The Rittner Buam lost out in the first game © Tobias Keim / Photo Max Pattis

Serie A final: riding with our backs against the wall

The first game of the final series in the IHL Series A was on Tuesday. The Rittner Buam were unable to use their home advantage and are behind in the best-of-three series. The South Tyroleans now need two wins in a row to secure the “Scudetto” for the first time since 2019.

23 January 2024

From: none

While the remaining teams in the Alps Hockey League are currently in the middle of the intermediate round, Rittner Buam and Cortina are fighting for the title of Italian champions within the cross-border championship.

The team from Klobenstein narrowly beat the Unterland Cavaliers in the semi-finals. The decision was only made in extra time of the third game, when Simon Kostner scored the decisive goal in the majority. The reigning champions showed twice in the semi-final that Cortina also dominated overtime. In both games against the Wipptal Broncos, Francesco Adami & Co. prevailed after extra time.

The Buam came out of the locker room better and were able to create more opportunities in the first few minutes. The Rittner's best chance came in the 6th minute when Ethan Szypula appeared in front of the visitors' goal after a great individual move and almost gave the hosts the lead. As the game continued, the guests got stronger and had more and more of the game. So Cortina took the lead in the 18th minute not undeservedly. Francesco Adami prevailed in the duel behind the goal and played an accurate pass into the slot. Riccardo Lacedelli gratefully accepted this and made it 1-0.

Ritten loses his nerve, Cortina ice cold

In the middle section, the South Tyroleans struggled particularly with discipline. From the 32nd minute, Kostner & Co. played almost non-stop with one less man on the ice (including 50 seconds of 3 against 5). Unsurprisingly, the next goal for Cortina followed. Jason Seed converted a rebound from Colin Furlong to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Although the Buam didn't give up in the third period, you never really had the feeling that Cortina could give this game away.

Guest goalie Hayden Hawkey kept perspective. © Max Pattis

The preliminary decision followed in the 49th minute. Cortina took advantage of Rittner's mistake and scored 3-0 thanks to Gabriele Parini. The final point also belonged to the guests. Ronny de Zanna completed a counterattack four minutes from time with a shot through the legs of Furlong. Game 2 of the final series takes place on Thursday in Cortina. The puck drop will then take place at 20.30:XNUMX p.m.

IHL Series A, final game 1:

Renon - Cortina 0:4
0:1 Lacedelli (17.09), 0:2 Seed (37.31), 0:3 Parini (48.23), 0:4 de Zanna (56.07)
Audience: 923
Score in the series: 0:1