Release from 18.01.2025
On Saturday, three out of four games in the Alps Hockey League were decided by just one goal difference. League leaders Rittner Buam SkyAlps extended their winning streak and the second-placed EK Zeller Eisbären also celebrated a victory. While KHL Sisak returned to winning ways, Cortina prevailed in overtime.
The Rittner Buam SkyAlps celebrated their sixth win in a row on Saturday. The reigning champions won 3:0 at EC Bregenzerwald in front of almost 1,000 spectators. Although the visitors had more of the play, the first period remained goalless. In the 27th minute, Eric Hjorth put the team from Klobenstein ahead with a man advantage, and Marco Insam (47') added another powerplay goal. Shortly before the end, Simon Kostner scored an empty netter for the final result. Ritten goalie Colin Furlong recorded his first shutout of the season.
More than 2,000 fans watched the EK Zeller Eisbären win 4:3 at home against Unterland. After a goalless first period, there were four powerplay goals in the middle period. After Philip Putnik put the hosts ahead, Davide Girardi equalized. However, the Salzburg side then pulled away to 3:1. The Cavaliers came back to 3:2 and 4:3 in the final period, but in the end the second-placed Polar Bears narrowly retained the upper hand.
Fourth-placed Kitzbühel suffered a setback in the race for direct play-off qualification. The Tyroleans lost to KHL Sisak despite taking a quick 3:0 lead. After the Croatians equalized early in the second period, Anthony DeLuca put the home side ahead once more. However, Sisak turned the game in their favor within a few minutes and went into the third period with a 6:4 lead - Nikolas Malenica and Jan Smolec each scored twice. Kitzbühel were only able to reduce the deficit to 6:5, with Sisak's losing streak coming to an end.
Hafro Cortina Hockey (fifth place), on the other hand, were able to celebrate two important points in the play-off race. The blue and whites took the lead with a brace in the middle period at Merano, but the home side were able to reduce the deficit shortly afterwards. Cortina's narrow lead lasted until three seconds before the end of regulation time, when Riku Ishida equalized. The Eagles had good chances in overtime, but it was the visitors who scored. Riccardo Lacedelli secured the away win with his second goal of the evening.
Alps Hockey League:
Sat, 18.01.2025:
Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - KHL Sisak 5:6 (3:2,1:4,1:0)
Referees: LAZZERI, WIDMANN, J. Seewald, Wucherer
Goals 1:0 KEC Ketonen N. (00:18 / Fröwis J. ,De Luca A. / EQ), 2:0 KEC Waschnig L. (04:09 / Podlipnik M. ,Maxa A. / EQ), 3:0 KEC Waschnig L. (07:05 / Matzka M. ,Raspotnig J. / EQ), 3:1 SIS Dostalek V. (13:11 / Briere C. ,Bronte T. / 5:3 PP), 3:2 SIS Smolec J. (15:06 / Malenica N. ,Puzic I. / EQ), 3:3 SIS Malenica N. (21:31 / Puzic I. ,Briere C. / PP), 4:3 KEC De Luca A. (23:17 / Ketonen N. / EQ), 4:4 SIS Malenica N. (29:36 / Dostalek V. ,Briere C. / PP), 4:5 SIS Smolec J. (33:03 / unassisted / EQ), 4:6 SIS Briere C. (37:55 / Dostalek V. ,Smolec J. / PP), 5:6 KEC Podlipnik M. (46:03 / Ketonen N. / PP)
EK Die Zeller Eisbären - Hockey Unterland Cavaliers 4:3 (0:0,3:1,1:2)
Referees: HLAVATY, LEBEN, Preiser, Telesklav
Goals 1:0 EKZ Putnik P. (22:44 / Berger H. ,Johansson R. / PP), 1:1 CAV Girardi D. (27:56 / Kaufmann A M. ,Murnieks D. / PP), 2:1 EKZ Berger H. (32:43 / Artner F. ,Putnik P. / PP), 3:1 EKZ Widen F. (39:22 / Rappold K. ,Wilfan M. / PP), 3:2 CAV Samitis K. (40:23 / Kaufmann A M. ,Brighenti Moretti C T. / EQ), 4:2 EKZ Jennes C. (53:50 / Huard N. ,Rappold K. / EQ), 4:3 CAV Kaufmann A M. (57:21 / Murnieks D. ,Brighenti Moretti C T. / PP)
EC Bregenzerwald - Rittner Buam SkyAlps 0:3 (0:0,0:1,0:2)
Referees: HOLZER, HUBER, Eisl, Strimitzer
Goals 0:1 RIT Hjorth E. (26:50 / Cuglietta D. ,Kostner S. / PP), 0:2 RIT Insam M. (46:26 / Hjorth E. ,Szypula E. / PP), 0:3 RIT Kostner S. (59:38 / unassisted / EQ)
HC Meran/o Pircher - S.G. Cortina Hafro 2:3 OT (0:0,1:2,1:0,0:1)
Referees: BULOVEC, SORAPERRA, Arlic, Cristeli
Goals 0:1 SGC Lacedelli R. (29:52 / Saha M. ,Toffoli G. / EQ), 0:2 SGC Pompanin F. (31:02 / Di Tomaso G. ,Adami F. / EQ), 1:2 HCM Skalde S. (32:57 / Trivellato D. ,Golser A. / EQ), 2:2 HCM Ishida R. (59:57 / Gellon D. ,Pietroniro M. / EQ), 2:3 SGC Lacedelli R. (63:49 / Barnabo' L. ,Pietroniro K. / EQ)