Release from 04.02.2023
The Rittner Buam SkyAlps won their third home game in the Masterround of the Alps Hockey League, as the 2-1 win after shootout was made possible by Julian Kostner with only seven seconds left in regulation. In the second game of the top group HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice showed a clear reaction to the harsh defeat on Thursday with a 5-1 road win at Hockey Unterland Cavaliers, forward Joonas Larinmaa scored a brace on his debut.
In Qualification Round A, four points from Stephan Deluca (2G|2A) helped SHC Fassa Falcons to secure a comeback win at top-ranked Zell am See and move up to third place. In pool B, the EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel regained the lead against EHC Lustenau, while third-placed EC Bregenzerwald also won its fourth game in the intermediate round.
After two games without scoring a goal, the Rittner Buam SkyAlps managed to win again. In the 2-1 victory after shootout over Red Bull Hockey Juniors, the 500 fans in the Ritten Arena had to wait a long time for a goal from the home team, as the answer to Salzburg's opening goal came only seven seconds left of regulation, when Adam Giacomuzzi scored in the slot – and made the overtime possible. Ritten finally gave itself the victory in the shootout and thus remains close to the leading spots, only two points are missing on the new leader HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice in fourth place.
In parallel, the Slovenian team won 5-1 on the road against the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers. Three goals in the first eight minutes of the middle frame put the Regular Season champions on the winning track. Two goals were scored by Finnish debutant Joonas Larinmaa, Ziga Jezovsek also scored twice. Jesenice thus took revenge on the league newcomers, which failed to pick up any points for the third time in a row and remain bottom of the table.
Stephan Deluca records four points in Fassa’s comeback win
SHC Fassa Falcons turned a 2-0 deficit after eight minutes into a 4-2 road win at EK Die Zeller Eisbären, which have dominated Qualification Round A so far. The Italians scored the equalizer in the first period and took the lead in the second. Stephan Deluca, who was involved in all four goals and scored two of them himself, was outstanding on the side of the guests. Fassa thus remains unbeaten in the intermediate round and improved to third place in the table. Zell am See retained the top spot in the table.
Still in second place are the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, which claimed a 3-2 win at the Steinbach Steel Wings Linz. A brace from Remy Giftopoulos (10., 12.) gave the guests from Sterzing the basis for their second win in a row. For the fourth time in a row the "Broncos" scored, Linz is still waiting for its first win in the intermediate round and meanwhile has no chance for the pre-playoffs.
Kitzbühel turns tow-goal deficit in top clash of Qualification Round B
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel won the top game in Qualification Round B against EHC Lustenau 4-3, as the Tyroleans made up a two-goal deficit after the first period, scored three times through Wernicke (24.), Bolterle (30./PP1) and Kuronen (33.) in the middle period and thus set the course for victory, while "Adler" inflicted the first defeat in the intermediate round on the team from Vorarlberg and took back the lead in the standings.
Third-placed EC Bregenzerwald also won its fourth game in the Qualification Round B, celebrating a 2-0 shutout victory at home over EC-KAC Future Team, which suffered its ninth straight defeat on the road. The top line of Waltteri Lehtonen (1G|1A) and Roberts Lipsbergs (1G|1A) provided the offensive fire, goalie Felix Beck stopped all 32 shots on goal and posted his second shutout this season - again against Klagenfurt.
Alps Hockey League | 04.02.2023 | Masterround | Results:
Rittner Buam SkyAlps - Red Bull Hockey Juniors 2:1 SO (0:0, 0:1, 1:0, 0:0)
Referees: HOLZER, VIRTA, Basso, Spiegel. | Spectators: 433
Goals RIT: Giacomuzzi (60./Pechlaner-Kostner J.), Kostner J. (65.PS)
Goal RBJ: Jelavic (26.PP1/Sumpf-Weber)
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:5 (0:0, 0:3, 1:2)
Referees: BAJT, MOSCHEN, Arlic, Cristeli. | Spectators: 437
Goal HCU: Girardi (41.PP1/Haarala-Markkula)
Goals JES: Pance (22/Larinmaa-Logar), Larinmaa (25./Polcs, 57./Bohinc), Jezovsek (29.PP1/Ulamec, 60.EN)
Alps Hockey League | 04.02.2023 | Qualification Round A | Results:
Steinbach Steel Wings Linz - Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 2:3 (0:2, 1:0, 1:1)
Referees: BRUNNER, HLAVATY, Legat, Schonaklener. | Spectators: 89
Goal SWL: Noreika (21./Kitt-Rappold), Kitt (57.PP1/Brikmanis-Lahtinen)
Goals WSV: Giftopoulos (10./Maylan-Mizzi, 12./Jokinen-McBride), Zecchetto (49./Maylan-De Lorenzo)
EK Die Zeller Eisbären - SHC Fassa Falcons 2:4 (2:1, 0:2, 0:1)
Referees: BULOVEC, WUNTSCHEK, Voican, Weiss. | Spectators: 1898
Goals EKZ: Hämäläinen (1./Wilenius-Neubauer), Widen (9./Hämäläinen-Neubauer)
Goals FAS: Pietroniro M. (18./Pietroniro K.-Deluca), Deluca (25./Iori-Schiavone, 60./Schiavone-Iori), Iori (38./Deluca-Schiavone)
Alps Hockey League | 04.02.2023 | Qualification Round B | Results:
EC Bregenzerwald - EC-KAC Future Team 2:0 (0:0, 1:0, 1:0)
Referees: LEGA, SORAPERRA, Müller, Rinker. | Spectators: 620
Goals ECB: Lehtonen (34./Lipsbergs-Nyqvist), Lipsbergs (59.SH1/Lehtonen-Matzka)
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - EHC Lustenau 4:3 (0:2, 3:0, 1:1)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, KAINBERGER, Huber, J. Seewald. | Spectators: 852
Goals KEC: Wernicke (24./Niemelä), Bolterle (30.PP1/Niemelä-Wernicke), Kuronen (33./Wernicke-Lahnaviik), Lahnaviik (43.PP2/Kuronen-Niemelä)
Goals EHC: Moosbrugger (17./König-Ratz), Hayes (18./Wilfan-Larsen), Pöschmann (52./Larsen-Gratzer)
Fotocredit: Max Pattis