Release from 02.01.2025
The Alps Hockey League kicked off 2025 with exciting and very well-attended games. Four of the five games on Thursday were attended by more than 1,000 fans, with even more than 2,000 spectators in Zell am See and Sisak. In the end, both the second-placed team from Pinzgau and the sixth-placed team from Croatia won. The Rittner Buam SkyAlps, the Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel and the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan were also victorious.
EK Die Zeller Eisbären beat bottom-placed HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 3:0 in front of almost 2,700 fans, bringing the team from Pinzgau level with league leaders Jesenice. The Slovenians play their next game tomorrow, Friday, against Merano. Zell struggled for a long time against Gherdeina, in the end the special teams made the difference. In the 38th minute, Robin Johansson put the second-placed team in the lead in a double powerplay situation. In the final period, the “Polar Bears” finally shone while short-handed. In the 54th and 55th minutes, they scored two short-handed goals within 60 seconds.
Shootout victory for Kitzbühel against Cortina
In a close game with few goals, Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel won against S.G. Cortina by 2:1/SO. It was the third win in a row for the Tyroleans. Cortina, on the other hand, were beaten for the first time after two wins in a row. After a goalless first half, Gregory DiTomaso gave the visitors the lead in the 32nd minute with a man advantage. Twelve minutes before the end of the game, the “Eagles” equalized through Alex Maxa. In the shootout, Niklas Ketonen finally scored the decisive penalty for Kitzbühel, who are fourth in the table and now six points ahead of fifth-placed Cortina.
Last-minute victory for Ritten in Merano
Defending champions Rittner Buam SkyAlps narrowly won 3:2 in the derby at HC Meran/o Pircher. Kevin Fink scored the game-winner just 72 seconds before the end of the game. In the meantime, the home side from Merano took the lead both 1:0 and 2:1 in front of 1,482 spectators. However, the visitors always managed to equalize through Ethan Szypula. It was the forward's first brace of the season. The 27-year-old has already scored a hat-trick once. It was the third win in a row for the third-placed team in the table, while eighth-placed Merano suffered their fourth defeat in a row.
Sisak and Sterzing victorious in remaining two games
In addition, sixth-placed KHL Sisak narrowly beat HK RST Pellet Celje 4:3 on Thursday and the Wipptal Broncos celebrated a clear 5:1 away win at the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers. The seventh-placed team in the table was already 4:0 ahead after 33 minutes. The 21-year-old Thomas Galimberti scored his first brace in the Alps Hockey League. Unterland are ninth in the table, six points behind the Cavaliers.
Sisak is just ahead of the Broncos in the table. The Croatians have one point more than Sterzing. In their narrow 4:3 home win against Celje, they were already trailing 1:3 after 26 minutes. Vlastimil Dostalek finally turned the game around in favor of the league newcomers. Sisak's top scorer first made it 2:3 and the Croatian also scored the game-winner seven minutes before the end of the game. Ceje, who suffered their sixth defeat in a row, are now only tenth in the table.
Alps Hockey League:
Thursday, 02.01.2025:
Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – S.G. Cortina Hafro 2:1/SO (0:0, 0:1, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: HLAVATY, VOICAN, Eisl, Rinker. | Spectators: 1.250
Goals KEC: 1:1 Maxa A. (48.), 2:1/SO Ketonen N. (65./PS)
Goals SGC: 0:1 DiTomaso G. (32./PP1)
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 3:0 (0:0, 1:0, 2:0)
Referees: LEHNER, MOIDL, Seewald J., Zacherl. | Spectators: 2.689
Goals EKZ: 1:0 Johansson R. (38./PP2), 2:0 McLeod M. (54./SH1), 3:0 Stiegler M. (55./SH1)
HC Meran/o Pircher – Rittner Buam SkyAlps 2:3 (1:1, 1:0, 0:2)
Referees: HUBER R., RUETZ, Fecchio, Scalzeri. | Spectators: 1.482
Goals HCM: 1:0 Brunner P. (2.), 2:1 Fuchs J. (26./PP1)
Goals RIT: 1:1 Szypula E. (3.), 2:2 Szypula E. (44./PP1), 2:3 Fink K (59.)
KHL Sisak – HK RST Pellet Celje 4:3 (1:2, 1:1, 2:0)
Referees: BROCK, LEBEN, Jeram, Knez. | Spectators: 2.037
Goals SIS: 1:0 Idzan V. (5.), 2:3 Dostalek V. (37.), 3:3 Malenica N. (46.), 4:3 Malenica N. (54./PP1)
Goals HKC: 1:1 Bukovec M. (10.), 1:2 Mintautiskis M. (17.), 1:3 Zezelj G. (26.)
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 1:5 (0:2, 0:2, 1:1)
Referees: RIVIS, SPIEGEL, Brondi, Divis. | Spectators: 522
Goal CAV: 1:4 Samitis K. (47./PP1)
Goals WSV: 0:1 Capannelli A. (8.), 0:2 Campoli N. (18.), 0:3 Zandegiacomo L. (29.), 0:4 Galimberti T. (33.), 1:5 Galimberti T. (57.)
Copyright: Max Pattis