Zeller Eisbären head into the inter­na­tional break as league leaders

In an entertaining top-of-the-table clash between SIJ Acroni Jesenice and Rittner Buam SkyAlps, the Slovenian hosts prevailed 5:3. The opening 64 seconds were eventful. Luc Slivnik gave Jesenice the lead after 43 seconds, but Ethan Szypula equalised for the visitors just 21 seconds later. Following a longer evenly balanced spell, Jesenice gave their supporters something to celebrate for the second time in the 28th minute. Shortly afterwards, Slivnik made it 3:1 with his second goal of the evening, completing his first brace of the season. Again, barely two minutes later, Diego Cuglietta pulled one back to make it 2:3 for Ritten. It took until the 44th minute of the final period for Tadej Cimzar to make it 4:2, before Jasa Jenko struck shortly afterwards to seal the win for the fourth-placed side, who are now only two points behind the “Buam” in third place, having suffered their third consecutive defeat.

League leaders EK Die Zeller Eisbären had no problems against new bottom side HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, claiming a convincing 5:2 victory. It was the third consecutive win for the team from Pinzgau, who now hold a four-point lead over nearest challengers Kitzbühel. The “Eisbären” were already 3:1 ahead after the opening period. With 15 minutes remaining, they had extended their lead comfortably to 5:1. Nick Huard was the only player to score twice. It was the forward’s first brace of the season.

Finalists in each of the past two seasons, S.G. Cortina Hafro defeated second-placed Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 4:2 at home. Following their 6:0 home win over league leaders Zell am See, it was the Italians’ second impressive home victory in succession. They also handed Kitzbühel their first defeat after five consecutive wins. Cortina remain in sixth place in the standings. Luca Barnabo gave the hosts the lead against the “Adler” (14th). In the second period, goals from Filippo Pompanin (27th) and Marco Sanna (34th/PP1) made it 3:0, and after 44 minutes they were even 4:0 ahead. Kitzbühel could only add some late consolation with two goals in the final seven minutes.

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan beat EC Bregenzerwald 3:1 to celebrate their fifth consecutive victory. The ninth-placed side scored all three goals in the final seven minutes of the game. In a match that was short of goals for a long time, the visitors from Vorarlberg only took the lead through Ben Summer in the 51st minute. It was the forward’s first goal of the season. However, the deficit apparently served as a wake-up call for the Broncos, who equalised through Leon Hasler shortly afterwards (53rd). Again, barely two minutes later, they completely turned the game around through Luciano Zandegiacomo. Adam Capannelli sealed the final score with an empty-net goal shortly before the end. Bregenzerwald therefore suffered their third consecutive defeat and sit twelfth in the standings. In the first meeting of the season, the “Wälder” had still come out on top 4:3.

In the fifth game of the day, HC Meran/o Pircher defeated HK RST Pellet Celje 3:2. The visitors from Slovenia were already 2:0 ahead after the first period. The hosts initially levelled the game in the second period, before Teruto Nakajima scored the game-winner for the South Tyroleans just 142 seconds before the end. With their first win after four consecutive defeats, HCM passed the red lantern to Gröden and moved up to eleventh place in the standings. Celje, who suffered their second consecutive defeat, remain seventh in the table.

Alps Hockey League:

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan vs. EC Bregenzerwald 3:1 (0:0,0:0,3:1)
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SIJ Acroni Jesenice vs. Rittner Buam SkyAlps 5:3 (1:1,2:1,2:1)
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HC Meran/o Pircher vs. HK RST Pellet Celje 3:2 (0:2,2:0,1:0)
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HC Gherdeina valgardena.it vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären 2:5 (1:3,0:1,1:1)
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S.G. Cortina Hafro - Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 4:2 (1:0,2:0,1:2)

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