Rittner Buam fixed place 1, Cortina the Play-offs

A high ranking derby was played in Bruneck between the Wolves of the Pustertal and the Rittner Buam:  two team fought for the first position in the Master Round. The home team has to give up to three players: Thomas Erlacher, Shayne Wiebe and Corey Pritz. The start of the game was totally in favor of the guests that they showed their qualities. After five minutes, Markus Spinell leaded as guests with a close-range shot. After a one minute Renon doubled with a goal similar to the first. The author of the goal was Tommaso Traversa. The Bruneck tried to recover in the second half of the period but was able to play only at par against strong opponents. In the second period it changed the course of the game. The Pustertal played much better. Maximilian Lancsar did it all alone as he halved the deficit after a minute of play. Then three minutes later there was the score at the Raphael Andergassen (2:2). The goal has been validated after instant-replay vision for a high stick. In the final time, before Dan Tudin missed a first opportunity, then the same expert forward of Renon marked the advantage which concluded the first time (2:3). During the third time the derby was hard-fought. The Pustertal equalized after the middle in powerplay action with one-timer of Raphael Andergassen. But the last flash of the game was a winning counterattack of Markus Spinell when missing a minute at the end of the third period. The Renon won for 4:3 as they earned the 1st place of the Master Round and the first right to pick opponent in the playoffs.

 

Asiago started well. During the second powerplay the puck throwing of a Slovenian defender ended up on the skate of Michele Stevan and subsequently entered in goal for 1:0. Minute after minute Jesenice grew up. Frederic Cloutier saved with two miracles the result. But Ankrest scored after many chances the goal of tie. In the end of the period, the home side back ahead by a defensive mistake of Jesenice. Krys Kolanosscored the lead after assist of Colin Long and in front of Zan Us made no mistake. After the restart the match was balanced, with chances on both sides. The Jesenice equalized immediately with a slap of Berlisk. But Asiago took a new advantage after the middle: after an assist of Kolanos, Anthony Nigro beat Us between the pads. Shortly after Kolanos again put the signature on 4:2. Three minutes from the end of period Asiago didn’t score the penalty shot with Kolanos.  In the third time the Asiago increased its advantage with Magnabosco, Nigro and Long in the first 10 minutes of play. The Asiago won 7:2 and was in second place in the Master Round standings.

 

Difficult start for Cortina that perhaps feelt the importance of the match as they couldn’t express for the better. The home team took four penalties in the first six minutes of play, forcing to continue to suffer. Salzburg scored the first goal with Lukas Kainz in powerplay after seven minutes. Shortly after the netminder of Cortina, De Filippo, avoided another goal on a shoot very dangerous. The defense of the home team looked a little better as they grew in the match. The Italian team made the tie with Zachary Torquato (penalty-killing) after 16 minutes of game but the goal was revised with istant -replay.  In the final time of the period an error of Patrick Rizzo allowed the goal of Dario Winkler to bring ahead the Austrians (1:2). The Red Bulls started very well in the middle period with a third goal di Fabian Baltram after only 23 seconds form the first face -off. The Cortina seemed tired and not able to organize a quality attack, but with the passage of time was confidence and courage. Torquato signed the 2:3 of Cortina in powerplay. The Cortina started better the third period and after 4 minutes they hit the crosbar with Francesco De Biasio. But the tie was very near. Andrea Moser found the 3:3. The draw raised the hosts changing pace as they began to make more game, but did not find another goal. The Cortina was able to withstand the assaults opponents as they draw at the end of the three period (3:3) that meant the passage of the playoffs. Jordan Ciccarello marked the overtime winning game goal. The Cortina won 4;3 as they took the playoffs. The Red Bulls are eliminated from the race to the playoffs.

 

Derby was played in Alba di Canazei between two teams that no longer have any chance of going to the playoffs. The match started immediately with two goals. Devin Di Diomete, in shorthanded, leaded the hosts but Benjamin Kostner equalized shortly after. Then the Gherdeina moved to attack as they couldn't score the goal of benefit despite many shots to the net of Gianni Scola. During the second period the game was more balanced. The Gherdeina missed a penalty. But in the middle Josef Straka scored the new advantage. Two minutes later the Gherdeina advanced with Derek Eastman in poweplay action. During the third period Cesare Sottsas reduced the deficit in the opening while Ivan Demetz marked for guests in shorthanded. The Fassa did not gave up and in the final minutes Mark Trottner scored the third goal. Then the final goal of the match was of Josef Straka that realized in the empty net. The Gherdeina won 5:3. For the Fassa was the last game of the season. During the tird time changed the goalkeeper: Marco Lorenz was the new goalie.  At the end of game celebration on the ice and raise funds for the city of Amatrice hit by an earthquake during the summer.

