Salzburg earns three match pucks on title defense

After trailing 0:1 in the series, EC Red Bull Salzburg won its third final game in a row and moved to 3:1 in the "best-of-seven" final series. The Red Bulls are now only one win away from defending their title - the South Tyroleans, however, need three wins in a row to make their dream of a third championship come true.

The guests from Bolzano started the game as the more dangerous team. Once again in this series and in the playoffs Atte Tolvanen shone with his reactions. The hosts were more efficient: In the 4-on-4, Dennis Robertson skillfully took advantage of the extra space and made it 1-0 in the 11th minute. With this, the former defender of the South Tyroleans showed himself on-fire, who already recorded a two-point game in Final 3 (1G, 1A) and with his tenth scorer point is now the best scoring defender of the playoffs.



Spurred on by the opening goal, EC Red Bull Salzburg had a bit more of the game in the second period. Then, in the 33rd minute, it was a set-up error by the Foxes that initiated the second goal by the reigning champions. Benjamin Nissner reacted quickly and finished for 2:0. For the 25-year-old native of Vienna, this was already the fifth goal or the twelfth scoring point in the postseason.

With the score at 2-0, Salzburg went into the final period. There the Foxes had two more powerplays. But, as in the whole series, no overtime goal was scored. In the entire match, Bolzano played five times in numerical superiority. For the first time since the league was founded, no team managed to score a power play goal in the first four final games. After the South Tyrolean team failed to score the connecting goal, Red Bulls top scorer Mario Huber scored the final goal and the final score was 3:0. For the second time since the league was founded, Atte Tolvanen was the first goalie to record two shutouts in a final series. Only Lars Haugen achieved this with the EC-KAC in 2019. For Salzburg, this was also the 19th home win in a row. Already on Sunday, the reigning champions now have the chance to defend their title in Bolzano and lift the Karl Nedwed Trophy for the eighth time.

WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE | “BEST-OF-7”-FINALSERIE | RESULT:
EC RED BULL SALZBURG – HCB SÜDTIROL ALPERIA 3:0 (1:0, 1:0, 1:0)
REFEREES: NIKOLIC M., OFNER, Konc, Riecken | Zuschauer: 3400
Stand in der “best-of-7”-Finalserie: 3:1

Goals RBS: Robertson (11.), Nissner (34.), M. Huber (59./EN).