Release from 13.03.2024

Ritten, Cortina, and Salzburg play in front of home fans for a spot in the semifinals

Short text 431 CharactersPlain text

While the Rittner Buam SkyAlps have their second chance to advance to the semifinals of the Alps Hockey League on Thursday, S.G. Cortina Hafro and the Red Bull Hockey Juniors have their first opportunity tomorrow to decide their “best-of-seven” series in their favor and thus follow the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan into the semifinals. All three teams, playing with power pucks, will compete on Thursday in front of a home crowd.

Press release 3433 CharactersPlain text

Alps Hockey League | 14.03.2024 | Quarterfinals, Game 5:
Thu, 14.03.2024, 7:15 PM: Red Bull Hockey Juniors – Hockey Unterland Cavaliers
Series score: 3:1
Referees: BAJT, HLAVATY, Arlic, Eisl | >> valcome.tv <<

With two consecutive wins, the Red Bull Hockey Juniors secured three match points for the semifinal entry. While the home victory was a clear 7:1, the young Salzburg team had to fight with all their might in the fourth quarterfinal against the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers. The game started with a high score of four goals – two on each side. However, from the middle period onwards, the defensive departments and goalies of both teams dominated. Only Salzburg managed to score another goal, which later turned out to be the winning goal. Now, the Red Bulls have the chance to qualify for the semifinals in front of their home crowd. For the team from Salzburg, this would be, after last season, their second semifinal entry in the Alps Hockey League. The Hockey Unterland Cavaliers, playing only their second season in the Alps Hockey League, were eliminated in the quarterfinals in their debut season. The chance for their first semifinal still lives, but they now need three consecutive wins. The Juniors will have to do without Maximilian Wurzer on Thursday, who has been suspended for the fifth quarterfinal match due to a cross-check.

Thu, 14.03.2024, 8:00 PM: Rittner Buam SkyAlps – EC Bregenzerwald
Series score: 3:1
Referees: SCHAUER, VIRTA, Fleischmann, Rinker | >> valcome.tv <<

With a 3:0 series lead, the Rittner Buam SkyAlps traveled to Vorarlberg to face EC Bregenzerwald on Tuesday. However, they did not manage to complete the sweep in the “best-of-seven” series. The Tigers showed their teeth and impressively resisted being eliminated from the season in front of their home crowd. With a 5:2 victory, they at least extended their season until Thursday, when they will have to compete against the dominator of the Master Round in Ritten. That this will be anything but an easy task is shown by the statistics: Ritten lost only once this season in two consecutive games. Those were, however, two away games in a row. The last league defeat at home dates back to October 7, 2023. Bregenzerwald has only managed to win once in eleven games in Ritten in its Alps Hockey League history: on January 2, 2022.

Thu, 14.03.2024, 8:30 PM: S.G. Cortina Hafro – HC Meran/o Pircher
Series score: 3:1
Referees: OREL, REZEK, Bergant, Puff | >> valcome.tv <<

After two commanding opening victories, S.G. Cortina Hafro faced two difficult quarterfinal games against HC Meran/o. First, Meran/o managed to narrow the series to 1:2, before Cortina fought to a 4:3 overtime victory on Tuesday. One minute before the end of regular playtime, Cortina was still one goal down. Now, the runner-up from last season has the first match point in front of their home crowd at a series score of 3:1. How emotionally charged this duel is, is evidenced by two game-duration penalties – one on each side – in the fourth quarterfinal. Meran/o will play against the end of their season on Thursday and aim to extend their season with a win. That they can prevail in Cortina was already proven in the third quarterfinal when they managed to win 4:2 with two late goals, celebrating their first and so far only quarterfinal victory.