Is under pressure with Ritten: Tray Tuomie. © Tobias Unterhofer / Max Pattis

Ritten under pressure: “We have to play harder”

The Rittner Buam SkyAlps knew before the semi-final series began that it would be anything but easy against the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. After the first three games, the Blue-Reds lost their home advantage to the Sterzinger Wildpferde. We have to win it back on Tuesday.

March 25, 2024

From: pm/dl

Then the fourth game of the “best-of-seven” series is on the program in the Weihenstephan Arena. So far, the scoreboard has been 4-2 after all three games. On Tuesday the Rittner Buam won in the Ritten Arena at home, on Thursday in Vipiteno and on Saturday on the Ritten the Broncos prevailed and now lead the series 2-1.

“It was clear to us before the series that Vipiteno was a very strong opponent. It's not for nothing that they made it into the top 6 of the regular season and it's not for nothing that they swept Zell am See out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals,” explains coach Tray Tuomie.

Ritten's Adam Giacomuzzi and Sterzing's Jakob Rabanser will see each other again on Tuesday. © Max Pattis

“Both teams could have won all three semi-final games until the end. We scored the goals on Tuesday, and then they scored them in the last two games,” analyzes the German-American. “We absolutely have to answer now. It will be important that we play a little harder and dare to go where it hurts. “That’s essential in the playoffs,” says Tuomie, referring to the opponents’ physical and self-sacrificing style of play. Of the Buam squad so far, only Robert Öhler is questionable, “the rest are ready to fight back,” reports Tuomie.

AlpsHL: Playoff semi-final games

Tuesday (Game 4):
Wipptal Broncos – Rittner Buam (20.00 p.m.)
Score in the series: 2:1

Red Bull Juniors – Cortina Hafro (19.15)
Score in the series: 2:1