Release from 31.03.2021
© (c) HCP / Foppa / Optic Rapid
On Thursday the Alps Hockey League playoff pairing HC Pustertal Wölfe against EHC Lustenau will start. After the series had to be postponed due to medical precautions in connection with COVID-19 and reduced to a "best-of-3" mode, the duel starts on Thursday in Bruneck. In parallel, the further "best-of-5" quarterfinal series could already come to an end: With HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey the three better seeded teams have the chance to claim the third win on their home ice. Never has a team in the Alps Hockey League managed to come back from a 0:2 deficit.
Alps Hockey League | quarterfinals | Thursday, April 1st 2021:
Thu, 01.04.2021, 6.00 pm: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan
Referees: GROZNIK, LESNIAK, Arlic, Snoj. | >> FREE LIVESTREAM <<
“best-of-5” quarterfinal series: 2:0
Reigning AHL champion HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana has its first opportunity to reach the semifinal series on Thursday. The Slovenians earned a 4:3 win over the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan in Bressanone on Tuesday and are 2:0 ahead in the "best-of-5" series. Ljubljana's youngest newcomer Marc-Olivier Vallerand was responsible for the win with a brace including the game-winner. The "Dragons" showed their offensive strength in both postseason encounters, putting 97 shots on goal in total and scoring eleven goals. Accordingly, the "Broncos" need to sharpen up defensively. On Tuesday, only 16 skaters were available for the South Tyroleans. With a total of only eight penalties, the series has been very fair so far. The Slovenians have won each of the previous five games against the South Tyroleans at home and have always scored more than four goals.
Thu, 01.04.2021, 7.00 pm: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey – S.G. Cortina Hafro
Referees: BENVEGNU, PINIE, Mantovani, Rigoni. | >> PPV LIVESTREAM <<
“best-of-5” quarterfinal series: 2:0
The "Derby Veneto" series has been close so far, with Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey twice prevailing 2:1, giving them a chance to reach the Alps Hockey League semifinals for the third time on Thursday. In the previous two, Lions "swept" their way into the top-4. In addition, the 2018 AHL champions have yet to win any series in which they were ahead 2:0. Asiago has relied on a strong defense in this series so far - allowing just one goal per game - and goalie Gianluca Vallini: he impressed in game one with a 96% save percentage, and in game two with 96.8%. As in the 18/19 season, Cortina is threatened with a playoff exit without a win. At that time, the Italians were defeated in the quarterfinals by HC Pustertal with 0:4.
Thu, 01.04.2021, 8.00 pm: HC Pustertal Wölfe – EHC Lustenau
Referees: MOSCHEN, VIRTA, Cristeli, De Zordo, Pichler. | >> PPV LIVESTREAM <<
On Thursday, the quarterfinal series between HC Pustertal Wölfe and EHC Lustenau will start. Due to medical precautions in connection with COVID-19, an earlier start of the series was not possible - now the quarterfinalist will be determined in "best-of-3" mode. Both teams were already in the playoff in the AHL premiere season 16/17 but were promptly eliminated there. One year later HCP survived the quarterfinals, two years later the "Wolves" advanced to the final. Lustenau was in the semifinals in 18/19. There has not yet been a playoff confrontation between the two teams. For the South Tyroleans, the first game in 14 days is on the program on Thursday, Lustenau is playing again after a nine-day break, acted sovereign in the pre-playoff (two wins against Ritten). In both season meetings Pustertal won with only one goal against each game.
Thu, 01.04.2021, 8.30 pm: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it
Referees: PAHOR, REZEK, Bergant, Miklic. | >> FREE LIVESTREAM <<
“best-of-5” quarterfinal series: 2:0
HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice is the second Slovenian AHL participant to advance to the semifinals. On Tuesday, the second-place team after the regular season put the score at 2:0 with a 3:1 win in the "best-of-5" quarterfinal series. The Slovenians have still won each of their quarterfinal series in the AHL, two of them with a sweep. Jesenice's defense is currently dominant - even when shorthanded: it survived eight of the nine box plays unscathed, something Val Gardena, the second-best power play team in the regular season (27.6%), is struggling with. In addition, the team can rely on goalie Zan Us, who conceded only one goal in each of the two games and impressed with a save percentage of over 96%. For the South Tyroleans, their forward duo could make it exciting once again: Brad McGowan (27G|48A) and Mathew Wilkins (23G|50A) are the two best scorers in the current campaign.
Fotocredit: HCP / Foppa / Optic Rapid