Adler Kitzbühel beat Meran – EC Bregen­z­er­wald suffer defeat

League leaders HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice head into the new year with a three-point advantage. On Monday, head coach Niko Eronen's team claimed a 5:1 derby win away to Celje. Although the home side started the game well, Jesenice scored the goals: Koblar and Sillanpää made it 2:0 within 65 seconds. After the restart, the league leaders even extended their advantage to 3:0, but Celje pulled one back on the power play through Grahut before the second interval. Jesenice were once again the dominant side in the third period, with Slibar and Lesnicar scoring to complete the final score. It was Jesenice's first win in the third derby of the season.

With one of their best performances of the season so far, Rittner Buam SkyAlps gave Hockey Unterland Cavaliers no chance at the Ritten Arena on Monday evening in front of nearly 1.000 fans. The Buam ultimately won 5:1 thanks to great commitment, resolute physicality and superb goals. Alan Lobis opened the scoring six seconds before the first intermission, before the hosts pulled away to 3:0 by the 26th minute. Unterland only briefly had hope, as Ritten won the third meeting between the sides this season and defended third place.

Fourth-placed Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel also ended the year on a high. The Tyroleans won 6:2 in Meran, with six different visiting players getting on the scoresheet. After Ketonen (17./PP) scored the only goal of the first period, Kitzbühel briefly extended their lead to 3:0 in the middle period. Meran reduced the deficit to 1:3 and later 2:4, but the Austrians did not let victory slip away – winning in Meran for the second time this season.

Hafro Cortina Hockey further extended their advantage over sixth place with a 2:0 home win over Bregenzerwald. After 35 scoreless minutes, Riccardo Lacedelli gave the home side the lead on the power play. The game remained exciting until the final minute in front of just under 1.000 fans, when Leonardo Felicetti sealed the win with an empty-net goal. Cortina netminder Hayden Hawkey recorded his third shutout of the season.

More than 1.500 spectators attended the derby between HC Gröden and Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. The bottom side took an early lead through Yuri Cristellon (4th), before Emil Oksanen made it 2:0 on the power play. However, Adam Capannelli (18./PP) got the visitors on the scoresheet before the first intermission. Sterzing came into the game having won their previous three matches, and the Broncos equalised in the middle period. The score remained 3:3 after 60 minutes, before Simon Pitschieler scored the overtime winner for the home side. Gröden thus ended a six-game losing streak.

Alps Hockey League:

Rittner Buam SkyAlps vs. Hockey Unterland Cavaliers 5:1 (1:0,2:1,2:0)
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HK RST Pellet Celje vs. SIJ Acroni Jesenice 1:5 (0:2,1:1,0:2)
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HC Meran/o Pircher vs. Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 2:6 (0:1,2:3,0:2)
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Gherdeina valgardena.it vs. Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 4:3 after overtime (2:1,1:2,0:0,1:0)
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S.G. Cortina Hafro vs. EC Bregenzerwald 2:0 (0:0,1:0,1:0)
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