Rittner Buam and Asiago are the first two teams qualified for the Alps Hockey League Playoffs!

Sixth seasonal challenge between the Sterzing and the Asiago that couldn’t deploy Marco Rosa for flu. The game was very hard fought and open. The hosts are building a big chance after five minutes but the rebound of Luca Felicetti was central. Then the game became fast but in the second part of the first period the penalties begun. The result changed when was missing one second from the end of the first period. The Asiago scored in powerplay with Anthony Bardaro in the wide-open net after two previous shots of the Asiago that have brought havoc in the defense of the Broncos. In the second half, the Asiago accelerated and definitely leaded to the attack by creating games and opportunities compared to competitors. Once again it was the powerplay of the yellow-read to make the difference. After a great missed opportunity by captain Federico Benetti (decisive saved by Gianluca Vallini), the doubling came after 36 minutes. Alex Gellert charged the shot from the distance that bounced a couple of times and ended up on the stick of Matteo Tessari for 2:0 Asiago at the end of the second period. The third time was more nervous. The Sterzing halved the disadvantage after four minutes of play in shorthanded with Ivan Deluca but just 25 seconds after Asiago scored the third goal with Michele Stevan. Asiago won 3:1 against Sterzing as they celebrated the 12th consecutive victory. Now the Asiago was one point behind leaders of Ritten with the same number of games. The Sterzing always remained in seventh position.

 

There was some news for the home team. Kamil Brabenec and Joseph Harcharik were no longer part of the Wild Geese team while Tobias Brighenti has moved to Cortina. Also were absent the young players Tobia Pisetta and Alex Gasser for flu. Samuel Moroder was absent for Gherdeina. The start of the game was immediately very eventful. The first shot of the evening was already important: Andrea Maino scored for home team with a shot at the crossbar but Gherdeina's response was immediate with Simon Pitschieler who took advantage of an inattention of the home goalkeeper to score the draw. Then Gherdeina, before the end of the time, took the lead with Gabriel Vinatzer with a very lucky goal. In the second half the “Furies” accelerated immediately after a first fast action with another goal of Pitschieler (five points in total for the forward of Gherdeina). The Neumarkt changed the goalkeeper: inside Samuel Donini, out Daniel Morandell. But the story didn’t change: after two minutes from the entrance of the new goalkeeper Linus Lundström (former player of Neumarkt) made the fourth goal. From here on, the game was the complete prerogative of the guests who scored two more goals in the final of the period with Gabriel Vinatzer and Radek Deyl. During the third time, Gherdeina fixed the final result for 8: 1 thanks to the goals of David Roupec and Derek Eastman.

 

The FBI VEU Feldkirch made pressure from the start (55:17-shots), but EC „Die Adler“ Stadwerke Kitzbühel scored the goals. Already after 213 seconds Sprukts opened the scoring and in minute 33 Wessner added the 2:0 in a Power Play. On the other side the Vorarlberger could not beat Jose Kangaskorte. Finally in minute 36 the hosts took advantage from a Power Play: Puschnik made the 1:1. The Vorarlberger continued to make pressure and were rewared with a late equalizer (57.) - 2:2. The Eagles from Kitzbühel stayed unimpressed and effective: Just 22 seconds later Lidström made the 3:2-lead for the Tyroleans again. The hosts did not give up and managed the 3:3 from Puschnik. And in the Overtime the VEU was rewarded for their offensive play with the win, Birnstill was successful after just 47 seconds.

 

HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice and HK SZ Olimpija searched their luck in the offense (45:36-shots).  While goalie Robert Kristan stopped all 14 shots from the „Red Steelers“ in period 1, Miha Zajc could beat Clarke Saunders once. After the re-start the Steel Citizens shot from everywhere and now they were effective: Cimzar (2),  Sodja, Brus, Logar and Glavic scored six goals within 16 minutes for the hosts, while the Dragons were successful just once. In period 3 Back-up Tilen Spreitzer replaced Robert Kristan in the net. The „Red Steelers“ added another goal from Jezovsek in minute 53 and celebrated a clear 7:2-win in the Slovenian derby.

 

The fans at Salzburg had to wait 40 minutes for the first goal: Klagenfurt was on a Power Play, when Christoph Duller scored the lead after a 3-on-1-attack. All other shots so far were stopped by the goalies Nicolas Wieser and Jakob Holzer. The last 20 minutes started with shots on the post on both sides. The Mozart Citizens didn‘t give up and finally they were rewarded with the 1:1 from Lukas Kainz in minute 50. Now the game became more aggressive, Baltram and Hammerle even had a short fight. Late in the game Klagenfurt took the lead again, but once again the Red Bulls had an answer: This time Wappis finished a perfect pass from Östling. In the Overtime Jennes fixed the second season-win for Klagenfurt after just 57 seconds.

