SV Kaltern sent its fans into a frenzy. © All photos: KSV/Sinn

Overtime thriller: Kaltern reaches for the title

SV Kaltern can dream of defending their title in the Italian Hockey League: The team from Überetsch grabbed the first match puck in the final against HC Aosta.

April 07, 2026

From: det

What tension, what drama! Kaltern is on the verge of winning the Italian Hockey League title. The Pike prevailed 4-3 in overtime against HC Aosta in Game 5 on Tuesday evening after 75 grueling minutes. This puts the team from Kaltern ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, leaving them just one win away from the championship.

Florian Wieser and his teammates aim to clinch the title on Thursday in Aosta. Should Kaltern lose, a decisive Game 7 would take place on Saturday at the Raiffeisen Arena. However, the team isn't thinking that far ahead yet.

The nearly 800 fans who gathered at the stadium in Altenburg Forest on Tuesday were treated to pure playoff hockey. Just seconds into the game, Kaltern's Wieser and Aosta's Dmytro Nimenko clashed. And the action continued at a breakneck pace. Fabian Calovi put Aosta ahead in the 14th minute, but Matteo Cappuccio equalized for Kaltern only 25 seconds later.

Aosta always in the lead, Kaltern always tenacious

The second period unfolded similarly. Jakob Oberhöller put Aosta ahead 2-1 (25th minute), but Daniel Erlacher equalized again on the power play shortly after (32nd minute). Just seconds before the end of the period, the traveling visitors celebrated once more when Brandon McNally put them ahead 3-2 (40th minute), but Kaltern's star player Joonas Alanne responded immediately after the restart (43rd minute) to tie the game.

Extra time ensued, and the match remained on a knife's edge until the tireless Alanne once again delivered the decisive blow in the 76th minute. Kaltern has the chance to defend their title and potentially secure the double on Thursday in Aosta. They had already clinched the cup victory in Milan on January 11th.

IHL Final, Game 5 (Best-of-7)

SV Kaltern – HC Aosta 4:3 OT
Kaltern: Rohregger (Pallabazzer); Clericuzio-Valentini, Massar-Michael Sölva, Schmid-Reffo, Oberhuber creator; Alanne-Wieser-Saha, Selva-Maximilian Sölva-Jonas Oberrauch, DeDona-Vinatzer-Galassiti, Erlacher-Cappuccio-Max Oberrauch
Coach: Virtala

Aosta: Pearl (Montini); Lysenko-Sukhytskyi, De Santi-Oberhöller, Calovi, assistant; Verza-Nimenko-Nardella, McNally-Fraschetta-Mocellin, Minniti-Movchan-Badoglio, Mazzocchi-Lenta-Villanueva
Coach: Giovinazzo

Gates: 0:1 Calovi (13.23), 1:1 Cappuccio (13.48), 1:2 Oberhöller (24.45), 2:2 Erlacher (31.59), 2:3 McNally (39.27), 3:3 Alanne (42.30), 4:3 Alanne (75.03)

Viewers: 790

Status in the series: 3:2

Further game dates: 9.4., possibly 11.4.