Six away wins on Thursday

Wins for the top 3 in the Master Round
Only in the last game of the first phase of the regular season SHC Fassa Falcons could make it into the top 6. Their opponents HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice reached the Master Round as winners of phase one. Nevertheless, the game was very even at the beginning and the Italians were able to take the lead in the first as well as in the second period. However, the Slovenians managed to equalise twice and in the final period (shot ratio 17:5 for Jesenice) the league leaders stepped up once again. Nejc Brus gave the visitors their first lead of the evening in the 43rd minute. In the end Jesenice celebrated a clear 6:2 victory, with six different players getting on the scoresheet. While the Slovenians managed their eleventh win in a row, the Falcons had to admit defeat again after six recent home victories.

Both Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey and the Rittner Buam remain hot on the heels of the Masterround leader. The second-placed team from Asiago won 3:1 at EHC Lustenau after a strong away performance. With a 2:0 lead, the Italians laid the foundation for the victory in the first period. In the 25th minute, Giordano Finoro increased the lead to 3:0 with his first goal of the season. The Vorarlberg team only managed a consolation goal through Lucas Haberl. After three recent defeats against the EHC, Asiago were once again victorious.

In the third Masterround game, Ritten goalie Jacob Smith celebrated a shutout after saving 33 shots in his team's 4:0 win at Cortina. After the visitors took the lead in the eleventh minute through defender Zach Osburn, Kevin Fink scored in the middle period with a shorthanded goal. The Rittners then made everything clear with two more goals. While Cortina had to admit defeat again after five victories, the South Tyroleans managed a strong start into the intermediate round after recent mixed performances.

Juniors back on top
After EC Bregenzerwald celebrated an 8:0 victory over Kitzbühel at the start of Qualification Round A on Wednesday, Red Bull Hockey Juniors regained the lead in the standings on Thursday. The Salzburgers won 4:1 at Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, with goalkeeper Florian Bugl playing a key role in the victory with his saves. Forward Tommy Purdeller contributed three assists and the goals were scored by Luca Auer, Josef Eham, Thomas Heigl and Philipp Krening. The Juniors also ended a seven-game losing streak against Sterzing.

Linz and Feldkirch catch up
In Qualification Round B, both Steel Wings Linz and BEMER VEU Feldkirch started without bonus points. Both teams won their games on Thursday, with the Upper Austrians even moving up to third place. Linz got off to a perfect start in Meran with a Mayrhofer goal after 35 seconds. After that, Michael Farren became the match-winner for the visitors with a hat-trick. In the 51st minute he scored his third goal for a 5:2 lead. The home side came back to within 4:5 in the final phase, but could not equalize it.

Zell am See and Feldkirch, on the other hand, had a real battle on their hands, with the home side always leading. The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute with a power play goal by Philip Putnik. The next Putnik goal in the 35th minute made it 4:1, but VEU came back in the middle period through Dylan Stanley, who finally scored in the 56th minute to equalise at 4:4. After a goalless overtime, Stanley decided the penalty shootout in favour of the Vorarlberg team, who celebrated their ninth win in a row and are back in the fight for the playoffs.

Alps Hockey League | 27.01.2022:
Master Round:
EHC Lustenau – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1:3 (0:2,1:1,0:0)
Referees: EGGER, HOLZER, De Zordo, Spiegel.
Goals 0:1 ASH Magnabosco J. (09:53 / Iacobellis S. ,Casetti L. / EQ), 0:2 ASH Giliati S. (19:26 / Mantenuto D. ,Casetti L. / EQ), 0:3 ASH Finoro G. (24:06 / Vankus M. ,Ginnetti C. / EQ), 1:3 EHC Haberl L. (36:23 / Puschnik K. ,Ratz P. / EQ)

