EK Die Zeller Eisbären are Austrian cham­pions of the Alps Hockey League

Following the 3:3 draw in the first leg in Zell am See on Thursday, the situation ahead of the decisive second leg of the final between the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and EK Die Zeller Eisbären was clear and simple: the winner of the game – whether after 60 minutes, overtime or a penalty shootout – would be Austrian champions of the Alps Hockey League.

The hosts made a lightning start to the decisive second Salzburg derby: Maxim Eliseev scored to make it 1:0 after exactly 22 seconds (1st min.). The Hockey Juniors quickly added another and took an early 2:0 lead through Paul Schuster (6th min.). It took a long time for the Zeller Eisbären to get on the scoreboard: Kilian Rappold scored to reduce the deficit to 1:2 just before the halfway point of the game (30th min.). This gave the Pinzgau side the impetus to turn the game around. Christian Jennes levelled the score at 2:2 on the power play for the visitors (34th min.). Exactly one minute before the end of the second period, the team coached by head coach Marcel Rodman had turned the game around: Kele Steffler gave Zell their first lead, making it 3:2 (40th min.).

In the final period, EKZ netminder Alexander Schmidt and his defence protected their narrow one-goal lead. The Red Bull Hockey Juniors threw everything forward and pulled goaltender Luca Haitzmann, before Christian Jennes sealed the win for Zell am See with his second goal, making it 4:2 into the empty net with 52 seconds remaining (60th min.).

EK Die Zeller Eisbären celebrated a 4:2 victory over the Red Bull Hockey Juniors and, following the 3:3 draw in the first leg, secured the Austrian Alps Hockey League title with an aggregate score of 7:5. Following the Austrian national anthem, ÖEHV Vice-President and Alps Hockey League Chairman Dr. Nicolas Stockhammer presented the medals, after which the Zeller Eisbären lifted the championship trophy.

Austrian Championship Final Alps Hockey League 2025/2026

Final – second leg:

Red Bull Hockey Juniors vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären 2:4 (2:0,0:3,0:1)
Sat., 14 February 2026, 19:15, Eisarena Salzburg
Red Bull Hockey Juniors scorers: Maxim Eliseev (1st min.), Paul Schuster (6th min.)
EK Die Zeller Eisbären scorers: Kilian Rappold (30th min.), Christian Jennes (34th min./PP1, 60th min./EN), Kele Steffler (40th min.)

EK Die Zeller Eisbären with an aggregate score of 7:5 Austrian champions of the Alps Hockey League.

Final – first leg:

EK Die Zeller Eisbären vs. Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:3 (1:0,0:2,2:1)
Thu, 12 February 2026, 20:00, KE KELIT ARENA
EK Die Zeller Eisbären scorers: Philip Putnik (20'), Tim Coffman (41'/PP1), Paul Reiner (47')
Red Bull Hockey Juniors scorers: Luca Auer (21'), Adrian Gesson (29'), Florian Lanzinger (58'/PP1)

Format:

The two highest-ranked Austrian teams after the regular season of the Austrian Championship in the Alps Hockey League, for which the results of the completed home-and-away rounds (= the respective 1st home and 1nd away matches) were taken into account and assessed, will contest the final. The Champions Hockey League format will be used on 12 and 14 February, with the higher-ranked club starting away from home. The aggregate score (points and goals) from the two matches played will be used. Overtime and a penalty shoot-out can only take place in the second leg if the aggregate score is tied. In this case, there will be a 10-minute sudden-death overtime period with three-on-three skaters. Should the overtime period end goalless, a shoot-out with five shooters per team will follow.

Full schedule for the Alps Hockey League in the Gamecenter

All information on the Alps Hockey League on the official website