Many goals were scored on Wednesday

31.01.2018: HK SZ Olimpija – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 6:2 (2:2,3:0,1:0)
In their last home game before a three weeks Olympic Games break HK SZ Olimpija won for the 2nd time in a row. The dragons were the better team throughout the game. Still they found themselves behind after Linus Lindström beat Robert Kristan in 8th minute. Home team didn’t take long to equalize with Janez Orehek making it 1:1. Simon Pitschieler put Gherdeina in front once more before Luka Zorko finished off the scoring for the period. As the teams returned from the locker room Olimpija once more pushed forward. The visitors managed to hold on for the first half. But in the 31st minute they had to concede twice. In the span of 21 seconds Kristjan Cepon and Crt Snoj got the better of Giancarlo Kostner. Before the final intermission Andrej Hebar added one more for Olimpija. For the final period Tilen Spreitzer took over for Robert Kristan. The youngster managed to keep his net intact. Still some 250 fans did see one more goal. On the 2nd power play of the night Saso Rajsar netted his first goal since joining Olimpija.

31.01.2018: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – EK Zeller Eisbären 6:2 (1:0,2:2,3:0)
The game started with big pressure from Jesenice, Kalan gave his team a 1:0-lead. The Red Steelers continued to shoot from everywhere, but goalie Dominik Frank prevented another goal from the Slovenians in the first 20 minutes. The second period started better for the home team. They managed to score after only 2 minutes. Only a few seconds later the Polar bears managed to score and reduce the gap. In the 36th minute Tadej Čimžar got a 4 min. boarding penalty: This was punished by the Austrians first, Martin Oraze scored the 2:2 against his former team. But the Slovenes had a quick answer and took the lead again with a shorthanded goal. Only a few seconds in the third period the home team added another shorthanded goal. Luka Kalan and Luka Bašič scored their second goal and three points stayed at home.

31.01.2018: Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro – HC Fassa Falcons 8:5 (4:1; 1:3; 3:1)
The Cortina was presented at this game in full force. The Fassa recovered Devin Di Diomete but in the team, there was no more Paolo Bustreo who returned to play in Sterzing. The start of the game was a bit slow and without particular jitters. The Falcons took the lead with a shot from the blue line by Manuel Da Tos, after 4 minutes, which surprised Marco De Filippo. But after just only 6 seconds pass that as a lightning Riley Brace equalized the score. After these two goals, the game became a lot of fun. As often happend the first penalty of the match was decisive with the goal in powerplay by Zach Torquato. Now the Cortina put a lot of pressure as they found two other goal. First Riley Brace finalized a good action in speed while the goal of Zach Torquato, two seconds from the end of the period, was validated with the video replay. But in the second half the Falcons showed a lot of pride and they played as well as possible. Jari Monferone and Samuel Rothstein scored two goals in two separate powerplays in just two minutes while the draw come in the middle through Martin Castlunger. But before the end of the second half there was a goal by Kris Kolanos in powerplay. In the third time a great Fassa scored the 5: 5 with Jari Monferone but in the last 10 minutes of the final period the Cortina won the game with the two goals of Kris Kolanos (the last in a empty net) and Torquato. The Cortina won 8:5 against an indomitable Fassa as they reached the important eighth place in the standings. In this game, Kolanos and Torquato made hat-trick each.

31.01.2018: HC Pustertal Wolves – EC-Klagenfurt-II 3:2 (1:0; 1:1; 1:1)
Eric Johansson, Benno Obermair and Eric Pance were absent for home team. From the first minutes of play the home team controlled the game. Raphael Andergassen gave the lead after 4 minutes of play and after a rebound in front of the net of the Austrian team. It seemed the beginning of an easy game against the last team in the standings. As often happened in the season, Bruneck created a lot of actions but it was not concrete in front of the goal and there were no other goals in the first period. During the second period the Pustertal doubled with Armin Helfer (24.) after a rebound. The home team felt safe but the Klagenfurt-II had other plans for this game. The protagonist of the Carinthian team was Phillip Kreuzer who before halved the gap in the second period then he made the tie at the beginning of the third period. Now Bruneck put the maximum commitment and the other goal arrived after 50 minutes with Max Oberrauch. This was also the goal that decided the match for a painful victory of Bruneck against EC-KAC-II for 3:2. The Wolves returned to victory after 4 defeats in a row as they remained in 5th place. After this game Eric Johansson and Benno Obermair (IHL Division I) were no longer part of the yellow-black team.

