Three away wins at the start of the Pre-Playoffs

Broncos remain bogey team of the Red Bull Hockey Juniors
In the 15th AHL duel between the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, the Broncos celebrated the eleventh time. The South Tyroleans prevailed with 4:3 at the Young Bulls and put the score to 1:0 in the "best-of-3" series. The visitors took a 1:0 lead after just 80 seconds with a goal by Tommy Gschnitzer. The score remained close until shortly before the end of the second period, before Alessio Niccolai increased the lead to 2:0. At the beginning of the third period, the Young Bulls scored for the first time (43.). About ten minutes later the WSV restored the two-goal lead about ten minutes later. A powerplay goal by Danjo Leonhardt (57.) brought Salzburg back to within one goal. But again WSV had the right answer. Trevor Gooch scored in the 59th minute and decided the game in favor of the guests.

Feldkirch loses against Val Gardena
The second Austrian team with home right also lost to its South Tyrolean opponent in the first game of the Pre-Playoffs. The VEU Feldkirch lost to the HC Gherdeina valgardena.it with 2:5, which is why in the third duel of the season for the first time the home lost. After the first period, the game was still balanced. Christoph Draschkowitz (16./PP1) could equalize the leading goal of the guests by Ondrej Nedved (14.). In the second period GHE scored two goals within six minutes. Although the hosts got one back in the second period, they were unable to level the score in the final period. On the contrary, the guests scored two more goals.

No chance for Ritten against Lustenau
The EHC Lustenau started the Pre-Playoffs with a clear 7:2 away win against the Rittner Buam. In the thirteenth AHL duel, it was only the second win of the EHC against RIT, the first since September 15th, 2018. However, the home side got the better start into the game. Already after seven minutes of play, the "Blue-Whites" led with 2:0. Thereupon, however, the game slipped away from them and still in the first period, the guests from Vorarlberg managed to equalize. At the beginning of the second period, the EHC scored once again and the game was finally turned around. Lustenau scored the remaining four goals in the final period.

Cortina wins opener against Bregenzerwald
The S.G. Cortina Hafro was the only home team to start the Pre-Playoffs with a win. The Italians, who as the fifth-placed team after the Regular Season played against the twelfth-placed EC Bregenzerwald, had to fight for the opening victory until the very end. Only two minutes before the end of the game Chad Pietroniro scored the game winner for the 3:2 opening victory. The Canadian also gave the home side the lead (28.). Only a short time later SGC increased the lead to 2:0 (30.). Bregenzerwald could equalize the game in minute 44. In the end, however, the favorite from Cortina prevailed, who now already has the chance to qualify for the Playoffs on Monday. For scheduling reasons, game two of the series will already take place one day earlier than the other three duels.

Alps Hockey League:
Red Bull Hockey Juniors – Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 3:4 (0:1, 0:1, 3:2)
Referees: DURCHNER, HLAVATY, Puff, Schweighofer.
Goals RBJ: 1:2 Polegoshko V. (43. Heigl N.), 2:3 Leonhardt D. (57./PP1 Heigl N. – Stapelfeldt P.), 3:4 Predan A. (60. Thaler L. – Rebernig M.)
Goals WSV: 0:1 Gschnitzer T. (2. Gander M.), 0:2 Niccolai A. (40. Hannoun D.), 1:3 Gander M. (52. Gschnitzer T. – Oberdorfer H.), 2:4 Gooch T. (59. Hannoun D. – Eisendle P.)

VEU Feldkich – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 2:5 (1:1, 1:2, 0:2)
Referees: HUBER, SCHAUER, Martin, Rinker.
Goals VEU: 1:1 Draschkowitz C. (16./PP1 Koczera P. – Korecky I.), 2:3 Puschnik K. (32./PP1 Birnstill S. – Mairitsch M.)
Goals GHE: 0:1 Nedved O. (14. Sullmann Pilser M.), 1:2 Galassiti D. (23 Niemelä J. – Sölva M.), 1:3 McGowan B. (29. Brugnoli J. – Sullmann Pilser M.), 2:4 Wilkins M. (46. Sullmann Pilser M. – McGowan B.), 2:5 Sullmann Pilser M. (60./EN Wilkins M. – Willeit C.)

S.G. Cortina Hafro – EC Bregenzerwald 3:2 (0:0, 2:1, 1:1)
Referees: GIACOMOZZI, LAZZERI, Carrito, Mantovani.
Goals SGC: 1:0 Pietroniro C. (28. Vainonen M.), 2:0 Zanatta M. (30. Valazza R.), 3:2 C. Pietroniro (59. Cazzola M. – Vainonen M.)
Goals ECB: 2:1 Zwerger J. (34. Posch B. – Kandemir A.), 2:2 Schlögl R. (44. Rajamäki T.)

Rittner Buam – EHC Lustenau 2:7 (2:2, 0:1, 0:4)
Referees: LEGA, VIRTA, Cristeli, De Zordo.
Goals RIT: 1:0 Uusivirta L. (6. Spinell M. – Öhler M.), 2:0 Gabri R. (8. Spinell M. - Uusivirta L.)
Goals EHC: 2:1 Ozolins A. (10.), 2:2 Grabher Meier M. (20. Karkls R. – Wilfan M.), 2:3 Wallenta E. (22.), 2:4 Grabher Meier M. (43. D´Alvise C. – Wilfan M.), 2:5 D´Alvise C. (44. Karkls R. – Grabher Meier M.), 2:6 Wilfan M. (53. Grabher Meier M.), 2:7 Haberl L. (57. Ozolins A. – Hrdina S.)

Copyright: Max Pattis