Ritten outclasses Pustertal

Ritten outclassed Pustertal
In tonight’s top-duel between second and third, the Rittner Buam outclassed the HC Pustertal Wölfe with 6:1. As the first team in Alps Hockey League season reaching the 100th goal-mark, Ritten took over the “wolves” in standings, sitting on second position two points in front of the vice champion. The “Buam” convinced on the offensive end to make their fourth straight win. Simon Kostner got them on winning ways right after the first face off, scoring after 17 seconds. With a 2:0 lead Ritten entered the second period and remain dominantly, making the game safe with four more unanswered goals until the 34th minute.

Ljubljana wins it with seven seconds left
The HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana remains first in standings after a last second home win against Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey. It was Slovenian side’s sixth win against the Italians to remain unbeaten against the former Alps Hockey League champion. Ljubljana won the second game within less than 24 hours, after yesterday’s huge derby win against Jesenice. The “dragons” scored all three goals on powerplay occasions, as they turned around a 0:1 deficit within less than two minutes in the second. After Asiago tied it around halfway through the last, the game was almost sent to overtime, as Nik Simsic fired it home for the Slovenian side with seven seconds left.

VEU destroys Red Bull Hockey Juniors winning streak
Red Bull Hockey Juniors’ winning streak ended at five, as the Salzburg side lost at the VEU Feldkirch with 2:3 after shootout, losing for the fifth time in Alps Hockey League to the Vorarlberg side, which remains sixth in standings. With netminder Alex Caffi saving 48 out of 50, the VEU had a strong backing. Though, the Red Bulls took the lead twice, each balanced by Fabian Scholz on powerplay. After a goalless extra session, Kevin Puschnik decided the game for the hosts in shootout.

Kitzbühel takes revenge on Zell am See
The EC “Die Adler” Stadtwerke Kitzbühel took revenge on EK Die Zeller Eisbären, as the Tyrolese grabbed a 3:1 home win in the derby, and the first win over the Salzburg side after six consecutive losses. Zell am See had to take the fourth defeat in a row, while Kitbühel grabbed the third straight to connect to the midfield of the table. An early lead of Kitzbühel thanks to Patrick Bolterle (7.) was balanced around halfway through the second. But the “eagles” stroke back about three minutes later, retook the lead as Niclas Maurer scored. With about eleven minutes left in the last the home team got the preliminary decision with the third goal of the night.

Lustenau back on winning track
The EHC Lustenau is back on winning track, after the now fourth-ranked Vorarlberg side got a tight 2:1 win after shootout at EC-KAC II. With its 15th season win Lustenau remains unbeaten against Klagenfurt, grabbing the eighth win overall. After a non-goal opening frame, the home team took the lead around halfway through the game, as Markus Pirmann converted a wristshot. But 134 seconds later the road team tied it with Jordan Pfennich, notching an assist of David König. The game remains goalless until the end and the overtime had no spectacular scenes too. In the shootout Lustenau grabbed the extra point, with all three players scoring.

Jesenice wipes out derby loss
After yesterday’s huge 0:7 loss in the Slovenian derby, the HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice got a clear 6:1 road-win at Vienna Capitals Silver, which had to take the seventh consecutive defeat, the fourth straight at home. The Slovenian side ended its four games losing streak, winning the second season meeting with Vienna too remaining 13th in standings. After leading 1:0 after the first frame, Jesenice got the preliminary decision with three unanswered goals within about four minutes in the second. Erik Svetana and Blaz Tomazevic, who had two assists too, each had a brace for past season’s semifinalist.

Sa, 21.12.2019, 5.00 pm: EC-KAC II – EHC Lustenau 1:2 SO (0:0, 1:1, 0:0, 0:0)
Referees: PAHOR, REZEK, Puff, Riecken. | Spectators: 137
Goal KA2: Pirmann (31./Ploner)
Goals EHC: Pfennich (33./König), Hurtubise (65.)

Sa, 21.12.2019, 6.00 pm: Vienna Capitals Silver – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:6 (0:1, 1:3, 0:2)
Referees: LESNIAK, LOICHT, Matthey, Moidl. | Spectators: 139
Goal VCS: Anderson Löfquist (35.PP1/Norberg-Antal)
Goal JES: Svetina (12./Tomazevic-Hebar, 49./Tomazevic-Crnovic)), Grahut (25./Sodja-Djumic), Sodja (26./Djumic-Sturm), Tomazevic (29./Hebar-Svetina, 60.EN/Hebar-Bonvalot)

Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 3:2 (0:1, 2:0, 1:1)
Referees: MOSCHEN, WIDMANN, Piras, Snoj. | Spectators: 642
Goals HKO: Cepon M. (25./Music-Rajsar), Cepon K. (27./Music-Koren), Simsic (60.PP1/Jezovsek-Rajsar)
Goals ASH: Gellert (18./Benetti-McNally), Pietroniro P. (50./Dal Sasso-Pietroniro C.)

Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – EK Die Zeller Eisbären 3:1 (1:0, 1:1, 1:1)
Referees: RUETZ, SUPPER, Reisinger, Rinker. | Spectators: 1.266
Goals KEC: Bolterle (7./Echtler), Maurer (32./Riener-Schröder), Feix (50./Schröder-Havlik)
Goal EKZ: Hansson (29.PP1/Sotlar-Wilenius)

Sa, 21.12.2019, 7.30 pm: VEU Feldkirch – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:2 SO (0:1, 1:1, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: GAMPER, HOLZER, Huber, Martin. | Spectators: 1.064
Goals VEU: Scholz (24.PP1/Stanley-Soudek, 49.PP1/Puschnik-Koczera), Puschnik (65.)
Goals RBJ: Frandl (14.SH/Witting-Meisaari), Luusuaniemi (40.PP2/Predan-Englund)

Sa, 21.12.2019, 8.00 pm: HC Pustertal Wölfe – Rittner Buam 1:6 (0:2, 0:4, 1:0)
Referees: VIRTA, WALLNER, Rigoni, Slaviero. | Spectators: 1.920
Goal PUS: MacArthur (42./March)
Goals RIT: Kostner S. (1./Frei-Marzolini, 22./Lane-Gazzola), Frei (8./Spinell), Spinell (21./Tudin-Vigl), Gazzola (28./Lane-Quinz), Pechlaner (34./Marzolini-Spinell)

Fotocredit: (c) Max Pattis