Release from 28.12.2022
The S.G. Cortina Hafro and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors are in the quarterfinals of the Alps Hockey League. They have EHC Lustenau to thank for that, defeating EK Zell Eisbären - one of their direct rivals for a playoff spot - 4-2.
Kitzbühel makes race for top-5 exciting
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel make the fight for the top 5 - the first five qualify fix for the Master Round and are thus fix in the quarterfinals - exciting. After a 3:1 victory against their direct rivals, the Rittner Buam, they are only one point behind the South Tyroleans and in fifth place. Thus, these two teams and the EK Zell Polar Bears will duel for a playoff spot in the remaining three rounds of the Regular Season. On Wednesday night, the Eagles took the lead despite a deficit of chances in the first period. The visitors from Kitzbühel took control in the second period and went up 3-0. Ritten was able to shorten the score in the final period, but could not turn the match around.
Steel Wings give up red lantern
Both the Steel Wings Linz and the SHC Fassa Falcons have no more chance to reach the Master Round. In the direct encounter, however, the Upper Austrians proved that they currently have the better form. After a clear 6:1 victory, the Linz team was able to hand over the red lantern to the KAC Future Team and slide on the heels of the Falcons. The hosts controlled the match against the Falcons right from the start and took a 3:0 lead already in the first period. This was extended to 6-0 until the 44th minute, before the Falcons scored the first and only time. Arutrs Brikmanis scored a brace for Linz.
Lustenau stands in Zell's way in race for playoff spots
The EK Zeller Eisbären missed a chance to take a big step towards a playoff spot on Wednesday night. With a win, the Eisbären could have left the currently fifth-placed Rittner Buam behind and taken one of the Master Round spots for the time being. However, the calculation was made without the EHC Lustenau, which has no chance for the Master Round itself. The guests from Vorarlberg started strongly into the match and gained a quick 2:0 lead in the first period. Zell managed to tie it up at the beginning of the middle period, but Lustenau did not relinquish the lead and eventually prevailed 4:2. Thus, the Polar Bears remain one point behind the important fifth place and the Rittner Buam.
Cortina through to quarter-finals despite defeat
The S.G. Cortina Hafro is despite a 3:5 defeat against the EC Bregenzerwald fixed in the Master Round or in the quarterfinals of the Alps Hockey League. This was made possible by EHC Lustenau, who did not let the Zeller Eisbären score in the parallel game. For Bregenzerwald, on the other hand, the chance to enter the Master Round is only theoretical. The Vorarlberg team turned the match around on Wednesday night after trailing 0:2 thanks to a hat trick by Waltteri Lehtonen.
Leader Jesenice wins against Broncos
Leader HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice has long been determined as the winner of the first phase. In the last games of the Regular Season it is only a question for the Slovenians to keep their form in order to be able to take it into the Master Round. In the match against the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan they succeeded with a 5:2 away win. After leading 3:0, the Broncos made it exciting again and reduced the score to 2:3 until the 55th minute. Jesenice did not let the lead slip away and played the match safely home.
Meran wins in chasing duel
HC Meran/o and HC Gherdeina are fighting for the connection to the top-5. Gherdeina could have achieved this already on Wednesday evening, but Meran/o had something against it. Gherdeina took the lead twice in the first period, but the guests had the right answer each time, before they took the lead themselves in the final period and didn't let it go. Merano finally prevailed and keeps the theoretical chances for the Master Round still open, even if they are rather theoretical.
Alps Hockey League | 28.12.2022 | Results:
Rittner Buam SkyAlps – EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 1:3 (0:1,0:2,1:0)
Referees: BULOVEC, STEFENELLI, Brondi, Jeram.
Goals KEC: 0:1 KEC Niemelä J. (05:21 / Urbanek M. ,Kuronen J. / EQ), 0:2 KEC Urbanek M. (24:21 / Lahnaviik R. ,Niemelä J. / EQ), 0:3 KEC Ludin L. (31:18 / Hochfilzer H. ,Ebner M. / EQ)
Goals RIT: 1:3 RIT Fink K. (46:32 / Cardwell J. ,Kostner S. / PP)
Steel Wings Linz – SHC Fassa Falcons 6:1 (3:0,1:0,2:1)
Referees: BRUNNER, FAJDIGA, Arlic, Reisinger.
