Zell defeat Adler Kitzbühel – Bregen­z­er­wald make a winning start to the pre-play-offs

League leaders EK Die Zeller Eisbären remain unbeaten in the Master Round. The Pinzgau side edged the Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 3:2 in overtime in the sold-out derby in front of 1.250 fans. Zell am See now hold an eleven-point lead over the Tyroleans, who are currently the closest challengers to the already-confirmed Master Round champions. In a very evenly contested game, the hosts were ahead until eleven minutes from the end before Zell am See levelled through Christian Jennes. Philip Putnik eventually scored the game-winner on the power play for the “Eisbären” in overtime.

In the second Master Round game, SIJ Acroni Jesenice recorded a convincing 8:1 home win over S.G. Cortina Hafro. After just nine minutes, the third-placed side, who are one point behind second-placed Kitzbühel, led 4:0. It then took until the 29th minute for the Slovenians to extend their lead to 5:0. They were already 7:0 ahead after two periods. Tjas Lesnicar and Luc Slivnik had each scored twice by that point. The visitors also got on the scoreboard through Francesco Adami in the 49th minute. However, the hosts had the final say through Gregor Koblar, who also scored twice. For Cortina, it was already their fifth defeat in six Master Round games. They are bottom of the standings, well adrift on three points.

EC Bregenzerwald began the pre-play-offs with a 3:1 home win over HC Gherdeina valgardena.it. In front of 800 fans, the hosts took the lead through Philipp Pöschmann as early as the third minute. With 19 seconds remaining in the first period, ECB top scorer Roberts Lipsbergs made it 2:0. The Vorarlberg side struck for what proved to be the decisive goal in the 32nd minute. The score remained 3:0 to the hosts until around seven minutes from time, when Gröden pulled one back but were unable to make the game competitive again. The South Tyrolean side must therefore win at home on Saturday to avoid an early end to their season.

HK RST Pellet Celje celebrated a surprise 4:2 away win at Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. The Slovenians fell behind after just 66 seconds, but turned the game around by the tenth minute and even took a 3:1 lead into the first intermission. Sterzing, who suffered their first defeat of the season against Celje, reduced the deficit to 2:3 in the 29th minute, but could not find an equaliser. In the 46th minute, Bohdan Panasenko restored the visitors' two-goal lead with his second goal of the evening, and it remained intact until the final buzzer.

In the third pre-play-off clash, HC Meran/o Pircher narrowly prevailed 4:3 after overtime at home against KHL Sisak. The South Tyroleans fell 0:2 behind after eight minutes, but subsequently grew into the game and levelled at 2:2 with goals in the 34th and 38th minutes. Pascal Brunner, who scored the equaliser, even put the “Adler” ahead in the 46th minute. This time, however, Sisak had the right response and Carson Briere equalised at 3:3 in the 51st minute. The game then went into the first Endless Overtime of this year’s postseason. Teruto Nakajima finally sent the nearly 650 fans at the Meranarena into celebration after five minutes and 34 seconds.

Alps Hockey League:

Master Round:

SIJ Acroni Jesenice vs. S.G. Cortina Hafro 8:1 (4:0,3:0,1:1)
>> Goalscorers and statistics

Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären 2:3 n.V. (0:1,0:0,2:1,0:1)
>> Goalscorers and statistics

Pre-play-off:

EC Bregenzerwald vs. HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 3:1 (2:0,1:0,0:1)
>> Goalscorers and statistics

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan vs. HK RST Pellet Celje 2:4 (1:3,1:0,0:1)
>> Goalscorers and statistics

HC Meran/o Pircher vs. KHL Sisak 4:3 n.V. (0:2,2:0,1:1,1:0)
>> Goalscorers and statistics