldkirch stepped closer to reach the playoffs. Further, the EC “Die Adler” Stadtwerke Kitzbühel celebrated its biggest win ever in Alps Hockey League, outclassing Steel Wings Linz 13:0.
Ljubljana becomes first chaser of HC Pustertal
Reigning champions HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana became first chaser of HC Pustertal Wölfe in the Master Round, trailing four points with three games left. A brace of Zan Jezovsek in the last 2,5 minutes of the second gave the Slovenian side a tight 2:1 home win against past season’s top-seeded team in the playoffs. With 45 saves Colin Furlong preserved the vice champion of a higher loss. Ljubljana’s back-up Tilen Spreitzer saved 95%.
With Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey and HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice both further lower-ranked teams celebrated wins too. While Asiago destroyed S.G. Cortina’s winning streak at three, as the former champions grabbed a 2:1 home-win thanks to Chad Pietroniro scoring both shorthanded in Thursday’s lone game taking place to the exclusion of public, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice came back on winning ways after five consecutive losses. Master Rounds bottom-placed team cheered a 1:0 shutout win at Rittner Buam, with Ziga Kogovsek saving 33.
First loss in Qualification Round for Red Bull Hockey Juniors
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors had to take the first defeat in the Qualification Round A, as the leader lost to EC-KAC II 3:4 after shootout. In front of about 600 supporters of soccer team Eintracht Frankfurt, which game against FC Salzburg was postponed due to a winter storm, the Klagenfurt side destroyed Salzburg’s winning streak at seven, though the “Red Bulls” tied it up three times, as the EC-KAC II twice scored on powerplay. After a non-goal extra session, Klagenfurt’s top scorer Rok Kapel (21G | 25A) hit the decisive penalty.
Klagenfurt’s road win let the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, which missed Viktor Schweitzer due to a suspension, narrow the gap to leader Salzburg. The South Tyrolean booked a clear 7:1 road win at Vienna Capitals Silver with the first line shining: Matt Wilkins (1G | 5A), Brad McGowan (2G | 3A), Gabriel Vinatzer (1G | 2A), Joel Brugnoli (1G | 1A) and Ondrej Nedved (1A) collected 17 out of 21 points. Gherdeina trails five points with three games left. Third ranked Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan extended EHC Lustenau’s losing streak to five, as the South Tyrolean won 5:4 after overtime on the road. Slater Doggett tied it for the guests with ten minutes left in the last and fired home the overtime game winner after 43 seconds to balance head-2-head stats (6:6).
Mairitsch shines again for VEU Feldkirch
With Martin Mairitsch posting his third hat trick within the past six games, the VEU Feldkirch grabbed its sixth win in the intermediate round to strengthen top position in Qualification Round B, winning against EK Die Zeller Eisbären 5:2. After Benjamin Lanzinger (22.) and Tomi Wilenius (26.) tied the game at two for the polar bears within less than four minutes, Mairitsch retook the lead for the Vorarlberg side and secured the home win, as he scored in the sixth consecutive game.
Feldkirch’s first chaser SHC Fassa Falcons grabbed only two points in the 5:4 home-win against EC Bregenzerwald after overtime. Diego Iori secured the extra session for the falcons with 20 seconds left in the last and Michele Marchetti scored the game winner. With three more games to play, the Italian side trails four points now.
The EC “Die Adler” Stadtwerke Kitzbühel kept its small chances for reaching playoffs alive, as the Tyrolese outclassed bottom-placed Steel Wings Linz 13:0 to cheer its biggest win ever in Alps Hockey League. Three goals within 63 seconds cleared the way for the fourth win in row. Nine different players scored, while goalie Stefan Ridderwall grabbed his fifth shutout.
Master Round:
Th, 27.02.2020, 19:15: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana - HC Pustertal Wölfe 2:1 (0:0, 2:1, 0:0)
Referees: LESNIAK, WIDMANN, Javornik, Schweighofer. | Spectators: 442
Goals HKO: Jezovsek (38./Planko-Cepon, 40.PP1/Rajsar-Orehek)
Goal PUS: Andergassen (27./Carozza)
Th, 27.02.2020, 20:00: Rittner Buam - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 0:1 (0:1, 0:0, 0:0)
Referees: STEFENELLI, VIRTA, Cristelli, De Zordo. | Spectators: 372
Goal JES: Tomazevic (17./Sodja J.-Djumic)
Th, 27.02.2020, 20:30: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey - S.G. Cortina Hafro 2:1 (1:0, 0:0, 1:1)
Referees: LAZZERI, PINIE, Mantovani, Slaviero.