31.01.2018: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 – HC Neumarkt Riwega 8:0 (2:0; 4:0; 2:0)
Some news for this game. First match for Chad Pietroniro in Asiago while Anthony Bardaro is out for turnover. There were no more Christian Willeit, Michael Sullman and Andrej Nedved in the guest’s lines who left the Wild Geese. Andrea Maino was absent for influence. The Asiago totally controlled the first period as they didn’t leave no possibility for the opponents. After less than two minutes Marco Rosa scored the first goal at the end of a fast combination while the doubling was a counter-attack by Giulio Scandella. The goals could be many more but Daniel Morandell made many saves. In the second half the story didn’t change. The Asiago controlled but to see another goal to wait 12 minutes when Rosa realized on rebound. Then again, the home team that scored 4: 0 with Davide Conci on deflection after a shot from the blue. Then again Asiago who found the way to the net with Anthony Nigro (fast action) and Josef Foltin (great assist of Sullivan). The Neumarkt changed the goalkeeper: in Budinsky, out Morandell. In the third time Fabrizio Pace and Michael Sullivan allowed the Asiago to close the match on the lead for 8: 0. For goalkeeper Frederic Cloutier is the second consecutive shutout, the sixth of the season.

31.01.2018: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – Rittner Buam 2:4 (1:1,1:1,0:2)
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors started strong into the game and managed a quick lead: Samuel Antti Soramies gave his team a 1:0-lead after just 240 seconds. This was a wake-up-call for the Rittner Buam. The Italians produced a couple of good chances in the next minutes. Finally Alexander Eisath finished a nice combination with Dan Tudin and Thomas Spinell for the equalizer. After the re-start the guests had the better start: The Italians needed just 160 seconds to take the lead for the first time. The teams played on an equal level in period 2. Salzburg equalized late in the period. Yannik Pilloni beat goalie Patrick Killeen. The Italians went ahead with the first nice play in period 3, Oscar Ahlström finished a pass from his twin Victor - 3:2. The Red Bulls answered with much pressure, but goalie Patrick Killeen stopped all shots (ten) from the Mozart Citizens in the last 20 minutes. The Champion on the other side added the 4:2 in the final minute, Alex Frei scored into the empty net.

31.01.2018: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – EC Bregenzerwald 4:3 (0:1,2:1,2:1)
EC Bregenzerwald was leading in Kitzbühel 2:0 after 26 minutes. Simeon Schwinger and Panu Hyyppä scored for the „Wälder“. But there was still plenty of time and the Eagles started to shoot even more now. The Tyroleans quickly were rewarded and turned the game with three goals from Dominique Saringer (27.), Fabian Nußbaumer (31.) and Olegs Sislannikovs (50.). The Vorarlberger did not give up. Daniel Ban netted the 3:3 in minute 56. But Kitzbühel had a quick answer, just 27 seconds later David Lidström scored the game-winner for the Tyroleans. ECB fall out of the Playoff spots.

