Aisulu Almaty are EWHL champions after an overtime win against Sabres St. Pölten!
Aisulu Almaty won a thrilling second final against Sabres St. Pölten to be crowned European Women’s Hockey League champions for the first time. Annlise Hayes secured the title for the Kazakhstan-based team stationed in Zeltweg after 75 seconds of overtime.
2 min read
An exciting European Women’s Hockey League season culminated on Sunday evening in a high-quality final that was only decided in overtime. After Sabres St. Pölten and Aisulu Almaty had drawn 1:1 in the first leg of the final, the stage was set for a thrilling return leg in Zeltweg.
The Kazakh team initially had the better of the first period. Roxanne Rioux gave her team the lead in the 19th minute. However, the Sabres responded immediately, with Kinga Jokai-Szilagyi levelling the scores just one minute later.
The Sabres created several good chances in the second period but were unable to beat goalkeeper Rachel Seeley. Neither team could find the decisive goal in the fiercely contested final period, with the aggregate score at 2:2. The game therefore went to a “3-on-3 overtime”. It did not take long for Annlise Hayes to provide the much-celebrated winner from Aisulu Almaty’s perspective.
In the battle for third place, EVB Eagles South Tyrol won the first game against HK PSRZ Bratislava 2:0. In the second match – again played in Bratislava – it was the Slovak side that made the better start this time, taking the lead through Lucia Haluskova in the 15th minute.
Romana Kosecka extended the lead on the power play in the middle period, and the score remained 2:0 until the end of regulation. The game went to overtime, where Ema Tothova sealed the result in the 65th minute.
EUROPEAN WOMEN´S HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final return leg:
Aisulu Almaty vs. Sabres St. Pölten 2:1 after overtime (1:1,0:0,0:0,1:0)
Sunday, 23 March 2025, 18:45, Eishalle Zeltweg
Aisulu Almaty goalscorers: Roxanne Rioux (19.) Annlise Kristin Hayes (62.)
Sabres St. Pölten goalscorer: Kinga Jókai Szilágyi (20.)
Aisulu Almaty win the European Women’s Hockey League with an aggregate score of 3:2, while Sabres St. Pölten finish in second place.
First leg of the final:
Sabres St. Pölten vs. Aisulu Almaty 1:1 (1:0,0:0,0:1)
Friday, 21 March 2025, 20:15, St. Pölten Eissportzentrum NÖ
Goalscorer for Sabres St. Pölten: Lena Artner (3rd minute)
Goalscorer for Aisulu Almaty: Cassidy Maplethorpe (46th minute)
Game for 3rd place:
EVB Eagles South Tyrol vs. HK PSRZ Bratislava 2:0 (0:0,1:0,1:0)
Fri, 21 March 2025, 19:00, Bratislava
Goalscorers for EVB Eagles South Tyrol: Eleonora Bonafini (40th minute), Emma Cereghini (45th minute/SH1)
HK PSRZ Bratislava vs. EVB Eagles South Tyrol 3:0 after overtime (1:0,1:0,0:0,1:0)
Sat, 22 March 2025, 13:15
Goalscorers for HK PSRZ Bratislava: Lucia Haluskova (15th minute), Romana Košecká (34th minute/PP1), Ema Tóthová (65th minute)
HK PSRZ Bratislava finish third in the European Women’s Hockey League with an aggregate score of 3:2.
