Alps Hockey League: Zeller Eisbären become the first Austrian team to win the title!

EK Die Zeller Eisbären were crowned Alps Hockey League champions for the first time on Tuesday evening. It is also the first title win by an Austrian team in the history of the multinational league. In the fifth final game against SIJ Acroni Jesenice, the Pinzgau side prevailed 5:1 in front of 2.900 enthusiastic fans at the sold-out KE KELIT Arena, winning the "best-of-7" final series 4:1.

15 April 20252 min read

Zell am See reached the Alps Hockey League final for the first time this season and promptly crowned an outstanding campaign by winning the title. The Pinzgau side finished both the regular season and the Master Round in first place and suffered just one defeat throughout the playoffs – in the first final game against Jesenice. The Slovenians, who had been crowned AHL champions in 2023, had to accept their second defeat in a final.

In the fifth final game, the visitors from Jesenice had the first major chance after just under eight minutes but were denied by the post. As the game went on, Zell am See increasingly took control. In the 16th minute, captain Robin Johansson finally put the home side 1:0 ahead on the power play with a precise shot into the top-right corner.

Buoyed by the lead, the "Eisbären" struck again just 50 seconds later – this time Nick Huard made it 2:0 following a fine individual effort. Tempers flared again towards the end of the period, but Zell am See took a two-goal lead into the first break.

Zell am See remained the clearly dominant side in the second period, and it took less than six minutes for Kilian Rappold to make it 3:0 with a backhand shot. The home side subsequently created further chances, with Philip Putnik hitting the crossbar among others. Jesenice were awarded their first power play after 36 minutes, but with one second remaining on the power play, Hubert Berger scored a shorthanded goal to seal the win for the "Eisbären".

It remained 4:0 until just under ten minutes from the end, when Nejc Brus finally put Jesenice on the scoreboard. However, the Slovenians' hopes of getting back into the game were short-lived: less than two minutes later, Daniel Ban restored the comfortable four-goal lead with a fine finish. Nothing else happened in the closing minutes – and Zell am See were crowned AHL champions for the 2024/25 season.