Bolzano wins first play-off final in Brunico - video

For the first time in the club's history, HC Pustertal and record champions Bozen faced each other in a play-off final on Thursday evening. The Pusterers had prevailed against Asiago in the quarter-finals and against Alleghe in the semi-finals, Bolzano first eliminated Fassa and then Cortina with clear 4-0 victories. That's why Adolf Insam's team has only played eight games in the last 33 days. The home team had to do without the suspended Joe Jensen, but Magnan returned to the team. In Bozen, however, the long-term injured Josh Meyers was missing, while Derek Edwardson was back in the squad but was not used.

The white and red got off to a dream start and took the lead after just 13 seconds. Stromberg fended off a shot from Alexander Egger from the blue line that went too short and Jordan Knackstedt converted the rebound to make it 1-0. After the quick lead, Bozen stayed on the trigger, but missed the possible 2-0 with Anton Bernard. The home team then got into the game better, first Watson and then Kelly on the counterattack, but were denied by Zaba. Thomas Erlacher missed the Puster team's best opportunity in the 12.56 minute when he was cleared by Bona, but then was unable to net in front of Zaba. So after twenty minutes, Bolzano's narrow lead remained.

At the beginning of the middle third the home team managed to equalize. Zaba was able to fend off a shot from Erlacher, but the target remained in front of his goal and former Bolzano player Nate Di Casmirro scored to make it 1-1. The game took 22.45 minutes. 15 seconds later Watson had to go to the penalty box. This was the first penalty of the game, but Bozen couldn't take advantage. The 2:1 for the guests came in the 27.15 minute. Stromberg failed to hold on to a shot from Knackstedt and Stefano Giliati gave his team the lead for the second time. A minute later, Harjula, a player from Bolzano, had to go into the cooler for the first time, but Oberrauch and Watson failed twice in the power play against Zaba. On the other side, Bernard and Harjula also had two good chances. David Ling ruined the last opportunity in the middle third when he suddenly appeared all alone in front of Zaba after a penalty, but then lost the duel against the Bolzano goalkeeper.

Zaba continued his show in the final third. First he saved with a brilliant save from Matt Kelly, then he fended off a shot from Bona. His counterpart Strömberg, however, gave Bolzano their third goal ten minutes before the end of the game when he was unable to hold on to a harmless shot from Borgatello and Knackstedt converted the rebound to make it 3-1. It was the 23th goal of the season for the 27-year-old Canadian. In the final minutes, Pustertal, driven by the excellent Ling, threw everything forward. The former NHL professional played a dream pass to Ryan Watson in the 51.45 minute, who didn't need to be asked twice and reduced the score to 2:3. But Bolzano then defended itself cleverly and was able to successfully defend its narrow lead until the final siren. It remained 3-2, Bolzano's first win this winter in Bruneck.

Wolves Fiat Professional Pustertal - HC Bozen 2:3 (0:1, 1:1, 1:1) Wolves Fiat Professional Pustertal: Mikko Stromberg (Hannes Hopfgartner); Matt Kelly, Christian Willeit, Armin Helfer, Fredrik Persson, Olivier Magnan, Armin Hofer, Christian Mair; Giulio Scandella, David Ling, Max Oberrauch, Ryan Watson, Joseph Cullen, Lukas Tauber, Patrick Bona, Nate Di Casmirro, Thomas Erlacher, Lukas Crepaz, Viktor Schweizer Coach: Teppo Kivela

HC Bolzano: Matt Zaba (Guenther Hell); Brandon Rogers, Alexander Egger, Christian Borgatello, Andrea Ambrosi, Daniel Fabris; Stefano Giliati, Jordan Knackstedt, Mac Gregor Sharp, Marco Insam, Mark McCutcheon, Anton Bernard, Christian Walcher, Stefan Zisser, Tuomo Harjula, Enrico Dorigatti, Derek Edwardson, Federico Demetz Coach: Adolf Insam

Referee: Karel Metelka and Claudio Pianezze (Ulrich Pardatscher and Giulio Soia)

Gates: 0:1 Jordan Knackstedt (0.13), 1:1 Nate DiCasmirro (22.45), 1:2 Stefano Giliati (27.15), 1:3 Jordan Knackstedt (49.31), 2:3 Ryan Watson (51.45)

Penalty minutes: Pustertal 6 - Bolzano 6

Shots on goal: Pustertal 35 - Bolzano 24

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Bolzano wins first play-off final in Brunico - video

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