EC Bregen­z­er­wald are Austrian Alps Hockey League cham­pions

Photo caption: EC Bregenzerwald celebrate the Austrian championship in the Alps Hockey League - Photo: Katharina Zuder

After the first fiercely contested match, underdogs EC Bregenzerwald took a narrow 2:1 lead over defending champions EHC Lustenau into Saturday's second leg of the big, emotional Vorarlberg showdown at Lustenauer Rheinhalle, which was “sold out” with 500 fans due to Covid19 restrictions. The opening period initially developed into an even contest. However, there was no cautious feeling-out process in the second final either.

As in the first leg, the fans were treated to fast-paced hockey, again without the respective top scorers Chris D’Alvise and Roberts Lipsbergs. Julius Nyqvist returned to the EC Bregenzerwald line-up, while Moritz Matzka, who scored to make it 1:1 on Wednesday, was absent. David Slivnik was back in the line-up for the hosts. Neither Felix Beck nor Lustenau netminder Hanses could complain about a lack of work. The Lustenau side coached by Canadian-British Mike Flanagan broke the deadlock. Maximilian Wilfan gave the Lions a 1:0 lead (16.) and levelled the aggregate score at 2:2.

Finnish head coach Markus Juurikkala had also prepared EC Bregenzerwald very well for the second leg, and the visitors waited shrewdly for their chances. Shortly before the end of the second period, Philipp Pöschmann equalised at 1:1 for Bregenzerwald on the power play (39.). Lustenau were now forced to do more in attack again.

The derby remained a tight and heated affair in the final period. Finnish import Waltteri Lehtonen had the visitors celebrating after scoring to make it 2:1 on the power play (46.). 4:2 on aggregate, the title was within reach for the Wälder. Time was running out for EHC, which was evident in their frayed nerves. Initial disagreements were still verbal, but eventually the tensions erupted in a scrum of players in front of ECB netminder Felix Beck. Philipp Koczera breathed new life into EHC Lustenau, scoring the much-celebrated equaliser for 2:2 (55.). The hosts then risked everything, pulling netminder Erik Rickard Hanses. Simeon Schwinger scored to make it 3:2 for EC Bregenzerwald with two seconds remaining (60.) and crowned the underdogs Austrian Alps Hockey League champions after two final matches, with an aggregate score of 5:3.

Guntram Schedler, chairman and assistant coachof EC Bregenzerwald, summed up the exciting and attractive final series after winning the championship: “We are incredibly proud of what our team has achieved. The fact that the media coverage and social media focus on our homegrown players rather than an import is further confirmation of our work in development. For example, Simeon Schwinger was already in our squad when we won the INL title and had to fight for a place in the line-up; he has since received national team call-ups and has become an integral part of the Bulldogs' ICE Hockey League squad. Even though he is now capable of making his mark on a final series, it is always a team effort that makes winning a title possible in the first place, and the contribution of all the players involved here should not be diminished. It was a short and exciting series, and naturally our congratulations also go to EHC Lustenau.”

EC Bregenzerwald Austrian Alps Hockey League champions 2021/2022 with an aggregate score of 5:3 after two final matches against EHC Lustenau.

2nd final:
EHC Lustenau vs. EC Bregenzerwald 2:3 (1:0,0:1,1:2)
Saturday, 12 February 2022, 17:30, Lustenauer Rheinhalle
EHC Lustenau scorers: Maximilian Wilfan (15:36), Philipp Koczera (54:45)
EC Bregenzerwald scorers: Philipp Pöschmann (38:48), Waltteri Lehtonen (45:10), Simeon Schwinger (59:58)

1st final:
EC Bregenzerwald vs. EHC Lustenau 2:1 (0:1,2:1,0:0)
Wednesday, 09 February, 2022, 19.30, Messehalle Dornbirn
EC Bregenzerwald scorers: Moritz Matzka (27:58), Simeon Schwinger (36:06)
EHC Lustenau scorer: David König (6:18)