 

EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau started strong into the Vorarlberg-derby against EC Bregenzerwald. The Lions tested goalie Misa Pietilä severals times. Finally in minute 12 Max Wifan finished a combination for the lead <nd just a few minutes later the Captain was successful again after a nice combination. The "Wälder" on the other side did not show much offense in period 1. After the re-start the Lions were on Fire as well: The Wälder were on a Power Play, but Lustenau scored twice. Jeff Ulmer and Yan Stastny extended the lead in shorthanded situations – 4:0. Now ECB changed their goalie, Karlo Skec replaced Misa Pietilä. At halfime the „Wälder“ showed, that the can score shorthanded as well. In period 3 the hosts were the chief on the ice and finally won 6:1.

 

There was the fifth seasonal challenge between Pustertal and Cortina. Some news from the teams. The Wolves could not have the injured Thomas Erlacher and Eric Pance while Thomas Tragust and Maximilian Lancsar are ill. In the net of Val Pusteria there was Alexander Kinkelin. In the Cortina there was the comeback of the defender Tobias Brighenti who played for this season for the Neumarkt while Francesco Adami was always absent. The game was very balanced and well played by the two teams who are confronted with a lot of strength but also with great care. At the end of the time the Pustertal scored a goal the but was not validated. Even in the second period there were no goals but a lot of play. Pustertal controlled the puck more while the Cortina was more dangerous in attack and approached the goal with Zachary Torquato. In the third time was still fight in Brunico in a very exciting game. Then in the second part of the third period the Pustertal took some penalties in series. The result changed after 53 minutes with a shot from distance of Riley Brace as he surprisesed Kinkelin (powerplay goal). Pustertal tried to react in the last minutes but the result didn’t change. The Cortina won for 1:0 in Bruneck as they returned to victory after five defeats. The goalkeeper of the Cortina and of the Italian national team, Marco De Filippo, earned the second shutout of the season. The Wolves always remained in fourth position.

 

Referees: BENVEGNU, MISCHIATTI, P. Giacomozzi, Terragni.
Goals WSV: 1:2 I. Deluca (44./SH1)
Goals ASH: 0:1 Bardaro (19./PP1/Nigro-Gellert); 0:2 M.Tessari (36./PP1/Foltin-Nigro); 1:3 Stevan (M.Sullivan- P.Pietroniro)

Referees: LEGA, WALLNER, Basso, Rinker.
Goals HCN: 1:0 Maino (1./Steiner-Davanzo);
Goals GHE: 1:1 Pitschieler (2./P.Nocker-F.Kostner); 1:2 G.Vinatzer (17./Lundström -Pitschieler); 1:3 Pitschieler (20./ Lundström-Roupec); 1:4 Lundström (23./Eastman-Pitschieler); 1:5 G.Vinazter (37./Lundström-Glueck); 1:6 Deyl (38./Eastman-Eastman); 1:7 Roupec (46./I.Demetz-Eastman); 1:8 Eastman (49./Lundström-Roupec)

Referees: FICHTNER, MOSCHEN; spectators: 3.300
Goals JES: Cimzar (22. – Magovac, Basic; 36. – Basic, Tavzelj); Sodja (28. – Svetina, Sersen), Brus (29./pp – Kalan, Piispanen), Logar (31. – Svetina, Sodja), Glavic (38./pp – Tavzelj, Basic), Jezovsek (53. – Alagic, Sodja)
Goals HKO: Zajc (13. – Selan, Hebar), Koren (35.)

Referees: PODLESNIK, RUETZ; spectators: 86
Goals RBJ: Kainz (50. – Baltram), Östling (55. – Wappis, Schmitz)
Goals KAC: Duller (40./pp – Kernberger), Kreuzer (54. – Jennes, Kurath), Jennes (61. – Duller, Kraus)

Referees: KUMMER, VIRTA; spectators: 1743
Goals EHC: Wilfan (12. – Auer, Winzig;  16. – Winzig, Putnik), Ulmer (23./SH – Stastny, Slivnik 50./pp – Putnik, DeSantis), Stastny (23. – Koczera, Stefan), Putnik (41./pp – Koczera, Ulmer),
Goals ECB: C. Ban (31. – D. Ban, Fussenegger)

Referees: KUCHER, PIANEZZE; spectators: 1251
Goals VEU: Puschnik (36./pp – Birnstill, Fekete; 58. – Stanley, Birnstill), Breuß (57. – Loik, Ratz), Birnstill (61. – Stanley, Reinthaler)
Goals KEC: Sprukts (4. – Sislannikovs, Jancar), Wessner (33./pp – Sprukts, Sislannikovs), Lidström (57. – Eriksson)

Referees: LESNIAK, STRASSER, Bergant, Kalb.
Goal SGC: 0:1 Brace (53./PP1/Torquato-Roehl);
Picture: David S. Wassagruba