Dante Hannoun (r.) gave the HCP the lead, but then nothing went well for a long time. © Ivan Foppa

HC Pustertal, we have a problem!

The Pusterer Wolves are currently making an unmistakable emergency call on their mission to reach the playoffs. The Bruneck ice hockey spaceship is threatened with a major crash landing, that much is certain after Wednesday evening and the bitter home defeat against Innsbruck.

20 December 2023

From the Intercable Arena in Bruneck

“Houston, we have a problem!” is actor Tom Hanks' radio message in the Hollywood film adaptation 'Apollo 13'. It was an emergency message during a lunar mission that almost ended in tragedy in 1970. Back then, the astronauts reacted extremely coolly to the impending disaster and brought themselves safely back to earth. This coolness is now in demand at HC Pustertal, because the Bruneck ice hockey club is in bad trouble.

The Wolves lost at home against the Innsbruck Haie 4:6. They had recently scored seven goals (4:7) from Asiago. On the one hand, the standings in the table are now causing concern, as the eighth-place team from North Tyrol has moved within one point of the HCP and is suddenly back in the race for direct playoff qualification. On the other hand, the sporting performance of the Bruneckers brings worry lines to the foreheads of those responsible. They don't bring any consistency on the ice over 60 minutes, they don't create a balance between the parts of the team and they always have problems at five-on-five.

HCP coach Tomek Valtonen tried to counteract this by relying on full attack and forcing defensive striker Zack Sill to watch as a surplus legionnaire, alongside the suspended Rick Schofield and the injured Dan Catenacci and Lukas De Lorenzo Meo. However, this measure bore little fruit, nor did the new line castling associated with it. The HCP currently lacks a clear concept in many respects.

Now Valtonen and his boys have to rule as coolly, cleverly and, above all, quickly as the Apollo crew did back then, otherwise trouble threatens in the Intercable Arena. The Pusterers have the chance to fix the problem in two days, but then an even more difficult mission awaits Master Salzburg. HC Bozen hosts Ljubljana at the same time. The Foxes benefited from the Bruneck slip-up on Wednesday and climbed with a win in Vienna further into the playoff zone.

HC Pustertal – HC Tiwag Innsbruck 4:6

HCP: Bernard (Smith); Stanton-Ege, Kasastul-Messner, Glira-Atwal, Althuber; Morley-Frycklund-Akeson, Mantinger-Andergassen-Petan, Hannoun-Ikonen-Deluca, Öhler-Berger-Hasler, Gschliesser.
Coach: Valtonen

HCI: Buitenhuis (Gratzer); Lattner-Albano, Halbert-Krogsgaard, Jakubitzka-Steffler, Kerber; Shaw-Mackin-Peeters, Roy-Green-Winkler, Ludin-Rockwood-Bear, Schintler-Mader-Ploner.
Coach: O'Keefe

Gates: 1:0 Dante Hannoun (7.20), 1:1 Anders Krogsgaard (13.44), 1:2 Brady Shaw (15.29), 2:2 Mikael Frycklund (31.37), 2:3 Gordon Green (32.38), 2:4 Nick Albano (35.39), 2:5 Nick Albano (51.54), 3:5 Wyatt Ege (55.12), 4:5 Jason Akeson (56.20), 4:6 Senna Peeters (59.38)

Viewers: 2.112

The other Wednesday results:

Vienna Capitals - HC Bozen 2:4
Goals: 0:1 Vandane (10.55), 1:1 Cheek (28.30), 2:1 Wallner (36.05), 2:2 Alberga (41.01), 2:3 Halmo (51.53), 2:4 Ford (58.43)
Audience: 4.000

Asiago Hockey - Graz 99ers 0:4
Goals: 0:1 Matson (10.23), 0:2 Salinitri (12.50), 0:3 Grafenthin (22.44), 0:4 Krastenbergs (46.41)
Audience: 1.000

Klagenfurter AC - RB Salzburg 1:2 aet
Goals: 1:0 Ganahl (38.10), 1:1 Payerl (46.39), 1:2 Murphy (61.47)
Audience: 4.318

The table: