Release from 14.03.2025

Three quarter-final series could be decided this weekend

Short text 570 CharactersPlain text

The fourth quarter-final matchday in the Alps Hockey League is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Only in the series between HC Meran/o Pircher and Rittner Buam SkyAlps both teams won at least one match so far. The defending champions from Ritten have a 2:1 lead in the best-of-7 series. The Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, SIJ Acroni Jesenice and EK Die Zeller Eisbären, on the other hand, have match pucks. All three teams lead their series 3:0. Zell am See's game at EC Bregenzerwald will take place on Sunday, while the other three matches will be played on Saturday.

Press release 3292 CharactersPlain text

HC Meran/o Pircher - Rittner Buam SkyAlps
Merano was able to clinch the first win with a narrow 4:3 away win in Ritten on Thursday. It was their second win of the season in their eighth season duel with Ritten in all competitions. In the first two encounters, the “Eagles” were beaten 0:3 and 3:4. Although Merano recently lost to Ritten in front of their home crowd, they had previously celebrated four consecutive victories. Ritten, on the other hand, have won their last two away games, but have lost five away games in a row before that. Simon Kostner, the captain of the “Buam”, scored a point on Thursday and is now the all-time top scorer in the Alps Hockey League with 412 points – ex aequo with Max Wilfan from Zell am See.

S.G. Cortina Hafro - SIJ Acroni Jesenice
The rematch of the 2023 final has so far been a clear affair for Jesenice. The 2023 AHL champions lead the series against Cortina 3:0, having won the previous games 2:1/OT, 4:1 and 7:2. Cortina have only won two of their last ten games and are also struggling in front of their home crowd - with just three wins from their last ten home games. Jesenice, on the other hand, have won six of their last ten away games. So far this season, the Slovenians have won in seven of their eight encounters with the Italians.

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Sterzing already has a 3:0 lead in the series against Kitzbühel. Last season's semi-finalists, who qualified for the quarter-finals via the pre-playoffs this year, won all three games against the third-placed team in the Master Round by extremely narrow margins (5:4, 2:1, 5:3). On Thursday, the South Tyroleans were still trailing 2:3 after the second period - it was the first time in the entire series that Kitzbühel had taken the lead. But in the end they turned the game around with three goals in the final period. Kitzbühel won all three duels in the regular season, but now they have their backs to the wall in the quarter-finals.

EC Bregenzerwald - EK Die Zeller Eisbären
There is also one match on Sunday. This will be the fourth duel between Bregenzerwald and Zell am See. The Master Round champions from Pinzgau have so far won all three quarter-final encounters against the Vorarlberg side – two times 3:1 at home and 3:2 in Dornbirn. Overall, the “Polar Bears” have won the last eight games against the ECB. Their current away form is also impressive, with seven wins in a row. Bregenzerwald are generally in good form at home, with six wins from their last seven games.

Alps Hockey League:
Saturday, 15.03.2025:
18:00: Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan – Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel
Referees: HOLZER T., VIRTA, Brondi, Fleischmann.
Standings in the „best-of-7“ series: 3:0

19:30: HC Meran/o Pircher – Rittner Buam SkyAlps
Referees: PINIE, SNOJ, Cristeli, Markizeti.
Standings in the „best-of-7“ series: 1:2

20:30: S.G. Cortina Hafro – SIJ Acroni Jesenice
Referees: LAZZERI, RIVIS, Rinker, Strimitzer.
Standings in the „best-of-7“ series: 0:3

Sunday, 16.03.2025:
17:30: EC Bregenzerwald – EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Referees: KAINBERGER, OREL, Wucherer, Zacherl.
Standings in the „best-of-7“ series: 0:3

>> Watch all games live on valcome.tv