Salzburg wins Master Round | Pre-Playoff pairings set

Master Round:

Juniors cleaned up the field from behind
The Red Bull Hockey Juniors started from fifth and last place - and thus as the only team without bonus points - into the Master Round. However, the team cleaned up the field from behind and decided the top group in its favor with five wins in eight games. The young team from Salzburg is thus not only the first Austrian team in the history of the Alps Hockey League to start the playoffs from the top position, but also secured the first pick right for the quarterfinals as well as the home right to a possible final. The final day of the Master Round saw a showdown between the Juniors and the Rittner Buam SkyAlps for the win in the Intermediate Round. After a goalless starting third, a double strike within 2 minutes 30 put the hosts on the road to success. With another quick double in the final period, Salzburg ensured the preliminary decision with the 4:0. In the end, the Austrian team, which lost the Austria final just a few days ago, prevailed 6:2. Because of the gained direct duel against Jesenice in the Master Round (total score 9:6), the Juniors have a narrow lead over HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, although both teams finished the intermediate round with the same number of points. Rittner Buam Sky Alps finished the intermediate round in third place.

Unterland finishes Master Round in 5th place despite win
Only on Thursday the Hockey Unterland Cavaliers could celebrate their first ever win in the Master Round. In the rematch against S.G. Cortina Hafro just two days later, the league newcomers even had a chance to leave Cortina Hafro behind, but would have needed a win after regulation time to do so. Unterland took the lead in the first period in powerplay, but then quickly had to accept the counter-goal. The next goal came in overtime: Moritz Kaufmann scored in the 61st minute to give his team their second win in three days. Cortina, on the other hand, was even on course for #1 in the Master Round, but then ended it with three losses and now has to settle for fourth place. Although Cortina cannot choose its quarter-final opponent, it can start the playoffs with home rights.

Final placings in the Master Round:
1. Red Bull Hockey Juniors (First pick right in the quarterfinals)
2. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice (Second pick in quarterfinals)
3. Rittner Buam SkyAlps (Third pick in quarterfinals)
4. S.G. Cortina Hafro (Quarterfinalist with home right)
5. Hockey Unterland Cavaliers (Quarterfinalist)

Qualification Round A:

Falcons close intermediate round with win against Qualification Round winner
Both teams were already fixed in the Pre-Playoffs before this encounter. While the SHC Fassa Falcons already knew their opponent with Kitzbühel, the Eisbären did not know before this encounter who they would meet in the "best-of-thee" series for the quarterfinal spot, although the Eisbären already had the victory in Group A in the bag. But now it is clear: for Zell it will be against EHC Lustenau in the pre-playoffs. In the last game of the intermediate round on Saturday, the SHC Fassa Falcons celebrated a 3:2 win against the leader and thus tanked up on self-confidence. The Falcons won six of the eight matches in the Qualification Round and thus managed to qualify for the Pre-Playoffs after a slow first phase this season. Zell, on the other hand, could only win half of their matches in the Intermediate Round, but won it due to their bonus points.

Linz ends 2023 season with victory
For the Steinbach Steel Wings Linz, the encounter against the Wipptal Sterzing Broncos was the last game of the 2022/23 season, but the Upper Austrians gave themselves a success worth seeing at the end. Visiting Sterzing, who finished the Qualification Round A in second place, the Steel Wings celebrated a 5:4 success. The Steel Wings had to concede the equalizer twice (2:2 and 3:3) but never fell behind during the whole match. This was mainly thanks to Kilian Rappold, who put his stamp on the game with a hat trick. The WSV Sterzing Broncos finished second in Qualification Round A and will meet EC Bregenzerwald, who also finished second in their group, in the best-of-three series for a quarterfinal ticket.

Final placings in Qualification Round A:
1. EK Die Zeller Eisbären (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
2. WSV Sterzing Broncos (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
3. HC Fassa Falcons (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
4. HC Gherdeina Hockey (end of season)
5. Steel Wings Linz (end of season)

Qualification Round B:

Kitzbühel closes Qualification Round B with victory
Already before the match between HC Meran/o and EC Die Alder Stadtwerke Kitzbühel both teams had their places fixed. While the eagles were already determined as winners of the Quali round B, was likewise already certain that Meran/o this with the red lantern terminates and thus also the season prematurely must. Kitzbühel, with a 4:1 away win, gained self-confidence for the pre-playoffs, in which they will meet SHC Fassa Falcons, who finished Qualification Round A in third place, with home advantage.

Bregenzerwald fights for second place in showdown
EC Bregenzerwald fought their way to second place in Qualification Round B at the end of the intermediate round in the Vorarlberg derby. However, EHC Lustenau earned the lead early in the game on Saturday night. The Wälder then managed to equalize in overtime in the second period. The two teams went on to have a hard-fought duel for second place, with the better end for the Tigers. Adem Kandemir scored the game-winning goal with just under ten minutes to go, putting the Tigers in second place in Quali Round B. Bregenzerwald will now face the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan in the pre-playoffs. EHC Lustenau will face the winner of Qualification Round A, EK Zeller Eisbären.

