Release from 20.02.2017
The SKY Alps Hockey League starts into the last week before the Play-offs. On Tuesday is played in the Master Round and in the Qualification Round A and on Wednesday then in the Qualification Round B. Cortina (A) and Neumarkt (B) have the chance to make a big step to the Play-offs.
HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – HC Pustertal Wolves
HDD SIJ Arcroni Jesenice can fix the home-advantage for the Quarterfinals in SKY Alps Hockey League on Tuesday! Therefore the Slovenes must make history, because with HC Pustertal Wolves arrives a club at Jesenice, which the team of Nik Zupancic could not beat so far! But all three clashes were close so far and ended with just one goal difference, twice the games even went into an Overtime. Lately the „Red Steelers“ beat with Italian Champion Rittner Buam and Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 two other teams from Italy. Besides the fourth placed club was successful in both home-games in February so far.
HC Pustertal Wolves are the new Leader! So in this moment Thomas Tragust and Company would have home-advantage in the Play-offs until a possible final and also the first Pick Right, when choosing the opponent for the Quarterfinals. The Italians had a good run lately, they won five games in a row and are the only team in Master Round, that was successful in all games so far this month! Now the wolves travel to Jesenice on Tuesday. On the road the team of Mark Holick played strong lately and got points in their last nine games (eight wins). Besides the Leader won so far all (three) meetings with the „Red Steelers“.
FBI VEU Feldkirch – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935
The FBI VEU Feldkirch is already without a chance to get home-advantage and the Pick Right for the Quarterfinals. In their last home-game in the Master Round the Vorarlberger welcome on Tuesday Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935. Lately the Austrians were defeated twice by the top-teams Rittner Buam (2:6) and HC Pustertal Wölfe (2:5), receiving totally eleven goals. Their next opponent - Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 – comes again from Italy. So far Feldkirch lost all three clashes with the Yellow-Reds, in the last two meetings the west-club even did not score a goal.
Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 can fix on Tuesday in Feldkirch from their own the home-advantage for the Quarterfinals in SKY Alps Hockey League. Therefore the Italians must win at Vorarlberg. Frederic Cloutier and Co. have good memories at VEU, they won all three clashes. In the last two meetings Asiago even celebrated Shut-out-wins over the west-club. Besides the Yellow-Reds showed up on the road lately, got points from the last four road-games (three wins).
EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau – Rittner Buam
In their last home-game in Master Round EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau fights on Tuesday for the last chance to get place 4 and home-advantage for the Quarterfinals. Therefore the Lions must beat Italian Champion Rittner Buam and need also help from other teams. Lately the west-club had problems: From their last six games the „Vorarlberger“ won just one match, lately the lost at Asiago with 2:5. Against the Italian Champion Patrick Machreich and Co. lost so far all three clashes and scored totally just three goals.
Past weekend was not the weekend of the Rittner Buam! For the first time in SKY Alps Hockey League the Italian Champion lost against HC Pustertal Wolves and HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice two games in a row and fall down in the ranking to place 2. On Tuesday Ahlström and Co. now travel to Lustenau. There the Rittner Buam travel with good memories, because they won so far all three clashes with the Lions.
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it and Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro are in the fight for the last Play-off-spot in the Qualification Round A. In this moment Cortina leads the ranking with 17 points ahead of Red Bull Hockey Juniors (15) and HC Gherdeina valgardena.it (14). While the Austrians have to play just two more matches, the two Italian opponents still have three games to play in the Qualification Round A. This means, that S.G. Cortina can run away in the ranking with three points at Gherdeina and make a big step to the Play-offs in SKY Alps Hockey League. The horses on the otherside can get the same number of points as the Leader (17), when collecting three home-points against their rival from Cortina. To win also the direct duel with Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro - in the case both teams have the same number of points after round eight - for sure, Gianluca Vallini and Company must win at home with + 7 goals, because Cortina won the first meeting in the Intermediate Round clearly 8:2. Lately both teams showed up: Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro won their last four games, Gherdeina was successful in ten from their last eleven matches. Their only defeat in the year 2017 Gherdeina got at their next opponent Cortina, that also leads in the season-clash with 2:1.
EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – HC Neumarkt Riwega
EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel is already without a chance to make it into the Play-offs. The Tyroleans will finish the Qualification Round B on place 4, this is also already fix! On Wednesday the Eagles welcome in their last home-game in the 2016/17-season HC Neumarkt Riwega. The season-statistic sees the Austrians with 2:1-wins ahead. But lately the Tyroleans had problems to score, they made just one goal in the games against WSV Broncos Sterzing Weihenstephan (1:5) and EK Zeller Eisbären (1:2).
HC Neumarkt Riwega is on a good way to make it into the Play-offs! After four wins in a row the „wild-geese“ are the number 1 in the Qualification Round B and have occupied a Play-off-spot in this moment! Their position the Italians can secure on Wednesday with three points at Kitzbühel. Therefore the „wildgeese“ must make history, because so far the team of Martin Ekrt could not win at the famous Tyrolean winter-sport place. But the Italians can build their hopes on the last meeting in the Intermediate Round, when they beat the Kitzbühler Eagles at home with 3:0.
SKY Alps Hockey League, Master Round:
Tue, 21.02.2017: HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice – HC Pustertal Wolves (18:30)
Referees: FICHTNER, LESNIAK, Legat, Pagon.
Tue, 21.02.2017: FBI VEU Feldkirch – Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey 1935 (19:30)
Referees: HOFER, PIANEZZE, Krausz, Rigoni.
Tue, 21.02.2017: EHC Alge Elastic Lustenau – Rittner Buam (19:30)
Referees: COLCUC, HOLLENSTEIN, Kalb, Stefenelli.
SKY Alps Hockey League, Qualification Round A:
Tue, 21.02.2017: HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina Hafro (20:30)
Referees: LAZZERI, MOSCHEN, P. Giacomozzi, F. Giacomozzi.
SKY Alps Hockey League, Qualification Round B:
Wed, 22.02.2017: EC „Die Adler“ Stadtwerke Kitzbühel – HC Neumarkt Riwega (20:00)
Referees: GAMPER, WIDMANN, Bärnthaler, De Zordo.
Picture: Drago Cvetanovič