SHC Fassa Falcons – HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 2:6 (1:0,1:2,0:4)
Referees: BENVEGNU, FAJDIGA, Piras, Puff.
Goals 1:0 FAS Tedesco D. (12:47 / Lindgren E. ,Mcparland S. / PP), 1:1 JES Svetina E. (24:54 / Sersen G. / EQ), 2:1 FAS Iori D. (27:13 / Lindgren E. ,Tedesco D. / PP), 2:2 JES Viikila J. (36:38 / Svetina E. / EQ), 2:3 JES Brus N. (42:48 / Svetina E. ,Pance E. / EQ), 2:4 JES Zibelnik A. (44:34 / Viikila J. ,Pance E. / EQ), 2:5 JES Jenko J. (50:06 / Rajsar S. ,Sotlar J. / EQ), 2:6 JES Ulamec L. (58:52 / Sotlar J. ,Sersen G. / EQ)

S.G. Cortina Hafro – Rittner Buam 0:4 (0:1,0:1,0:2)
Referees: PINIE, SORAPERRA, Da Pian, Pace.
Goals 0:1 RIT Osburn Z. (10:36 / Uusivirta L. ,Öhler R. / EQ), 0:2 RIT Fink K. (37:53 / Pechlaner P. ,Marzolini M. / SH), 0:3 RIT Öhler M. (42:09 / Lang M. / EQ), 0:4 RIT Giacomuzzi A. (59:29 / Osburn Z. ,Uusivirta L. / EQ)

Qualification Round A:
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 1:4 (0:0,1:0,0:4)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, STEFENELLI, Bedana, Mantovani.
Goals 1:0 WSV Cianfrone B. (35:16 / Deluca R. ,Chiodo L. / EQ), 1:1 RBJ Auer L. (42:19 / Purdeller T. / EQ), 1:2 RBJ Eham J. (49:26 / Lehmus J. ,Purdeller T. / PP), 1:3 RBJ Heigl T. (53:49 / Auer L. ,Purdeller T. / EQ), 1:4 RBJ Krening P. (58:10 / Lipiansky L. / EQ)

Qualification Round B:
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – BEMER VEU Feldkirch 4:5 SO (2:1,2:1,0:2,0:0,0:1)
Referees: BRUNNER, RUETZ, Moidl, Rinker.
Goals 1:0 EKZ Putnik P. (02:52 / Widen F. ,Dinhopel T. / PP), 2:0 EKZ Ban D. (15:04 / Dinhopel T. ,Putnik P. / EQ), 2:1 VEU Revesz M. (16:10 / Stanley D. ,Bolterle P. / EQ), 3:1 EKZ Widen F. (27:58 / Akerman J. ,Sinegubovs A. / PP), 4:1 EKZ Putnik P. (34:40 / Unterweger D. ,Akerman J. / EQ), 4:2 VEU Stanley D. (39:53 / Trastasenkovs A. / PP), 4:3 VEU Trastasenkovs A. (47:31 / Sticha T. ,Stanley D. / EQ), 4:4 VEU Stanley D. (55:14 / Trastasenkovs A. / EQ), 4:5 VEU Stanley D. (65:00 / GWS)

HC Meran/o Pircher – Steel Wings Linz 4:5 (0:1,2:3,2:1)
Referees: LEGA, PAHOR, Bergant, Brondi.
Goals 0:1 SWL Mayrhofer M. (00:35 / Stuart B. ,Farren K. / EQ), 0:2 SWL Farren K. (21:58 / Stuart B. ,Mayrhofer M. / EQ), 1:2 HCM Ahlström V. (23:59 / Borgatello C. ,Ahlström O. / EQ), 1:3 SWL Lahtinen N. (27:48 / Ekelund U. ,Mitsch J. / EQ), 2:3 HCM Gellon D. (32:14 / Ansoldi L. ,Hofer R. / EQ), 2:4 SWL Farren K. (39:01 / Lahtinen N. ,Stuart B. / PP), 2:5 SWL Farren K. (50:53 / Ekelund U. ,Mayrhofer M. / EQ), 3:5 HCM Ahlström O. (57:58 / Ahlström V. ,Ansoldi L. / EQ), 4:5 HCM Borgatello C. (59:18 / Ahlström V. / EQ)

Photo: Bernd Stefan / Hockey 24/7