Pustertal won top-duel, Neumarkt captured good position

The EK Zeller Eisbären had the better start into the game, already during the first attach oft he game they were able to score. It was the first goal of Laurens Ober with the mature team. The guests found rhythm quickly and Florian Wieser scored the tie in the 8th minute. In the second period both teams played strong on an even level. In 24th minute the Neumarkt managed to score a power play goal. But Toni Dinhopel tied the game again, also in a powerplay situation. The game was very open and exciting in the last period. Both teams  had a couple of chances but didn’t manage to score. In the 48th minute the guests managed to take the lead again. Zell pushed for the tie, but 72 seconds before the end Axel Sullmann created the result of 4:2 for Neumarkt. It was the second consecutive win of Neumarkt against Zell, which brought now a very good position for the fight for playoff tickets.

The Red Bull Hockey Juniors started very offensively and dominated the game. In the third minute Christof Wappis scored for the quick lead. The Red Bulls kept on firing towards the goal, but didn’t succeed anymore in the first period. In the 25th minute it was Lukas Kainz who doubled the lead. Only three minute Jari Monferone narrowed the gap. In the 32nd minute Dario Winkler recreated the old two goas lead and Alexander Lahoda even increased in the last minute of the period. In the last period the Red Bulls kept on playing very offensively.This worked out, Florian Baltram increased in 45th minute. The falcons managed sore one more more time before Tobias Eder finished the game with a double strike for the 7:2.

The guests of Sterzing controlled the game right from the first minute. After five minute the Broncos took the lead after a mistake of the KAC goaly - Zdeněk Bahenský had no problems to score. Only 90 seconds after that Sterzing doubled the lead – Topscorer Verreault-Paul succeeded. Still in the first period also the third import player of the Broncos scored. David Roupec increased to 3:0 and ended the day of Jakob Holzer. In the second period KAC found better rhythm and played more or less on an even level. KAC created some good chances but didn’t score. The guests acted much more efficient. A blue liner of Fabian Hackhofer was defleted Tobias Kofler into the goal for the 4:0. In the third period the game lost intensity. Matthias Mantninger succeeded in the 52nd minute with goal worth seeing. The game ended with 5:0.

To home team was quickly offered the opportunity in power play. Dangerous attacks of Jesenice did not bring change in the result. We could see remarkable hockey on both sides. Eric Pance escaped the guest’s defense and forced a penalty. The execution of it was precise and he brought the lead to Jesenice. In the following minutes, Italian players also have the chance to hit the goal with one player more on ice, but the home keeper bounced the attack. However, the visitors did come up with a tie over Davide Del Sass. With this the match become even more tense. In the second period, we could see the equal duel continued. The guests attacked more, but the Steelers were dangerous. Sašo Rajser hit the top corner of Asiago goal directly from the bully and take care of enthusiasm in Podmežakla. The guests have pressured, they tried repeatedly in power play, but the outcome has not changed. In the last part Jesenice entered with advantage.  The hot development on ice continued also in the last part of the game. Asiago managed to equalize in power play. Of course, there was a lot of chances to win for one or the other team, but the combative play and hard work on ice did not allow more scores. The match had to decide in the extension. Asiago made the offense and Steelers come to victory through precise shot of Martin Oražej and the audience had loudly celebrated it.

 

The Gherdëina disputed the second home game for the occasion as they challenged the Bregenzerwald, last in the Qualifying round A. The first 9 minutes of play was a photocopy of the first period seen against Fassa two days ago: the home team attacked while the guests was close on defense. Ivan Demetz and Josef Straka had the best opportunities. Then the goalkeeper Misa Pietilä was still lucky in two circumstances, then Diego Iori, before the middle of the period scored the first goal. The Gherdeina team play better as they scored with Jonas Johansson (2:0). When missing 31 seconds to the end of the period Georg Waldhauser scored after a scrum to half the gap. After a numerical superiority untapped at the beginning of second half Josef Straka made to score the third goal for red blue team. The Austrians didn’t give up as they pulled one goal with Marcel Wolf. The Gardena later it looked on the ropes and disoriented, so that the "Wälder" managed to equalize after 32 minutes whit Philipp Putnik (3:3). The game was now more open than ever, but the score of 3:3 didn‘t change until the second stop. During the third period, the home side managed to win the match with goals by Derek Eastman and Benjamin Kostner. After this victory Gherdeina was perfectly on course for qualification to the playoffs. The match was the same the others between two teams with an average of 8 goals.

In the Arena Ritten is played the derby among two highest ranked team of Master Round. The coach of Rittner Buam, Riku-Petteri Lehtonen, has yet to give up Alexander Eisath (injured) while forward Simon Kostner, absent in the last game for flu, was back again available. The game since the beginning has been very balanced. The Renon has repeatedly sought the opening goal, but Tudin and teammates have failed to overcome the goalkeeper of Wolves, Thomas Tragust. So after 20 minutes the result was without goals. During the second period the guests played better and after just three minutes they went ahead. Wacey Rabbit used an assist of Victor Schweitzer for the first goal of the derby. For the Canadian striker was the 18th goal of the season. After the middle, Ritten made the tie. Alex Frei scored (1:1) Assist by Simon Kostner and Christian Borgatello. Then, both teams tried to double, but they didn’t succeed. During the third period, the HC Pustertal passed back the lead with Wacey Rabbit, exceeding for the second time the netminder Patrick Killeen. The game it looked to be decided, but when missing 40 seconds to the end of third period the Ritten made the draw. With two more men on the ice (Schweitzer was in the penalty bench and Killeen came out for an extra attacker), Victor Ahlström realized on assist of the captain Christian Borgatello. During the overtime, both team couldn’t score, so the match was decided on penalties. Max Oberrauch made the winning penalty that meaning the victory of the Wolves. After this match the Ritten, leader of the Master Round, has three points more of HC Pustertal.