Daniel Mantenuto, Pascal Brunner & Co. were hard to get under control. © Antonello

The Bolzano derby heroes can no longer be stopped

“If you don’t jump, you’re a Pusterer…” was how it echoed through the Bozner Sparkasse Arena on Sunday evening. The HCB had just brought the Graz 99ers to their knees and gave more than 3.000 fans another day of joy. And that less than 48 hours after the derby triumph in Brunico.

03 December 2023

From the Sparkasse Arena in Bolzano

The chants against the arch-rivals from the East were not chosen by chance, because with the 12th win from the most recent 13th games, HCB Südtirol Alperia is level in the table with HC Pustertal, which has no games today. Both now share sixth place, the last place that qualifies for direct playoff participation. The deciding factor was Bolzano's 6:3 win against the Graz 99ers.

Exactly 30 years and one day after the opening of the Eiswelle, now called the Sparkasse Arena, HC Bozen gave its ice hockey temple a birthday party that was not memorable, but certainly entertaining. The Foxes hit the opposing goal a whopping 43 times and were able to celebrate six times. Four goals were scored in the final third alone. Offensive defender Josh Teves was outstanding, having a hand in four goals.

Whirlwind Josh Teves

This meant that Bozen finally turned a two-fold deficit into a confident victory. It was the second comeback within three days, after already in the overtime victory in Brunico had made up for a deficit.

A scene at the beginning of the second third showed how broad the Bolzano chest is after the derby victory: the otherwise very reserved youngster Connor Ford challenged Austria's national player Michael Kernberger to a short but fierce fight after a completely normal gang fight. Before and after, the people of Bolzano played their entire repertoire of toughness, desire to score and technical finesse. This more than compensated for the major defensive mistakes that the HCB made that evening.

After a long good performance in the Sparkasse Arena, the Graz 99ers will face their next South Tyrolean ICE opponent next Friday. Then the HCP will be visiting Styria. HC Bozen will be playing in Klagenfurt at the same time. The long-distance duel between the two arch-rivals for sixth place goes into the next round away.

HCB Südtirol Alperia – Moser Medical Graz 99ers 6:3

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

99ers: Volden (Wieser), Gregorc-Bouramman, Kernberger-Egger, Pfeffer-Schira; Krastenbergs-Wemmenborn-Viksten, Salinitri-Matson-Ograjensek, Antonitsch-Grafenthin-Kittinger, Engelhart, Krainz.
Coach: Pennerborn

Gates: 1:0 Tyler Sikura (4.12), 1:1 Daniel Viksten (11.31), 1:2 Anthony Salinitri (15.09), 2:2 Angelo Miceli (16.22), 2:3 Anthony Salinitri (29.44), 3:3 Daniel Frank (42.11), 4:3 Christian Thomas (45.38), 5:3 Brad McClure (47.51), 6:3 Angelo Miceli (53.00)

Viewers: 3.040

The other results:

Asiago Hockey - Klagenfurter AC 2:5
Goals: 1:0 Vallati (0.50), 1:1 Ganahl (10.32), 1:2 Ganahl (24.07), 1:3 Herburger (44.02), 1:4 Vallant (50.23), 2:4 Marchetti (57.20), 2:5 Bischofberger (58.55)
Audience: 1.653

Villacher SV - RB Salzburg 4:3
Goals: 1:0 Wallenta (7.21), 2:0 Desjardins (10.38), 2:1 Robertson (17.26), 3:1 Luciani (23.30), 3:2 Stapelfeldt (30.26), 4:2 Rebernig (45.54), 4:3 Raffl (49.49)
Audience: 3.108

Vienna Capitals - Pioneers Vorarlberg 4:2
Goals: 1:0 Brunner (3.25), 2:0 Cheek (18.05), 2:1 Owre (20.33), 2:2 M. Pastujov (24.10), 3:2 Twarynski (39.58), 4:2 Cheek (59.59 )
Audience: 2.900