Release from 27.02.2024

Pioneers reach the quarter-finals | Olimpija equalizes

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The BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg have reached the quarter-finals of the win2day ICE Hockey League. In only their second year since the club was founded, the Vorarlbergers managed to set this milestone in their club history with an impressive home win in the second pre-playoff game against HC TIWAG Innsbruck. HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana equalized in the pre-playoff series against HC Pustertal with an impressive performance. The deciding game will therefore take place in Bruneck on Thursday.

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The BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg are making club history: In only their second season in the win2day ICE Hockey League, they have made it to the quarter-finals. This makes the Pioneers the first Vorarlberg team to win a playoff series since the league was founded. After the Pioneers had won home advantage at HC TIWAG Innsbruck on Sunday, the Pioneers followed suit in their home game. In front of an impressive crowd - a new attendance record was set in Feldkirch in the Pioneers' era - the Pioneers got off to a dream start. Steven Owre, who was named Most Valuable Player immediately before the encounter, needed just 39 seconds to open the scoring. However, HC TIWAG Innsbruck found the right answer a few minutes later while short-handed. Contrary to the course of the game, the hosts regained the lead in the first period. In the second period, the Vorarlberg team took complete control and put in a great performance, increasing their lead to 5:1. HC TIWAG Innsbruck was no longer able to pose a threat to the Pioneers in the final period and was ultimately beaten 2:5. After the Sharks reached the quarter-finals last season for the first time since 2017/18, their season ends in the pre-playoffs this time.



Ljubljana equalises series
HK SŽ Olimpija beat HC Pustertal on Tuesday night in game two to tie the pre-playoff series. The team from Bruneck, who had already won the first game 3:0, got off to the better start again: Daniel Catenacci scored in the eighth minute on the powerplay to give them the lead - his third goal in three days. However, the Slovenians took advantage of their first powerplay to equalise. Marcel Mahkovec beat goalie Andreas Bernard, who got the start this time, on the rebound. In the middle period, the home side set the course for victory with three goals. Mahkovec turned the game around with his second goal, then Nik Simsic made it 3:1 from an acute angle. Ville Leskinen even added Olimpija's fourth goal - again with numerical superiority. Although Pustertal got closer again in the third period with an early Morley goal, Olimpija skilfully defended their lead. Miha Zajc made the decision with an empty netter and Jaka Sodja then scored to make the final score 6:2. The decisive game for the quarter-finals will now take place on Thursday in Bruneck.



win2day ICE Hockey League, Pre-Playoffs - Game 2

BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg - HC TIWAG Innsbruck - The Sharks 5:2 (2:1,3:0,0:1)
Referees: NIKOLIC M., SMETANA, Nothegger, Riecken
Goals PIV: Owre (1., 28.), van Nes (12.), Woger (26./pp1), Pastujov (29.)
Goals HCI: Halbert (5th/sh; 52nd)
Final score of the series 2:0

HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana - HC Pustertal 6:2 (1:1,3:0,2:1)
Referees: PIRAGIC, ZRNIC, Hribar, Zgonc
Goals HKO: Mahkovec (19./pp1; 27.), Simsic (32.), Leskinen (35./pp1),
Goals PUS: Catenacci (8th/pp1), Leskinen (35th/pp1), Morley (42nd)
Series score: 1:1
Deciding game on Thursday in Bruneck or LIVE on puls24/eishockey and JOYN.