Alps Hockey League, round 29
Wed, 31.01.2018: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – EK Zeller Eisbären 6:2 (1:0,2:2,3:0)
Referees: FAJDIGA, HÖLLER; spectators: 700
Goals JES: Kalan (12. – Piispanen, Logar), Sodja (23. – Logar, Magovac), Basic (39./sh – Sodja; 49. – Tavzelj, Sodja), Piispanen (41./sh – Logar), Kalan (48. – Tomazevic, Piispanen).
Goals EKZ: Scholz (24. – G. Koblar, J. Koblar), Oraze (37./pp – Scholz, Feichtner)
Wed, 31.01.2018: HK SZ Olimpija – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 6:2 (2:2,3:0,1:0)
Referees: PIANEZZE, WIDMANN; spectators: 252
Goals HKO: Orehek (9. – Zorko, Selan), Zorko (19. – Koren, Hebar), Cepon (31. – Pesjak, Rajsar), Snoj (31. – Groznik, Uduc), Hebar (37. – Koren, Zajc), Rajsar (53./pp – Zorko, Zajc)
Goals GHE: Lundström (8. – Pitschieler, Vinatzer), Pitschieler (15. – Vinatzer)
Wed, 31.01.2018: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – Rittner Buam 2:4 (1:1,1:1,0:2)
Referees: FICHTNER, HOLZER; spectators: 60
Goals RBJ: Soramies (4. - Wachter), Pilloni (39. – Winkler, Wappis)
Goals RIT: Eisath (15. – Tudin, Spinell; 23. – Tudin, Spinell), O. Ahlströhm (49. – V. Ahlström), Frei (59./EN)
Wed, 31.01.2018: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – EC Bregenzerwald 4:3 (0:1,2:1,2:1)
Referees: STRASSER, SUPPER; spectators: 452
Goals KEC: Saringer (27. – Sprukts, Sislannikovs), Nußbaumer (31. – Sislannikovs, C. Kuchinka), Sislannikovs (50. – Sprukts), Lidström (56. – Sprukts, Sislannikovs)
Goals ECB: Schwinger (13. – Wolf, Pöschmann), Hyyppä (26. – Neubauer, Kauppila), D. Ban (56. – Mörsky, Kauppila)
Wed, 31.01.2018: Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro – HC Fassa Falcons 8:5 (4:1; 1:3; 3:1)
Referees: BENVEGNU, LEGA, Basso, M. Cristeli.
Goals COR: 1:1 Brace (4./Manning-Torquato); 2:1 Torquato (6./PP1/Moser-Kolanos); 3:1 Brace (9./De Biasio-Torquato); 4:1 Torquato (19./Brace-Manning); 5:4 Kolanos (38./PP1/Brace-Torquato); 6:5 Kolanos  (50./PP1/Torquato-Manning); 7:5 Torquato (55./PP1/Kolanos-Brace); 8:5 Kolanos (59./EN/Manning);
Goals FAS: 0:1 Da Tos (4./Monferone-Castlunger); 4:2 Monferone (22./PP1/Di Diomete-Klimicek); 4:3 Rothstein (24./PP1/Monferone-Klimicek); 4:4 Castlunger (32./Klimicek-Rothstein); 5:5 Monferone (46./Di Diomete-Klimiceck)
Wed, 31.01.2018: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 – HC Neumarkt Riwega 8:0 (2:0; 4:0; 2:0)
Referees: A. LAZZERI, MOSCHEN, Piras, Stefenelli.
Goals ASH: 1:0 Rosa (1./Magnabosco-Pace); 2:0 Scandella (12./Casetti-Nigro); 3:0 Rosa (34./Pace-Magnabosco); 4:0 Conci (36./Miglioranzi-Dal Sasso); 5:0 Nigro (37./Benetti-Scandella); 6:0 Foltin (39./M.Sullivan-Conci); 7:0 Pace (44./PP1/Rosa-P.Pietroniro); 8:0 M.Sullivan (57./M.Tessari-C.Pietroniro);
Alps Hockey League, Round 23:
Wed, 31.01.2018: HC Pustertal Wölfe – EC-Klagenfurt-II 3:2 (1:0; 1:1; 1:1)
Referees: PODLESNIK, VIRTA, P. Giacomozzi, Wiest.
Goals PUS: 1:0 Andergassen (4./Berger-Ringrose); 2:0 Helfer (24./J.Jacques-A.Hofer); M. Oberrauch (51./J.Jacques-A.Hofer);
Goals KA2: 2:1 Kreuzer (27./Kurath); 2:2 Kreuzer (41./Puff-Steffler);
Picture: Max Pattis