Goals SWL: 1:0 SWL Bucenieks K. (07:34 / Wilding S. ,Sommer L. / EQ), 2:0 SWL Noreika E. (13:11 / Rappold K. ,Kitt G. / EQ), 3:0 SWL Brikmanis A. (14:39 / Mosaad B. ,Kitt G. / PP), 4:0 SWL Brikmanis A. (37:45 / Wilding S. ,Granza I. / EQ), 5:0 SWL Rohm F. (41:32 / Haiböck M. ,Feldbaumer M. / EQ), 6:0 SWL Kitt G. (43:26 / Liesch L. ,Rappold K. / EQ)
Goals FAS: 6:1 FAS Trottner N. (53:24 / unassisted / EQ)
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – EHC Lustenau 2:4 (0:2,1:1,1:1)
Referees: KAINBERGER, LEHNER, Legat, Moidl.
Goals EKZ: 1:2 EKZ Neubauer H. (21:14 / Schernthaner J. ,Putnik P. / EQ), 2:3 EKZ Jennes C. (59:16 / Dinhopel T. ,Wohlfahrt B. / EQ)
Goals EHC: 0:1 EHC Puschnik K. (06:59 / Ratz P. ,Kutzer J. / PP), 0:2 EHC Wilfan M. (15:53 / Koczera P. / EQ), 1:3 EHC D'Alvise C. (26:30 / Hayes R. ,Krammer A. / SH), 2:4 EHC Haberl L. (59:16 / Pöschmann P. / EQ)
EC Bregenzerwald – S.G. Cortina Hafro 5:3 (1:2,1:0,3:1)
Referees: EGGER, HOLZER, Müller, Spiegel.
Goals ECB: 1:2 ECB Lehtonen W. (19:53 / Lipsbergs R. ,Matzka M. / EQ), 2:2 ECB Schlögl R. (31:14 / Zwerger J. ,Metzler M. / EQ), 3:2 ECB Wempe L. (47:27 / Lehtonen W. ,Matzka M. / EQ), 4:3 ECB Lehtonen W. (55:56 / Lipsbergs R. ,Tschofen M. / EQ), 5:3 ECB Lehtonen W. (57:59 / Lipsbergs R. ,Hyyppä P. / EQ)
Goals SGC: 0:1 SGC Saha M. (14:03 / Cuglietta D. ,Larcher E. / EQ), 0:2 SGC DI TOMASO G. (18:02 / Zanatta L. ,Adami F. / EQ), 3:3 SGC Lacedelli R. (49:38 / DI TOMASO G. ,Panciera G. / EQ)
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 2:5 (0:2,0:0,2:3)
Referees: LAZZERI, PINIE, De Zordo, Pace.
Goals WSV: 1:3 WSV Jokinen J. (50:21 / Mizzi J. ,McBride S. / PP), 2:3 WSV Mizzi J. (54:45 / Giftopoulos R. ,Hackhofer F. / EQ)
Goals JES: 0:1 JES Galushkin A. (07:14 / Svetina E. ,Sersen G. / EQ), 0:2 JES Prostor A. (17:14 / Pance E. ,Ulamec L. / EQ), 0:3 JES Glavic G. (47:34 / Blomberg N. ,Bohinc M. / EQ), 2:4 JES Blomberg N. (58:20 / Karjalainen A. / SH), 2:5 JES Rajsar P. (59:54 / Prostor A. / EQ)
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – HC Meran/o Pircher 3:4 (2:1,0:2,1:1)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, SORAPERRA, Cristeli, Fleischmann.
Goals GHE: 1:0 GHE Cristellon Y. (02:59 / Moroder S. ,Messner L. / EQ), 2:1 GHE Cristellon Y. (08:57 / Moroder S. ,Brugnoli J. / EQ), 3:4 GHE Oberrauch M. (43:09 / Gibbon K. ,Pitschieler S. / EQ)
Goals HCM: 1:1 HCM Brunner P. (06:00 / Chiodo L. ,Ansoldi L. / EQ), 2:2 HCM Chiodo L. (29:20 / Ansoldi L. ,Brunner P. / PP), 2:3 HCM Tomasini P. (34:06 / Colella M. ,Berger J. / EQ), 2:4 HCM Tomasini P. (41:16 / Rein N. ,Radin A. / EQ)
Picture: (C) Giovanni Castoldi