One game, two winners

The Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy's U18 team clearly prevailed __OEHV_NUM_E_A__ in the "best-of-five" final series of the ICE Young Stars League against HC TWK Innsbruck "Die Haie" convincingly with 3:0 to claim the title with a "sweep".

In the third final on Wednesday evening, the team led by captain Noah Kerber celebrated a 4:1 away win in Innsbruck. The opening two games at the weekend went to Salzburg by scores of 2:1 and 7:1, with the side losing just one game all season.

The hosts made the better start to the third final and took a 1:0 lead through a Luca Muigg power-play goal. Eight minutes into the second period, Marlon Wolf equalised for Salzburg, and just seven minutes later the visitors took a 2:1 lead through a goal from David Cernik. Fabian Gschliesser sealed the result ten minutes before the end of the game.

Despite the final defeat, disappointment among the Innsbruck side quickly gave way to pride and satisfaction. In the end, there were only happy faces, as Salzburg were presented with the trophy by league representatives Michael Suttnig and Ullrich Erd, while Innsbruck received the gold medals as Austrian U20 national champions from TEHV president Rainer Partl, HCI board member Kurt Mitterer and ÖEHV development coach Benedikt Schennach.