Goals ASH: Pietroniro C. (13.SH1/Pietroniro P.-Caporusso, 44.SH1/Gellert-McParland)
Goal SGC: Trecapelli (41./Gander-King)
Qualification Round A:
Th, 27.02.2020, 18:00: Vienna Capitals Silver - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 1:7 (1:2, 0:5, 0:0)
Referees: BAJT, PAHOR, Reisinger, Weiss. | Spectators: 85
Goal VCS: Persson (16./Akesson)
Goal GHE: McGowan (9./Brugnoli-Wilkins, 14.SH1/Kurki-Wilkins), Brugnoli (21./Vinater-Nedved), Willeit (29.PP1/Wilkins-McGowan), Wilkins (33.PP1/McGowan-Kurki), Kurki (36.PP1/Wilkins-Vinatzer), Vinatzer (37./McGowan-Wilkins)
Th, 27.02.2020, 19:15: Red Bull Hockey Juniors - EC KAC II 3:4 SO (1:1, 1:2, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: DURCHNER, WALLNER, Huber, Kainberger. | Spectators: 550
Goals RBJ: Witting (16./Eriksson-Predan), Rebernig (28./Arrak-Stapelfeldt), Tjernström (44./Mass-Appendino)
Goals KA2: Richter (10.PP1/Kreuzer), Hammerle S. (27.PP1/Moser-Hammerle V.), Hammerle V. (31./Duller), Kapel (65.PS)
Th, 27.02.2020, 19:30: EHC Lustenau - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 4:5 OT (1:0, 2:2, 1:2, 0:1)
Referees: BENVEGNU, GAMPER, Bedana, Eisl. | Spectators: 317
Goals EHC: Wallenta (1.), Duda (25.PP1/Rasmussen-D’Alvise), Rasmussen (34./Duda-Glenn), D’Alvise (42.)
Goals WSV: Mantinger (22.SH1), Lemay (39.PP1/Messner-Milam), Mantinger (41./Lemay-Milam) Doggett (50./Lemay-Milam, 61./Hackhofer-Lemay)
Qualification Round B:
Th, 27.02.2020, 19:30: VEU Feldkirch - EK Die Zeller Eisbären 5:2 (2:0, 1:2, 2:0)
Referees: HOLZER, RUETZ, Martin, Rinker. | Spectators: 1.351
Goals VEU: Puschnik (5.PP1/Koczera-Birnstill), Gehringer (9./Mairitsch-Draschkowitz), Mairitsch (36./Jancar-Ratz, 44./Stückler, 47./Draschkowitz-Birnstill)
Goals EKZ: Lanzinger (22.), Wilenius (26./Sotlar-Putnik)
Th, 27.02.2020, 20:00: EC 'Die Adler' Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - Steel Wings Linz 13:0 (3:0, 3:0, 7:0)
Referees: KUMMER, OREL, Miklic, Puff. | Spectators: 702
Goals KEC: Rosenlechner (4.PP1/Echtler-Ebner), Mader (5./Maurer), Hochfilzer (5./Havlik-Schreiber), Havlik (28./Uusivirta-Hochfilzer), Bolterle (33./Rosenlechner-Echtler, 52./Uusivirta-Echtler), Echtler (36.SH1, 46./Bolterle-Ebner), Uusivirta (47./Havlik-Schreiber), Schreiber (50./Havlik-Uusivirta, 51./Havlik-uusivirta), Mader (51./Schröder-Maurer), Karitnig (55./Havlik-Uusivirta)
Th, 27.02.2020, 20:30: SHC Fassa Falcons - EC Bregenzerwald 5:4 OT (1:1, 1:1, 2:2, 1:0)
Referees: HUBER, MOSCHEN, Giacomozzi, Piras. | Spectators: 784
Goals FAS: Iori (1./Castlunger-Lundstrom, 60.PP1/Castlunger-Caletti), Schiavone (38./Eastman-Chiodo), Eastman (43./Lundstrom-Iori), Marchetti (64./Chiodo-Mizzi)
Goals ECB: Fender (3./Auer), Hyyppä (27./Fässler-Zipperle), Söder (50.PP1/Vogellar-Haidinger, 55.PP1/Haidinger-Ban)
Fotocredit: (c) Eva Brili Grebenar