Final rankings in Qualification Round B:
1. EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
2. EC Bregenzerwald (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
3. EHC Lustenau (qualified for Pre-Playoffs)
4. EC-KAC Future Team (end of season)
5. HC Meran/o Pircher (end of season)

Pre-Playoff Pairings:
EZ Die Zeller Eisbären (A1) - EHC Lustenau (B3)
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel (B1) - HC Fassa Falcons (A3)
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan (A2) - EC Bregenzerwald (B2)

Dates for the "best-of-three" pre-playoff series:
February 28 | March 2 | March 4* (if necessary).
The first-named teams of the pairings will start the best-of-three series with a home game.

Masterround:
Red Bull Hockey Juniors - Rittner Buam SkyAlps 6:2 (0:0,2:0,4:2)
Referees: BRUNNER, HLAVATY, Puff, Wimmler

Goals RBJ:
1:0 RBJ Cernik D. (26:00 / Wimmer P. ,Ruckdäschel T. / EQ)
2:0 RBJ Krening P. (28:29 / Assavolyuk D. ,Pukkila J. / EQ)
3:0 RBJ Assavolyuk D. (44:21 / Sinn P. ,Krening P. / EQ)
4:0 RBJ Bader Q. (50:57 / Maier O. ,Heigl N. / EQ)

Goals RIT:
4:1 RIT Öhler R. (53:26 / Lang M. ,Cardwell J. / EQ)
5:1 RBJ Assavolyuk D. (57:55 / Krening P. ,Pukkila J. / EQ)
5:2 RIT Prast J. (58:55 / Öhler R. / SH)
6:2 RBJ Bader Q. (59:46 / Maier O. ,Sinn P. / PP)

Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - S.G. Cortina Hafro 2:1 OT (1:1,0:0,0:0,1:0)
Referees: LAZZERI, PINIE, De Zordo, Pace

Goals HCU:
1:0 HCU Markkula M. (11:14 / Haarala S. ,Nyman L. / PP)
2:1 HCU Kaufmann M. (60:45 / Markkula M. / EQ)

Goals SGC:
1:1 SGC Adami F. (16:19 / DI TOMASO G. / EQ)

Qualification Round A:
SHC Fassa Falcons - EK Die Zeller Eisbären 3:2 (2:0,0:1,1:1)
Referees: HOLZER, VIRTA, Cristli, Spiegel

Goals FAS:
1:0 FAS Iori D. (07:32 / Pietroniro K. ,Deluca S. / PP)
2:0 FAS Rosa G. (11:45 / Pietroniro M. ,De Toni E. / EQ)
3:1 FAS De Toni E. (53:43 / Schiavone D. / EQ)

Goals EKZ:
2:1 EKZ Wilenius T. (27:09 / Dinhopel T. ,Neubauer H. / EQ)
3:2 EKZ Ban D. (59:02 / Putnik P. ,Wilenius T. / EQ)

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - Steinbach Steel Wings Linz 4:5 (1:2,1:0,2:3)
Referees: BENVEGNU, OREL, Brondi, Telesklav

Goals WSV:
1:2 WSV Mizzi J. (19:25 / unassisted / EQ)
2:2 WSV Giftopoulos R. (30:21 / Mizzi J. ,McBride S. / EQ)
3:3 WSV McBride S. (47:27 / Giftopoulos R. ,Hackhofer F. / EQ)
4:5 WSV Zecchetto A. (59:47 / Hackhofer F. ,Eisendle P. / EQ)

Goals SWL:
0:1 SWL Rappold K. (08:48 / Kitt G. ,Moser A. / EQ)
0:2 SWL Aigner R. (18:09 / Wilding S. / EQ)
2:3 SWL Rappold K. (42:58 / Kitt G. / PP)
3:4 SWL Brikmanis A. (50:27 / Moser A. ,Söllinger P. / PP)
3:5 SWL Rappold K. (59:04 / Noreika E. / EQ)

Qualification Round B:
HC Meran/o Pircher - EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 1:4 (0:2,1:0,0:2)
Referees: KAINBERGER, MOSCHEN, Bedana, J. Seewald

Goals HCM:
1:2 HCM Berger J. (24:04 / Fuchs J. ,Borgatello C. / EQ)

Goals KEC:
0:1 KEC Bolterle P. (04:08 / Fröwis J. ,Hochfilzer H. / PP)
0:2 KEC Kapel R. (09:27 / Zolmanis S. ,Kreuter D. / EQ)
1:3 KEC Zolmanis S. (47:39 / Kapel R. ,Kreuter D. / 5:3 PP)
1:4 KEC Szabad K. (53:31 / Ebner M. / EQ)

EHC Lustenau - EC Bregenzerwald 1:2 (1:0,0:1,0:1)
Referees: RUETZ, SCHAUER, Huber, Tschrepitsch

Goals EHC:
1:0 EHC D'Alvise C. (06:51 / Hayes R. ,Wilfan M. / EQ)

Goals ECB:
1:1 ECB Nyqvist J. (38:58 / Lehtonen W. ,Tschofen M. / 5:3 PP)
1:2 ECB Kandemir A. (50:47 / Tschofen M. ,Fässler K. / EQ)