Pustertal's Austin Osmanski (left) was the unlucky one. © Domen Jancic

Fatal mishap mars Pustertal's courageous performance

After the derby defeat against HC Bozen, HC Pustertal was a guest in Ljubljana with a severely weakened squad. The Wolves played courageously, but deprived themselves of their reward.

08 January 2025

From: det

If you take the signs into account, it was perhaps HC Pustertal's most difficult away game of the season so far. On the one hand, because opponents HK Olimpija Ljubljana are one of the best teams in the league. On the other hand, because the Wolves were struggling with several prominent absences and could only field three complete lines. In the end, the Pustertal team, who fought selflessly, suffered a narrow 1:2 defeat, which was also due to a veritable blunder. HC Bozen also suffered a bitter defeat.

When the HCP boarded the bus on Wednesday afternoon, four well-known players were missing. Mikael Frycklund is suspended, Alex Petan stayed with his wife, who is expecting, Jason Akeson and Tommaso Traversa are injured. With reinforcements from the farm team Sterzing (Lenny Hasler and Lukas De Lorenzo Meo), the team went to Slovenia, where the Black and Yellows bravely stood up to their opponents, including ex-NHL star Nick Bonino, and had a chance of winning for a long time. But in the end they suffered a defeat - also because a legionnaire made a mistake.

It was a hot duel between Pustertal and Ljubljana. © Domen Jancic

The US boy Austin Osmanski, who has often been the problem child of the Pustertal defense this year, made a serious mistake shortly before the end: As the last man, he was unable to control what was actually a harmless clearance by Ljubljana and missed the puck, which slipped through to Rob Sabolic. The Olimpija striker gratefully accepted the gift and scored the winning goal (53'). The HCP thus deprived itself of its reward.

Now the Wolves are heading back to Bruneck, where they have three tough home games in a row. On Friday (19.45 p.m.) they will host last year's finalists Klagenfurt, on Sunday they will host league leaders Fehervar (16 p.m.) and on Wednesday the Black Wings Linz will come (19.45 p.m.).

HKO Olimpija Ljubljana – HC Pustertal 2:1

HKO: Horak (Kolin); Masic-Atwal, Gregorc-Bohinc, Hebar-Ege, Kumanovic-Vodlan; Sabolic-Kerbashian-Cerveny, Mahkovec-Bonino-Kapel, Simsic-Bicevskis-Lavoie, Mehle-Bericic-Pance
Coach: Tavzelj

HCP: Pasquale (Bernard); Andersen-Osmanski, Glira-Wesley, Svedberg-Bouramman, Zanatta; Conci-Findlay-Purdeller, Coulter-Lacroix-Deluca, Mantinger-Andergassen-Gschliesser, Hasler-De Lorenzo Meo
Coach: Jaspers

Gates: 0:1 Davide Conci (0.11), 1:1 Arvin Atwal (28.18), 2:1 Robert Sabolic (52.15)

Viewers: 1.578

The other games

Graz99ers – HC Bozen 2:1 (click here for the report)
Goals: 1-0 Hora (4.22), 2-0 Bailey (7.00), 2-1 Gazley (26.37)
Audience: 2.025

EC-KAC – Villacher SV 8:0
Goals: 1:0 From (0.23), 2:0 Schwinger (10.20), 3:0 Nickl (15.24), 4:0 From (23.48), 5:0 Schwinger (24.09), 6:0 Unterweger (29.15), 7:0 Obersteiner (53.25), 8:0 Peeters (59.45)
Audience: 4.406

Red Bull Salzburg – Fehervar AV19 4:1
Goals: 1:0 Huber (7.46), 2:0 Lewington (10.15), 3:0 Thaler (21.56), 3:1 Berger (25.39), 4:1 Tolvanen (58.58)
Audience: 2.723

Black Wings Linz – Vienna Capitals 4:3 aet
Goals: 1:0 St-Amant (8.32), 2:0 Lebler (20.56), 3:0 Ograjensek (26.01), 3:1 Franklin (26.53), 3:2 Cramarossa (28.04), 3:3 Gregoire (53.03 ), 4:3 St-Amant (61.20)
Audience: 3.400

Asiago Hockey – HC Innsbruck 2:9
Goals: 0:1 Bracco (0.20), 0:2 Hirano (4.15), 0:3 Mackin (5.10), 1:3 Porco (8.14), 1:4 Grasso (23.56), 1:5 Rassell (24.34), 1:6 Mackin (31.22), 1:7 Hirano (36.42), 1:8 Grasso (40.43), 1:9 Rassell (49.01), 2:9 Gennaro (58.39)
Audience: 1.116