Release from 22.03.2025

Marco Insam: "It will be like a final"

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The quarter-final series between the Rittner Buam SkyAlps and HC Meran/o Pircher goes into a decisive game seven on Saturday. The experienced Ritten defenceman Marco Insam knows what will be important in the showdown in Klobenstein.

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The Rittner Buam SkyAlps have been struggling with a scoring drought since game five, which has enabled HC Meran/o Pircher to fend off two match pucks and level the series at 3:3. Goalie Rudy Rigoni recorded a shutout in the Eagles' last two victories, saving a total of 85 shots. "The games in this series have been decided by episodes. We didn't capitalise on our chances in the last two games. If you don't score a goal up front, you just get it in the back. On Thursday, we conceded a goal immediately after hitting the crossbar, which is bitter, but that's the way it is in ice hockey, especially in the playoffs," says defenceman Marco Insam, looking back on the games so far.

The winner of the seventh game on Saturday will advance to the semi-finals of the Alps Hockey League, while the season is over for the loser. What the reigning AHL champions certainly don't lack is experience. Many of them have been in this situation many times before. Especially Insam, who at 35 has countless playoff battles under his belt. He has even won today's win2day ICE Hockey League, the Alps Hockey League and two Italian championships. "On Saturday, it will be important that we play as a team. Both teams are playing with their backs to the wall, with the knife between their teeth. It will be like a final. Apart from converting our chances, we have to go where it hurts, throw ourselves into every puck and every check. Merano has done that well in the last two games. But I'm convinced that we'll do the same now."

The game will be shown in the livestream at www.valcome.tv from 6 pm.