Cristian DiGiacinto and the Foxes took and dished out. © Vanna Antonello

Woe to anyone who annoys the people of Bozen

The Black Wings Linz tried everything to lure HC Bozen out of their shell in the ICE top game, but in the end they were taught a lesson. The Foxes felt provoked and hit back. Now, thanks to help from Pustertal, they are in first place in the table.

20 December 2024

From the Sparkasse Arena in Bolzano

Better not mess with these Bozen guys. This warning was circulating in the ICE Hockey League long before this match day. Nevertheless, third-placed Linz tried to play hard, sometimes overly hard. The result? They woke up the Foxes, who had seemed so sleepy time and time again this season, and were bitten properly in the end. However, the guests also got something out of it, because the HCB only won 3:2 in overtime.

The intention of the in-form Linz team that evening was immediately apparent: to annoy Bozen, provoke Bozen, beat Bozen with a lot of force and thus secure their 14th victory in the last 15 games. At times they also managed to overstretch the Foxes' rather thin nerves. However, the steel city team had probably not expected this kind of resistance.

Bozen responded with maximum physical effort, but at the same time with the unbroken will to push the Black Wings to the wall with playful means. A late goal forced the hosts into overtime, but Brad McClure made everything clear with a converted penalty.

HCP makes HCB the league leader

In the end, the cheery Foxes really enjoyed their victory. The sweet bedtime treat to round off the delicious Christmas feast was served to the Bozen team by their arch-enemy from Bruneck. At the same time, the Pusterer Wolves won sensationally 7:2 against the previous league leaders Fehervar and thus lifted the HCB to first place.

This means that the Bozen team remains undefeated in extra time. For the sixth time in the last twelve games they had to go into overtime, and for the sixth time they left the ice as winners. If Daniel Frank and Co. have their way, they want to score full points before Christmas, namely on Sunday in the away game in Vienna. The next home game is on St. Stephen's Day against Klagenfurt.

HCB Südtirol Alperia – Steinbach Black Wings Linz 3:2 aet

HSBC: Harvey (Vallini); Valentine Seed, Hults-Di Perna, Miglioranzi-Bourque; Bradley-Helewka-Salinitri, DiGiacinto-McClure-Gazley, Brunner-Mantenuto-Frank, Marchetti-Finoro-Halmo.
Coach: Hanlon

Linz: Tirronen (Höneckl); Roe-Würschl, Kragl-Moro, Wolf-Scheid; Neubauer-Knott-St-Amant, Lebler-Collins-Feldner, Pusnik-Maver-Kristler, Stuart-Bretschneider-Witting, Söllinger.
Coach: Luke

Gates: 1:0 Matt Bradley (23.08), 1:1 Ian Scheid (33.16), 2:1 Dustin Gazley (36.27), 2:2 Nico Feldner (56.05), 3:2 Brad McClure (60.38)

Viewers: 2.720

The other Friday games:

Fehervar - Pustertal 2:7 (click here for the report)
0-1 Purdeller (00.16), 0-2 Frycklund (4.23), 1-2 Brown (5.35), 1-3 Purdeller (20.56), 1-4 Akeson (22.23), 2-4 Cheek (24.30), 2: 5 Findlay (29.17), 2:6 Frycklund (39.38), 2:7 Andersen (49.32)
Audience: 3.693

Graz – Vienna 5:0
Goals: 1:0 Vela (10.24), 2:0 Antonitsch (22.29), 3:0 Gooch (24.32), 4:0 Gooch (39.57), 5:0 Vela (46.53)
Audience: 2839

Salzburg – Ljubljana 6:2
Goals: 1:0 Auer (8.26), 2:0 Nissner (8.57), 3:0 Huber (33.05), 3:1 Pance (41.45), 4:1 Kosmachuk (43.15), 4:2 Sodja (43.56), 5:2 Auer (52.15), 6:2 Raffl (56.39)
Audience: 3214

Innsbruck – Asiago 6:5 after extra time
Goals: 1:0 Rassell (2.40), 1:1 Gennaro (6.58), 1:2 Saracino (7.46), 2:2 Valentini (11.11), 3:2 Grasso (29.04), 3:3 Saracino (29.36), 4:3 Grasso (29.04), 5:3 Mader (43.25), 5:4 Gennaro (55.31), 5:5 Ierullo (59.58)
Audience: 1200

Vorarlberg – Klagenfurt 1:7
Goals: 0:1 Herburger (10.57), 0:2 Peeters (32.13), 0:3 Pastujov (33.41), 0:4 Sablattnig (41.51), 0:5 Obersteiner (54.03), 0:6 Hochegger (54.29), 0:7 Hundertpfund (55.53), 1:7 Cooper (58.04)
Audience: 1576