Release from 13.03.2023

Tommaso Traversa: "My goal is the team and keep winning“

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Tommaso Traversa is one of the key players of S.G. Cortina Hafro. In the quarterfinals against the EHC Lustenau he already scored two important goals, the OT game-winner in game one and the 1:0 in game three. In total its already the sixth season for the 32-year-old in the Alps Hockey League and with 32 points he is one of the top scorer in the Playoffs ever. In the interview Traversa gives us insights about the current series against Lustenau, his personal and team goals and why he is that much happy for Francesco Adami, the Zanatta brothers and Marco De Filippo.

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You were able to retake the series lead on Saturday. How important is it now to have the momentum on your side?
It’s important to have the lead going into Lustenau, I wouldn’t talk about momentum, playoffs is short memories, it’s an important win because we know it’s hard to win there.

In game one you scored the overtime game-winner, now the 1:0 lead. Describe your feelings after the two goals, especially after the game-winner?
Happy that I have helped the team in these two wins, but I don’t look at that too much, actually my OT winner and last night goals were just two great passes from Parini and Noah Lacedelli, I care about winning.

It's your first season in Cortina. How comfortable do you feel here already?
Yeah I feel good here now, it took me a bit at the beginning, but I love the team, love the town, and it has been pretty easy since I knew few guys already in the team.

In total its already your 6th Alps Hockey League season and you have already scored 32 points in the playoffs so far. You are just 8 points behind all time leader Max Wilfan and Chris D´Alvise who are playing for current opponent Lustenau. Do you think you can become the all time number one in the Playoffs? Are such stats important for you?
Like I said I don’t like to concentrate on myself, obviously it would be a huge honor to be up with these two great players, but my goal is the team and keep winning.

Cortina is known as a home power. What makes you so strong at home?
I guess every team plays better at home, i don’t really know why is like that, I guess traveling here for some teams it’s not that easy, but it’s the same for everyone.

What has to go better at Lustenau on Tuesday than in the first away game for you to win?
We gotta have a different approach, every game in playoffs, every shifts you have to play it like it’a your last one, and we didn’t do that last time, we also have to be more disciplined on and off the ice.

How do you rate Lustenau? What are their strengths?
Lustenau it’s a very good team, they had a fantastic second half of the season, and they are proving it in this series, they have a lot of experience in their team, they are physical and they have a good goalies as well.

How optimistic are you now that you will win the series?
We have to think game by game, you can’t be too high and too low, as long as we won’t have regrets at the end, it’s okay.

Do you think you can even win the title?
That’s our goal, like every team in the playoffs, we have to earn it and work till the last drop for it.

How happy are you about the Scudetto win against the Rittner Buam in February and how much confidence gave you the title?
It´s lots of joy. It has been 16 years since Cortina's last success, and I am happy for the more experienced players like Francesco Adami, the Zanatta brothers and Marco De Filippo who have given so much for this jersey. But I am happy for the society and also the fans. Obviously this victory has given us awareness of our means also for the Alps, however, arrived at this point everyone wants to win and it will not be easy.