 

Very important challenge is played in Sterzing to the playoff run. The Broncos challenged the Zell am See. The beginning of the game was very tight with two teams playing more in defense than in attack. Then minutes after minutes the game grew up as the team began to make a dangerous shot. The clearest chance of the first period was on the stick of Jan Polata for guests that hit the posto. The Sterzing, however, was not accurate in front of goal. The first period ended without goals. In the second period, Polar Bears went ahead with Tobias Dinhopel that deflected a shot from distance in the powerplay action after three minutes. After reciving a goal, the Sterzing played much better. Danny Deanesi missed a good opportunity and then the Top Scorer Francis Verreault - Paul realized the draw in powerplay. The Broncos was in control of the game but they couldn’t find the goal of advantage. The Zell am See hit the post with Frederik Widen. The second period ended in a draw (1: 1). During the third time the game turned into a “very real war”. The Sterzing took the lead with Tobias Kofler at the end of very long action. Then the Sterzing also missed a penalty with Patrick Maier while the Polar Bears didn’t score on counterattack of Markus Pock. After the middle Ty Rimmer made a literally super catch that saved the result. Then the Austrian team removed the goalkeeper in advance. The Broncos so marked two goals into the empty net with Ivan De Luca (after 57 minutes of play) and then in the final seconds with Zdnek Bahensky. Vipiteno won 4:1. Saturday the Broncos will challenge the Neumarkt away. The winning team goes to the playoffs. The Zell am See was eliminated from the race to the playoffs.

SKY Alps Hockey League, Master Round:
23.02.17: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice (20:30) 7:2 (2:1; 2:1; 3:0)
Referees: FERRINI, SUPPER, Biacoli, Rinker
Goals Asiago: 1:0 Stevan (5./PP1/Long); 2:1 Kolanos (18./Long); 3:2 Nigro (31./Kolanos-Miglioranzi); 4:2 Kolanos (34./Long-Nigro); 5:2 Magnabosco (41./Scandella-Casetti); 6:2 Nigro (46./PP1/Kolanos-Marchetti); 7:2 Long (50./SH1/Nigro-Casetti);
Goals Jesenice: 1:1 Ankerst (10./Manfreda-Rajsar); 2:2 Berlisk (23./Hadzic);
23.02.17: HC Pustertal Wölfe – Rittner Buam 3:4 (0:2; 2:1; 1:1)
Goal Pustertal: 1:2 Lancsar (21./Hofer-Thum); 2:2 Andergassen (24./Oberrauch-Bona); 3:3 Andergassen (51./PP1/Hofer-Oberrauch);
Goal Rittner Buam: 0:1 M.Spinell (5./Frei-I.Tauferer); 0:2 Traversa (6./Tudin-M.Ploner); 2:3 Tudin (37./T.Spinell); 3:4 M.Spinell (58./Frei-Borgatello);

 

SKY Alps Hockey League, Qualification Round A:
23.02.17: S.G. Cortina Hafro – Red Bull Hockey Juniors (20:30) 4:3 OT (1:2; 1:1; 1:0; 1:0)
Referees: BENVEGNU, RUETZ, Basso, Tschrepitsch
Goals Cortina: 1:1 Torquato (16./SH1/Brace-DeBiasio); 2:3 Torquato (34./PP1/Fontanive-De Biasio); 3:3 Moser (43./PP1/Brace-De Biasio); 4:3 Ciccarello (61./Torquato-Brace);
Goals Red Bulls: 0:1 Kainz (7./PP1/Schwarz-Valach); 1:2 Winkler (Kainz-Wappis); 1:3 Baltram (20./Wachter-Egger);

23.02.17: HC Fassa Falcons – HC Gherdeina Valgardena.it (20:30) 3:5 (1:1; 0:2; 2:2)
Referees: BAJT, BULOVEC, Markizeti, Rezek
Goals Fassa: 1:0 Di Diomete (2./SH1/Bustreo-Monferone); 2:3 Sottsas (40./Zanet-DiDiomete); 3:4 Trottner (58./Lauton-Soracreppa);
Goals Gherdeina: 1:1 B.Kostner (4./Iori-Eastman); 1:2 Straka (30./Johansson-A.Vinatzer); 1:3 Eastman (32./PP1/Straka-Johansson); 2:4 I.Demetz (43./SH1/B.Kostner-Eastman); 3:5 Straka (59./EN/I.Demetz-Johansson)

 

Sky Alps Hockey League | Qualification Round B:
23.02.17: WSV Sterzing Broncos Weihenstephan – EK Zeller Eisbären (19:30) 4:1 (0:0; 1:1; 3:0)
Referees: LEGA, STERNAT, Moisi, Waldthaler
Goals Sterzing: 1:1 Verreault-Paul (26./PP1/Bahensky-Roupec); 2:1 Kofler (42./Stofner-Mair); 3:1 I. Deluca (57./EN/Roupec-Bahensky); 4:1 Bahensky (59./EN);

Goal EKZ: Dinhopel (24./pp - Scholz, Widen)

 

1. Rittner Buam 24 points (9 games)
2. Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 20 points (9 games)
3. HC Val Pusteria Lupi 18 points (9 games)
4. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 17 points (9 games)
5. EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau 9 points (9 games)
6. VEU FBI Feldkirch points (9 games)
 
Qualification Round A
1. SG Cortina Hafro 22 points (7 games)
2. HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 17 points (7 games)
3. Red Bull Hockey Juniors 16 points (7 games)
4. HC Fassa Falcons 7 points (8 games)
5. EC Bregenzerwald 3 points (7 games)
 
Qualification Round B
1. HC Egna Riwega 21 points (7 games)
2. SSI Broncos Vipiteno Weihenstephan 20 points (7 games)
3. EK Zeller Eisbären 16 points (7 games)
4. EC ‚Die Adler‘ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 6 points (7 games)
5. EC KAC II 1 points (8 games)

Picture: Oskar Brunner