HCB goalie Sam Harvey cut an unfortunate figure in the home game against Asiago. © Vanna Antonello

Bolzano wins, celebrates and has new worries

HCB Südtirol Alperia continues on course for the playoffs! The Foxes served seven goals to 3700 spectators in the Sparkasse Arena. But the home game against Asiago was still not a treat. One HCB player in particular didn't like this evening at all.

18. February 2024

From the Sparkasse Arena in Bolzano

HC Bozen sent long-term Italian rivals Asiago, who have been out of the playoff race for a long time, on their way back to Veneto with a 7-4 defeat. This leaves three immensely important points in the state capital. With these, the Foxes move up to fourth place in the table and consolidate their position in the top six with two rounds to go.

However, the joy in the Sparkasse Arena was not unclouded. The Foxes' defensive behavior was once again too hair-raising. Above all, Sam Harvey is puzzling at the moment. The 26-year-old Canadian returned to Bolzano as a savior, but is currently completely off track. After he had already made a mistake against Pustertal and Villach, three of the four goals conceded against Asiago were his fault. Once he missed, once he allowed a simple rebound and once he was outwitted at the near post.

So it happened that Harvey's working day was over after just 34 minutes of play. He was replaced by Gianluca Vallini, who had not been in the starting line-up since Harvey's return - even though the HCB won nine out of ten games in which the Bolzano player guarded the goal from the start. He went undefeated on Sunday for the fifth time this season and recorded his third mini-shutout. In the end he held on to the all-important home win.

A small detail on the side: Captain Daniel Frank played his 600th competitive game for the Foxes in this game. He and his teammates now have to keep scoring points on Wednesday in Graz and most recently in the home game against leader Klagenfurt in order to maintain their two-point lead over the seventh-placed team. HC Pustertal is still in eighth place, who is still hoping for direct playoff qualification after the 5-1 win against Graz.

HCB Südtirol Alperia – Migross Asiago Hockey 7:4

HSBC: Harvey (from 33.36 Vallini); Valentine-Vandane, Miglioranzi-Parlett, Teves-Di Perna, Pietroniro; Halmo-Ford-Gazley, Frank-McClure-Thomas, Miceli-Mantenuto-Frigo, DiGiacinto-Alberga-Felicetti, Brunner.
Coach: Hanlon

Asiago: De Filippo Roia (Bortoli); Stefano Marchetti-Gazzola, Vallati-Gios, Casetti-Beaulieu, Rigoni; Ierullo-Rapuzzi-Gennaro, Oksanen-Misley-Finoro, Michele Marchetti-Stevan-Magnabosco, Zampieri.
Coach: Barrasso

Gates: 1-0 Daniel Mantenuto (3.14), 1-1 Matteo Gennaro (8.25), 2-1 Dustin Gazley (13.30), 2-2 Giordano Finoro (13.57), 3-2 Davis Vandane (14.06), 4-2 Dustin Gazley (21.10), 5:2 Mike Halmo (25.54), 5:3 Giordano Finoro (26.13), 5:4 Giordano Finoro (32.57), 6:4 Brad McClure (53.11), 7:3 Luca Frigo (58.34)

Viewers: 3.690

The other results:

HC Pustertal - Graz 99ers 5:1 (click here for the report)
Goals: 1:0 Schofield (8.22), 1:1 Krastenbergs (26.09), 2:1 Frycklund (35.07), 3:1 Schofield (46.42), 4:1 Akeson (53.35), 5:1 Mantinger (55.44)
Audience: 2.349

Black Wings Linz – Villacher SV 2:1
Goals: 0:1 Hughes (23.22), 1:1 Roe (42.39), 2:1 St-Amant (54.01)
Audience: 4.863

Klagenfurter AC – Oilimpija Ljubljana 8:1
Goals: 1:0 Fraser (00.54), 2:0 Fraser (15.55), 3:0 Sablattnig (17.48), 4:0 Klassek (19.05), 4:1 Bicevskis (24.01), 5:1 Postma (29.38), 6:1 Bischofberger (32.00), 7:1 Bischofberger (55.26), 8:1 Ganahl (56.11)
Audience: 4198

Red Bull Salzburg – Pioneers Vorarlberg 4-0
Goals: 1:0 Raffl (4.10), 2:0 Rymsha (21.14), 3:0 Schilling (35.19), 4:0 Rymsha (39.18)
Audience: 3114

HC Innsbruck – AV Fehervar 3:2 aet
Goals: 1-0 Green (17.35), 2-0 Roy (18.37), 2-1 McGauley (42.47), 2-2 Atkinson (54.39), 3-2 Albano (62.56)
Audience: 2.400