Only as the game progressed did Bozen and Graz meet on equal terms. © Graz 99ers/Borkenstein

Heavy hangover after derby rush: The Foxes are flat

On Sunday there was a lavish party against Pustertal, now the bitter disappointment in Graz: A tired, battered HC Bozen had to admit defeat in Styria after a completely sleepy start. Instead of regaining first place, the table is now heading in the other direction.

08 January 2025

From: fop

For almost three years, or more precisely 150 weeks, the HCB Südtirol Alperia was unbeaten at the Merkur ice stadium in Graz-Liebenau. This streak has now been broken! The Foxes lost 99:1 to the 2ers. This means they have slipped to third place in the rankings.

Sunday's derby heroes seemed completely off track for long stretches. Especially in the first third, they barely left their own defensive zone, never passed the puck over several stations and in the end only fired seven measly, mostly harmless shots - much to the chagrin of the 50 or so Bolzano fans who gathered in the guest section of the Graz ice rink, which was filled with only around 2000 visitors.

Two early goals decide

This was partly due to the fact that their tired legs were stuck to the ice like concrete blocks after the last few intensive weeks. But it was also due to the fact that four players, Enrico Miglioranzi, Pascal Brunner, Brad McClure and Adam Helewka, were injured or ill and had to sit out the game. The absence of top scorer Helewka (29 points in 34 games) and the still-suffering Frycklund checks McClure, who was suffering, made his presence felt. The three and a half attacking lines deployed were only able to pose a lasting threat in the final minutes.

The 99ers had two reasons to celebrate in the first seven minutes of the game. © Graz 99ers

The Foxes had to thank the goddess of luck and Sam Harvey that they stayed in the game for so long. The Graz team, which has been significantly upgraded this season, put the HCB goal under constant fire in the opening third and was subsequently repeatedly thwarted by the Bozen goalie, who thereby made up for his mistake on the second goal against him.

The Füchse now have four days to fill their empty reserves of energy. Their next match is on Sunday, away at Villacher SV. The HC Pustertal, who also lost 1:2 in Ljubljana on Wednesday, will be hosting the strong KAC on Friday.

Moser Medical Graz 99ers – HCB Südtirol Alperia 2:1

99ers: Gunnarsson (Wieser); Pfeffer-Hora, Kernberger-Holzer, Oligny-Brunner, Reiner; Ganahl-Ticar-Huber, Roy-Gooch-Bailey, Harnisch-Schiechl-Kainz, Antonitsch-Moosbrugger-Krainz, Hanl.
Coach: Lange

HSBC: Harvey (Vallini); Valentine Seed, Hults-Di Perna, Bourque-Spornberger; Frigo-Bradley-Halmo, Marchetti-Christoffer-Salintri, DiGiacinto-Mantenuto-Gazley, Finoro, Frank.
Coach: Hanlon

Gates: 1:0 Frank Hora (4.22), 2:0 Casey Bailey (7.00), 2:1 Dustin Gazley (26.37)

Viewers: 2.025

The other Wednesday games:

Olimpija Ljubljana – HC Pustertal 2:1 ( Click here for the report)
Goals: 0:1 Conci (0.11), 1:1 Atwal (28.18), 2:1 Sabolic (52.15)
Audience: 1.578

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

Klagenfurter AC – 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