Release from 13.02.2025
The EK Zeller Eisbären extended their lead at the top of the table on Thursday with a 3:2 win at the Rittner Buam SkyAlps. With their first victory in the Master Round, Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel moved up to second place. In the Qualification Round groups, HC Meran/o Pircher and HK RST Pellet Celje each recorded their second success.
The Rittner Buam SkyAlps and EK Zeller Eisbären played out a thrilling top-of-the-table match in which the visitors won for the third time in a row. The Pinzgau team extended their lead in the table with a 3:2 victory. The visitors took the lead late in the first period through Leon Widhalm, who capitalised on his own rebound. But Ritten equalized soon later, after a counter-attack Szypula laid off perfectly to Lobis, who nailed the puck into the short corner of the net. Zell am See's special teams added further goals in the middle period: first Jennes scored in the powerplay, then Wilfan made it 1:3 after a counter-attack while short-handed. However, the Buam struck back with a goal from Insam in the same powerplay. The score then remained 2:3 until the end, partly because EKZ goalie Max Zimmermann made a total of 45 saves.
Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel claimed their first win in the Masterround, with head coach Marco Pewal's team beating Cortina 6:4 in a spectacular game. Sebastian Labori gave them a 1:0 lead after just over ten minutes, but shortly afterwards, Mikael Saha put the disc over the line to equalise at 1:1. Labori put the home side ahead again in the middle period, after which things got really wild at the Sportpark: Jakob Lippitsch, Lukas Waschnig and top scorer Anthony DeLuca scored three times in the space of 45 seconds in the 34th minute to extend the lead to 5:1. However, the Italians also hit back with a double and the final period was even more exciting when former Eagles centre Waltteri Lehtonen (58') reduced the deficit to 5:4 in the final phase. Matic Podlipnik scored an empty netter to make the final score 6:4 and Kitzbühel moved up to second place.
Successes for Meran and Sterzing
In Qualification Round A, Merano picked up its second win in the second game. The South Tyroleans won 3:1 against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. David Trivellato put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute while short-handed. Both teams were able to celebrate once in the middle period and Skate Skalde finally decided the game with a powerplay goal in the third.
In the second game of the group, the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan won 4:0 against Gardena. Paul Eisendle scored the only goal in the first period and the score remained 1:0 until the 43rd minute - when Zandegiacomo increased the lead. Two more goals within three and a half minutes decided the game, goalie Dominik Groh recorded his second shutout of the season. The win lifted the team from Sterzing into second place.
Celje celebrates second win
In the only game of Qualification Round B, Celje earned a 2:1 shootout win at Unterland. The visitors took the lead in the first period through Ahmet Jakupovic, but Daniels Murnieks equalised during a 5 on 3 pwoerplay in the middle period. The Cavaliers had some chances, but Celje goalie Heiskanen recorded a total of 47 saves. The game finally went to a shootout, where Bohdan Panasenko secured the away win. The Slovenians extended their lead at the top of the table with their second win.
Alps Hockey League
Thursday, 13.02.2025
Master Round:
Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - S.G. Cortina Hafro 6:4 (1:1,4:2,1:1)
Referees: Meixner, Ruetz, Moidl, Seewald
Goals 1:0 KEC Christiansen S. (10:42 / Podlipnik M. ,Maxa A. / EQ), 1:1 SGC Saha M. (11:41 / unassisted / EQ), 2:1 KEC Christiansen S. (26:37 / Maxa A. ,Podlipnik M. / EQ), 3:1 KEC Lippitsch J. (33:01 / Christiansen S. ,Maxa A. / EQ), 4:1 KEC Waschnig L. (33:27 / Geifes T. ,Engelhart J. / EQ), 5:1 KEC De Luca A. (33:46 / Schutz C. ,Schmid P. / EQ), 5:2 SGC Toffoli G. (36:13 / Sanna M. / EQ), 5:3 SGC Lacedelli R. (36:48 / Sanna M. / EQ), 5:4 SGC Lehtonen W. (57:12 / Colli A. ,Saha M. / EQ), 6:4 KEC Podlipnik M. (59:47 / Raspotnig J. / EQ)
Rittner Buam SkyAlps - EK Zeller Eisbären 2:3 (1:1,1:2,0:0)
Referees: Egger, Lazzeri, Cristeli, Grisenti
Goals 0:1 EKZ Widhalm L. (17:48 / unassisted / EQ), 1:1 RIT Lobis A. (19:08 / Szypula E. ,Insam M. / EQ), 1:2 EKZ Jennes C. (33:45 / Widen F. ,Huard N. / PP), 1:3 EKZ Wilfan M. (37:53 / Artner F. ,Widen F. / SH), 2:3 RIT Insam M. (39:03 / Szypula E. ,Öhler M. / PP)
Qualification Round A:
Red Bull Hockey Juniors - HC Meran/o Pircher 1:3 (0:1,1:1,0:1)
Referees: Brock, Kainberger, Eisl, Wendner
Goals 0:1 HCM Trivellato D. (06:05 / Fuchs J. ,Rein N. / SH), 1:1 RBJ Schreiner V. (31:13 / Wurzer M. ,Hörl L. / EQ), 1:2 HCM Gellon D. (33:15 / Gustafsson O. ,Madsen P. / EQ), 1:3 HCM Skalde S. (46:37 / Rein N. ,Pietroniro C. / PP)
Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 4:0 (1:0,0:0,3:0)
Referees: Giacomozzi, Pinie, Brondi, Rivis
Goals 1:0 WSV Eisendle P. (14:44 / Galimberti T. ,Niccolai A. / EQ), 2:0 WSV Zandegiacomo L. (42:28 / Hackhofer F. ,Galimberti T. / EQ), 3:0 WSV Niccolai A. (49:59 / Galimberti T. ,De Lorenzo Meo L. / 5:3 PP), 4:0 WSV Livingston J. (53:21 / Cianfrone B. ,Gschliesser F. / EQ)
Qualification Round B:
Hockey Unterland Cavaliers - HK RST Pellet Celje 1:2 SO (0:1,1:0,0:0,0:0,0:1)
Referees: Piras, Virta, Pace, Scalzeri
Goals 0:1 HKC Jakupovic A. (12:35 / Sojer M. ,Kuret B. / EQ), 1:1 CAV Murnieks D. (34:22 / Kaufmann A M. ,Remolato N. / 5:3 PP), 1:2 HKC Panasenko B. (65:00 / GWS)
Photo: Max Pattis